Pituitary Gland Disorders
A ductless gland of the endocrine system, the pituitary gland, secretes hormones into the bloodstream. It is a pea-sized gland located inside the Sella Turcica. Sella is a bony structure located in the middle of the head, behind the nose and sinuses.
Pituitary gland disorders are hormonal disorders that are caused due to chemical imbalance. They occur due to poor functioning or derangement of the pituitary gland.
Causes
The common causes of pituitary gland disorders include:
- Low blood supply to the pituitary gland
- Excessive iron
- Cancer treatment
- Radiation therapy (head or neck)
- Congenital disabilities
- Tumor growth
- Genetics or family history
- Head injury
- Bleeding in or near the pituitary gland
- Medications
Symptoms
There can be multiple symptoms of pituitary gland disorder, depending on the cause of the disorder. Some of the common symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Enlarged hands and feet
- High blood pressure
- Weaker bones
- Abdominal pain
- Headaches
- Unexpected weight gain
- Unexpected weight loss
- Dehydration
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Loss of libido
- Diabetes
- Muscle wasting
- Moon face (with reddened skin on the face)
- Delay in puberty
- Irregular periods
- Erectile dysfunction
- Mood swings
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Anxiety and depression
- Brittle hair
- Coarsening of facial features
- Pale complexion
- Vision problems
- Excessive sweating
- Oily skin
Diagnosis
For the diagnosis of the pituitary gland disorders, you can try the following tests:
- A pituitary scan (MRI)
- Vision test
- Blood tests
Treatment
Treatment of the pituitary gland disorders often involves more than one specialist, including:
- Endocrinologists
- Neurosurgeons
- Neuro-ophthalmologists
- Radiation oncologists
- Otolaryngologists (ENT)
While the treatments to treat the pituitary gland disorders include:
- Surgical intervention
- Medications
- Corticosteroids
- Levothyroxine
- Sex hormones
- Growth hormone
- Fertility hormones
- Hormone replacement
- Continuous monitoring
- Radiation therapy
- External radiation (external beam therapy)
- Radiosurgery (stereotactic radiosurgery) or gamma knife treatment
When You Should Consult The Doctor
If your symptoms return or new symptoms or risk factors arise, you must consult your doctor. Request your doctor to conduct a detailed check-up to identify the presence of the pituitary gland disorder, if any.
Looking For A Pituitary Gland Specialist In Houston, Tx?
Having Pituitary gland disorders is a serious issue that one should not avoid.
If you have any pituitary disorder symptoms, you should not wait for any good time to arrive. We have Doctors and specialists that can help you to overcome this problem. The gland disorders can turn into fatal tumors if not treated on time. But there are chances to cure tumors by consulting a pituitary tumor Doctor, and Houston Endocrine Center has the best pituitary tumor specialist. You need to wake up and request an appointment with our Doctors.