What Is Cushing's Syndrome?
The Cushing Syndrome is a hormone disease. People with Cushing's have too much of the hormone cortisol in their bodies. This is because they swallow this as medicine or because their adrenal cortex (part of the kidneys) too much cortisol. By too much cortisol you will be thicker, you get skin problems and are you tired or depressed.
The Cushing's complaints may arise in you long term corticosteroids, such as prednisone or hormone ointment. Discuss with your doctor whether you can use other medications.
Swallows you these drugs do not, then the cause is probably a tumor in the pituitary gland. Then usually need surgery. You must also swallow medications. Cushing can totally heal.
The syndrome often begins shortly after puberty. Women get Cushing more often than men. Cushing is quite rare: Netherlands in less than one hundred new patients a year.
Signs And Symptoms Of Cushing Syndrome
Cushing syndrome provides various complaints. These usually start vague and very slowly getting worse.
- Your abdomen and face become fatter by the excess adrenal hormones. You get a 'moon face'. You thickens, is partly due to hold more moisture. It is therefore not only fat.
- You also get skin problems. Faster bruises and wounds heal more slowly and / or you get stretch marks on your skin (striae). You can be anywhere on your body get more hair.
- Other possible symptoms are: menstrual disorders, fatigue and muscle weakness, reduced sex drive and in men erectile dysfunction (impotence) and psychological changes. The psychological changes include irritability and depression.
- Left untreated, Cushing ultimately leads to infertility, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and kidney stones.
Cushing Syndrome Causes
Cushing syndrome is often a side effect of prolonged use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone or hormone ointment. The disease then disappears when you stop taking the medication. Always consult your doctor before you decide to stop taking your medication!
Cushing Syndrome comes not by medicines, then create your own adrenal cortex too many hormones. Is it because usually a benign tumor. That tumor may in the adrenal cortex itself. But at more than 80% of the patients he is sitting in the pituitary gland.
The pituitary gland is a gland in the brain. It makes among other things the hormone ACTH. ACTH causes the adrenal cortex more hormones. By the tumor makes too much ACTH the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal cortex to and again to much cortisol.
If the tumor in the adrenal cortex is in place of the pituitary gland, it is the tumor itself that too much cortisol.
People who drink too much alcohol for a long time sometimes get also a kind of Cushing. If they stop drinking they are better.
How the doctor finds Cushing syndrome?
It often takes a long time for a doctor to recognize the Cushing syndrome. This is because the symptoms are often vague in the beginning. Doctors think rather than, for example having a nervous breakdown or depression.
Upon suspicion of Cushing your GP will refer you to an internist endocrinologist. This doctor is specialized in hormone diseases.
To determine Cushing Endocrinologist measures how much cortisol is in your blood and urine. She also examines how your body secretes cortisol during an entire day. For that you need 24 hours to absorb all of your urine.
Treatment of Cushing syndrome
Cushing syndrome is usually caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland. The doctor can such a tumor with surgery through the nose away. This works in three quarters of patients.
After surgery you should swallow hormones. If enough of the pituitary gland is about it after a while it will make itself enough hormones again. Please stop using the medication. If the pituitary gland fails, you must continue using the medication your whole life.
Sometimes the tumor so small that an operation is not possible. The pituitary gland is then irradiated. This often has unpleasant side effects. It may take several years before the tumor is gone. Moreover, irradiation very bad for the pituitary gland and it will probably never work properly. Most people should therefore remain after this treatment swallow their lives hormones.
Cushing's can also be caused by a tumor in the adrenal gland. Then the doctor removes the diseased adrenal way. After this treatment is all about Cushing. You then have another one healthy adrenal over, and with it you can normally live.
After the operation, the amount of cortisol in the blood temporarily lowered. At that time, you must also swallow hormones. You may suffer from fatigue and joint pain. It typically takes one to one and a half years before your body itself produce enough cortisol.