Pituitary disorders are usually caused by non-cancerous tumors in the pituitary gland, referred to as adenomas. The pituitary gland is located at the base of the skull and oversees the production of hormones in the body. A tumor can make the pituitary produce either too much or too little of a certain hormone, causing a wide range of problems in the body.
Pituitary Disorders
Pituitary gland disorders interfere with your bodys ability to regulate your sugar levels, control your body temperature and help you grow.
Medical professionals call the pituitary gland the master endocrine gland because it produces hormones that regulate other organs and many of our body functions. While injuries can cause pituitary disorders, tumors are the more common reason for them. These tumors can cause the gland to make abnormal amounts of certain hormones such as thyroid-stimulating hormone, which regulates our heart rate.
Too much of the hormone cortisol can cause Cushings syndrome, a rare disorder that can cause weight gain, fatigue and death if left untreated. Too little growth hormone can cause dwarfism and delayed sexual function.
Hormone replacement therapy, surgery and radiation therapy may be used to treat some pituitary disorders.
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2 AnswersA
Parkland Medical Center answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe symptoms of pituitary disorders depend on what type of hormone is affected by the condition. The pituitary, a small gland at the base of the skull, determines the production of hormones in the body. The pituitary gland usually malfunctions because of a non-cancerous tumor. A tumor can make the pituitary produce either too much of a certain hormone or too little. Common symptoms of pituitary disorders include loss of vision, fatigue, weakness, headaches, nausea, sexual dysfunction, or weight gain or loss.
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1 AnswerA
Parkland Medical Center answered
Pituitary disorders can affect the body in a wide variety of ways, depending on the hormone(s) affected. The condition causes the pituitary, a small gland at the base of the skull that determines the production of hormones, to malfunction. The pituitary can produce either too much of a certain hormone or too little. Improper hormone levels can cause a wide range of problems, including high or low blood pressure, weight gain or weight loss, emotional extremes, and sexual dysfunction.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
Pituitary disorders usually take the form of non-cancerous tumors of the pituitary gland. Older adults are most at risk for developing these tumors. Some types of pituitary tumors run in families, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia, type I, otherwise known as MEN I. However, the majority are not hereditary, and their causes are not well understood.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
Pituitary disorders are diagnosed through blood and urine tests and imaging scans of the pituitary gland. Most pituitary disorders involve non-cancerous tumors of the pituitary gland. Imaging scans such as an MRI (magnetic imaging resonance) or CT (computed tomograpy) can reveal the location and size of tumors. Tumors of the pituitary gland affect hormone levels in the body. A blood and/or urine test can measure those abnormal hormone levels.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
A pituitary disorder can profoundly affect your daily life so you should talk to your doctor about any symptoms. The only way the condition is likely to improve is through treatment. Pituitary disorders have a wide range of symptoms, depending on how they affect the pituitary gland. The pituitary, a small gland at the base of the skull, determines the production of hormones in the body. Pituitary disorders can cause the pituitary to produce either too much of a certain hormone or too little. Improper hormone levels can cause a wide range of problems.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
Pituitary disorders most commonly consist of non-cancerous tumors that affect the pituitary gland. These tumors are usually treated through a combination of surgery, radiation, and drugs. The specific forms of treatment depend on the size and position of the tumor and the way they are affecting the pituitary gland.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
Medications used to treat pituitary disorders are generally of two types: tumor-shrinking drugs and drugs that inhibit hormone production. Pituitary disorders usually consist of non-cancerous tumors of the pituitary gland, which controls the production of hormones in the body. Some medications attack the tumors themselves and inhibit their growth. Other medications may be used to block the production of a hormone that is too plentiful in the body.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
If a non-cancerous tumor of the pituitary gland, the most common form of pituitary disorder, is not causing symptoms, then there may not be a need for immediate treatment. Simple observation is particularly an option for the elderly or people who have other serious medical conditions. In many cases, people can live a normal life even with a pituitary disorder.
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Parkland Medical Center answered
Pituitary disorders cannot be prevented. The cause of non-cancerous tumors of the pituitary gland, the most common form of the condition, is not known. Testing for multiple endocrine neoplasia, type I can help determine if you are at greater risk for a tumor of the pituitary gland.