Pituitary dysfunction - diseases, which in recent years are diagnosed more often than before. In general, every person needs to imagine such problems in order to see a doctor for detailed diagnostics at the first symptoms. It must be understood that diseases associated with impaired pituitary gland activity are dangerous - this is not only a decrease in the quality of life, but also a high probability of various complications.
What is it about?
The pituitary gland is indispensable for the endocrine system. This term refers to a small-sized gland located in the brain in its lower half. The gland is located near the saddle cranial bones and produces hormones that provide the ability to normal life, regulating human growth, metabolism and reproductive ability.
If the hormonal background is disturbed, then it is likely that this condition provoked pituitary diseases. They affect women and men equally, they are subject to people of different ages, social status, leading different lifestyles.
Where does trouble come from?
As a rule, the symptom of pituitary disease is the abnormal content of hormones produced by this gland in human blood. Oversupply or too little concentration are possible. In any of the options, the entire endocrine system suffers greatly.
Usually, the lack of production of hormonal compounds is provoked by improper blood supply or brain injury. In some cases, diseases associated with the pituitary gland are observed against the background of hemorrhage, inflammation, problems in the vascular system. This may be a consequence of exposure.
Pituitary diseases, in which the level of activity of the gland is overestimated, are often associated with a benign neoplasm. This pathology is called an adenoma in medicine. The disease is quite widespread, its development can provoke injuries or infection of the brain. In some cases, adenoma (pituitary gland disease) develops against the background of prolonged oral contraceptive use.
How to suspect a problem
Pituitary diseases manifest themselves in a number of symptoms characteristic only of them. In addition, there are manifestations characteristic of some other diseases, due to which the diagnosis can be complicated.
So, if the pathology developed even before birth, then it is quite easy to notice it - a disproportionate build, an unhealthy appearance is visible. If hormonal activity is insufficient, growth slows down, and for a lifetime such a person will be below the average. But excessive activity of the gland leads to gigantism - growth does not stop throughout life.
With pituitary gland disease, some patients grow truly huge, which is accompanied by acromegaly - the limbs are enlarged, the voice becomes coarse, posture deteriorates, internal systems and organs are deformed.
If the pituitary gland disease is characterized by an incorrect, too weak process of production of growth hormone, this leads to disturbances in the genitourinary system. When analyzing blood for biochemistry, it is possible to identify a deficiency of sodium, glucose, growth hormone. An unnatural response to insulin is also observed.
What else happens?
If a lack of hormones develops in a secondary form, patients are diagnosed with hypothyroidism. In some cases, the pituitary gland is affected by bazedova disease. Quite rarely, but nevertheless, pituitary dwarfism occurs - such a pathology often affects the male half of humanity than the female. What is good, modern medicine knows quite effective methods for eliminating pathology.
Hypothyroidism
If the thyroid gland does not produce the amount of hormones necessary for the normal functioning of the body, this causes hypothyroidism. Usually this is observed when the functioning of this organ is insufficient or with a pathological effect on the processes that control the hormonal background.
Primary (thyrogenic) hypothyroidism is usually triggered by a lack of iodine in the body. In a number of cases, it is caused by mechanical injuries of the thyroid gland provoked by radiation therapy, surgical intervention, etc.
Secondary hypothyroidism is a disease in which the body does not have enough hormones produced by the thyroid gland. With this violation, the hypothalamus cannot generate thyroliberin, which affects the pituitary gland - the processes of creating thyroid-stimulating hormone stop.
Central hypothyroidism
Tertiary hypothyroidism in modern medicine is often also called central. This form is narrowly distributed and is characterized by the inability of the thyroid gland to cope with the functions assigned to it. In some cases, this is provoked by the features of the pituitary gland, but sometimes the hypothalamus plays its role.
Pathology Features
It is quite difficult to suspect hypothyroidism at the very beginning of the development of the disease, since its course is hidden and does not have vivid symptoms. Most often, pathology is detected by a blood test to identify hormonal conditions. With a congenital form in a child, bloating, umbilical hernia, disproportionality of the tongue, thyroid gland are observed. Over time, the baby loses its appetite, normal development is disrupted, weight goes beyond what is expected, the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted - constipation appears.
If you start treating the disease on time, you can restore the functionality of all body systems in full. Also, the process of growth of the child will enter the norm.
With the advanced form in an adult, pathology can be suspected by the appearance of the patient - the skin on the face is yellowish, the face swells, since the fluid is not excreted from the body in normal mode. A person feels weak, his hair and eyebrows are actively falling out, his skin is drying, his muscles are sore.
Usually this is a rather lethargic person who speaks in a hoarse voice and hears rather poorly. Further development of the disease is associated with impaired functioning of the nervous system, which negatively affects memory, ability to concentrate, and intelligence. There are problems with sleep, the patient's condition is depressed. Hemoglobin drops in the blood, cholesterol grows.
Hyperprolactinemia
Prolactin is a hormone normally normally involved in the formation of the required amount of breast milk of a nursing mother. Hyperprolactinemia can develop in one of three forms. The natural option is a physiological form due to childbirth and growth. Pathological is usually provoked by adenoma or other internal disorders. With the long-term use of certain groups of medicines, a pharmacological form of the disease may appear.
Clinical symptoms may occur in patients of different ages and gender. Moreover, in women it is noted:
- breast milk excretion;
- menstrual irregularities;
- inability to get pregnant;
- decreased sexual desire;
- pain during intercourse.
In men, impotence often develops, a decrease in vision is possible. In patients at a young age, the reproductive system develops with a delay. Hyperprolactinemia provokes metabolic problems, acne. Patients feel constant weakness, sleep is disturbed. Often, the disease provokes diabetes.
Adenoma
There are two types of pituitary adenoma - active and inactive hormone. Usually, the pathology develops rather slowly, the neoplasm has a benign character. Depending on the size, they talk about microscopic, macroadenoma.
At an early stage of development, the adenoma practically does not manifest itself, which significantly complicates the diagnosis. Over time, the tumor provokes endocrine-metabolic syndrome. At the same time, the thyroid gland grows in size, excess weight appears, warts. Most patients report oily skin. Many are diagnosed with diabetes. Often, adenoma also has symptoms of hypothyroidism, hyperprolactinemia.
How else to notice adenoma
The development of adenoma is associated with ophthalmic, neurological syndrome. In this case, the patient's visual field undergoes distortion, and he suffers from headaches. As a rule, vision is greatly reduced, and disturbances in eye movements are observed. Doctors attribute this to the fact that the neoplasm squeezes the Turkish saddle, cranial nerves.
Often with pituitary adenoma, patients become depressed and suffer from nervous disorders. The continued growth of the neoplasm provokes mental disorders.
How to identify a disease
If symptoms characteristic of an adenoma are observed, there is at least the slightest suspicion of this disease, it is necessary to make an appointment with a local therapist, who will redirect to an endocrinologist. When using the services of a private clinic, you can immediately go to the endocrinologist for a detailed diagnosis of the condition of the body.
The doctor will choose the most applicable instrumental methods of analysis, monitor the content of hormones in the urine, blood, make an analysis for biochemistry. If there is an assumption that the cause is nodular hypothyroidism, an ultrasound diagnosis is additionally performed.
To determine the type of tumor, it is necessary to undergo computed tomography or MRI. It also allows you to accurately identify the size of the neoplasm, to understand how much the Turkish saddle suffered and what the nature of the damage is. An ophthalmic examination also assesses the condition of the cranial nerves.
What to do?
Treatment of diseases of the pituitary gland is determined by the features of a specific diagnosis. First you need to choose drugs that allow you to return to normal hormonal levels. The patient is also prescribed medications that stimulate the production of the necessary hormones by the internal systems of the body. Additionally, general strengthening measures are carried out and a diet optimal for pathology is chosen.
If an adenoma is established, radiation therapy that relieves neoplasms can give a good result. With macroadenoma, surgical removal of the tumor is possible.
The lack of hormones in the blood must be replenished with external sources, accompanied by mineral components and vitamin therapy. In the treatment of young patients, hormones are administered in minimal doses. With a well-chosen program, health will soon return to normal, and growth will normalize in children.