Hypopituitarism: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Posted: February 28, 2018 at 12:40 am
Whatis an underactive pituitary gland?
Your pituitary gland is located on the underside of your brain. It releases eight hormones. Each of these hormones plays a role in how your body function. These functions range from stimulating bone growth to prompting your thyroid gland to release hormones that control your metabolism.
Hormones produced by the pituitary gland include:
Hypopituitarism occurs when your pituitary gland does not release enough of one or more of these hormones.
What causes an underactive pituitary gland?
Trauma may cause your pituitary gland to stop producing enough of one or more of its hormones. For example, if you had brain surgery, a brain infection, or a head injury, may affect your pituitary gland.
Certain tumors can also affect the function of this gland. These include:
Some other possible causes of hypopituitarism include:
There may also be other causes of hypopituitarism. And in some cases hypopituitarism, the cause may be unknown.
What are the symptoms of an underactive pituitary gland?
The symptoms of hypopituitarism depend on which hormones your pituitary gland is not producing enough of. For example, if the pituitary gland does not produce enough growth hormone in a child, they may have a permanently short stature. If it doesnt produce enough follicle-stimulating hormone or luteinizing hormone, it might cause problems with sexual function, menstruation, and fertility.
How is an underactive pituitary gland diagnosed?
If your doctor thinks you may have hypopituitarism, they will use a blood test to check your levels of the hormones the pituitary gland produces. They may also check for hormones your pituitary gland stimulates other glands to release.
For example, your doctor may check your T4 levels. Your pituitary gland doesnt produce this hormone, but it releases TSH, which stimulates your thyroid gland to release T4. Having low levels of T4 indicates you may have a problem with your pituitary gland.
Your doctor may prescribe specific medications before doing blood tests. These medications will stimulate your bodys production of specific hormones. Taking them before the test can help your doctor better understand your pituitary gland function.
Once your doctor determines which hormone levels are low, they must check the parts of your body (target organs) those hormones affect. Sometimes, the problem isnt with your pituitary gland, but rather with the target organs.
Your doctor may also perform imaging tests, such as a CT scan or MRI scan on your brain. These tests can help your doctor figure out if a tumor on your pituitary gland is affecting its function.
How is an underactive pituitary gland treated?
This condition is best managed by an endocrinologist. There is no single course of treatment because this condition may affect a number of hormones. In general, the goal of treatment is to bring all your hormone levels back to normal.
This may involve taking medications to replace the hormones your pituitary gland is not producing properly. In this case, your doctor will need to check your hormone levels regularly. This allows your doctor to adjust the doses of medications youre taking to make sure youre getting the correct dose.
If a tumor is causing your pituitary problems, surgery to remove the tumor may restore your hormone production to normal. In some cases, getting rid of a tumor will also involve radiation therapy.
Read more here:
Hypopituitarism: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
- Non-Functioning Tumors (Endocrine-Inactive Tumors ... - January 29th, 2019
- Steroid Replacement Doses for Hypopituitary Patients ... - January 24th, 2019
- Hypopituitarism | UCLA Health - October 7th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism Disease Reference Guide - Drugs.com - October 3rd, 2018
- Hypopituitarism Treatment & Causes | Lurie Children's - October 3rd, 2018
- Hypopituitarism | You and Your Hormones from the Society for ... - August 23rd, 2018
- Panhypopituitarism: Practice Essentials, Pathophysiology ... - August 23rd, 2018
- Hypopituitarism | Lifespan - August 23rd, 2018
- OMIM Entry - # 146510 - PALLISTER-HALL SYNDROME; PHS - July 26th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism in Children | Children's Hospital of Philadelphia - July 12th, 2018
- What is hypopituitarism? | The Pituitary Foundation - July 12th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic - June 4th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism in Kids: Definition, Symptoms, Treatment - May 11th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism | Hormone Health Network - April 24th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment - Prime Health Channel - April 8th, 2018
- Hypopituitary: Hypopituitarism Causes, Symptoms & Treatment - March 26th, 2018
- Generalized Hypopituitarism - Endocrine and Metabolic ... - March 5th, 2018
- Hypopituitarism - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - February 28th, 2018
- LABOKLIN (UK)| Genetic Diseases | Dogs| Dwarfism ... - February 8th, 2018
- Prevalence of Hypopituitarism in Veterans 42% A NEW ... - February 7th, 2018
- Pituitary Disorders - labtestsonline.org - January 7th, 2018
- Severe hyponatremia due to hypopituitarism with adrenal ... - September 20th, 2017
- Hypopituitarism | You and Your Hormones from the Society ... - August 21st, 2017
- The Pituitary Society | Glossary of Terms Related to ... - August 14th, 2017
- What Is Hypopituitarism (Dwarfism)? - Verywell - August 4th, 2017
- Hormone Replacement Therapy Market: Industry Players to Show High Growth Rate by 2024 - Monotone Critic - July 31st, 2017
- Hormone Replacement Therapy Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts 2016 ... - Digital Journal - July 31st, 2017
- Male Hypogonadism Market Deep Research Study with Forecast by 2025 - Digital Journal - July 12th, 2017
- Treatment of hypopituitarism - uptodate.com - May 22nd, 2017
- Clinton child battles rare genetic disorder - Utica Observer Dispatch - May 22nd, 2017
- FDA Grants BAVENCIO (avelumab) Approval for a Common Type of Advanced Bladder Cancer - PR Newswire (press release) - May 10th, 2017
- Radiation Tx for Persistent Acromegaly Safe, Effective - MedPage Today - May 5th, 2017
- Hypopituitarism. Medical information about Hypopituitarism ... - May 3rd, 2017
- Shannen's illnesslife-threatening or not? - Trinidad & Tobago Express - April 18th, 2017
- Growth Hormone Deficiency Following Complicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury - Lexology (registration) - April 9th, 2017
- Hypopituitarism Symptoms, Causes & 8 Natural Remedies - March 31st, 2017
- Penn Medicine Researchers Receive Distinguished Investigator Awards - Newswise (press release) - March 28th, 2017
- Fighting Cancer With Fundraising: Meet Milwaukee's Dr. John Hanson - Milwaukee Magazine - March 24th, 2017
- Thymomas Trigger Newly Described Autoimmune Endocrine Disease - Oncology Nurse Advisor - March 21st, 2017
- Cold Springs FCCLA brings home state awards - Cullman Times Online - March 18th, 2017
- Hypopituatarism - a lesser-known effect of traumatic brain injury - Lexology (registration) - March 10th, 2017
- Joanna Lane:: Brain injury can cause treatable pituitary disorder - Madison.com - March 10th, 2017
- Hypopituitarism - familydoctor.org - March 8th, 2017
- New autoimmune disease triggered by thymomas - Science Daily - March 2nd, 2017
- Hopsital apologises to mother for parking fines caused by faulty system - View News - February 24th, 2017
- Fundraiser Sunday to benefit Creek infant - Daily Union - February 24th, 2017
- Hyperprolactinaemia: diagnosis and management - GP online - February 16th, 2017
- Yeovil Hospital sorry for charges of over 400 wrongly sent to stressed mum of disabled girl - Somerset Live - February 15th, 2017
- Evaluation of ICD-10 algorithms to identify hypopituitary patients in the Danish National Patient Registry - Dove Medical Press - February 10th, 2017
- Hypopituitarism in Children Causes, Symptoms, Treatment ... - December 7th, 2016
- What is Hypopituitarism, Pituitary Insufficiency | Hormone.org - December 7th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism-Panhypopituitarism - November 29th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism (Panhypopituitarism): Background ... - November 28th, 2016
- Suzy's story - hypopituitarism | The Pituitary Foundation - November 17th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism - Wikipedia - October 21st, 2016
- Hypopituitarism Hypopituitarism - August 31st, 2016
- Hypopituitary: Pituitary Gland Disorder Causes & Treatments - August 31st, 2016
- Panhypopituitarism: Background, Pathophysiology, Epidemiology - August 31st, 2016
- Symptoms of Hypopituitarism - RightDiagnosis.com - August 31st, 2016
- Hypopituitarism. - August 20th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism - Hormonal and Metabolic Disorders - Merck ... - June 19th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism - RightDiagnosis.com - May 24th, 2016
- Symptoms and causes - Hypopituitarism - Mayo Clinic - May 8th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism | Boston Children's Hospital - March 4th, 2016
- What Is Hypopituitarism (Dwarfism)? - Child Growth and ... - March 3rd, 2016
- Hypopituitarism Hypopituitarism Hypopituitarism - February 27th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism: Check Your Symptoms and Signs - February 27th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism - Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - February 27th, 2016
- Hypopituitarism | The Pituitary Foundation - February 19th, 2016
- Clinically Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenomas | UCLA ... - February 1st, 2016
- Hypopituitarism Symptoms and Treatment | Hormone Health ... - August 17th, 2015
- Hypopituitarism | Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library - July 8th, 2015
- Hypopituitarism and Hypopituitarism Resources - What is ... - July 3rd, 2015
- Hypopituitarism - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and ... - July 3rd, 2015
- Pituitary Network Association - Disorders - Hypopituitarism - May 30th, 2015
- Hypopituitarism in Children: Get Information About Symptoms - May 27th, 2015
- Hypopituitary: Learn Hypopituitarism Causes and Symptoms - May 27th, 2015
- Hypopituitarism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - May 4th, 2015
- Hypopituitarism | University of Maryland Medical Center - May 4th, 2015
- Frequently asked HYPOPITUITARY questions....and their ... - May 4th, 2015