Do you sometimes feel unusually tired and lethargic for no reason? Do you have a loss of appetite , weight loss , or dizziness ? You may have also noticed that your skin, especially your elbows and knees , has turned a little brown. Don't just ignore these things. They could be a sign of something important going on inside your body. Today we're talking about one such condition, Addison's Disease .
Simply put, what is Addison's Disease?
Think of our body as a big company. This company has a group of “chemical messengers ” that exchange messages to keep various functions running smoothly. We call these hormones .
Above our kidneys, like two little hats, are two small glands. These are what we call the adrenal glands . These glands produce two of the most important hormones that are essential to our lives. They are cortisol and aldosterone .
Addison's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands are damaged for some reason and are unable to produce the required amount of these hormones. This is a very rare condition. But it is very important to be aware of this.
What is the function of the two hormones?
- Cortisol: This is like our body's "stress manager." This hormone prepares the body to deal with illness, danger, and stress. It also helps control blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and the use of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
- Aldosterone: This hormone is our body's "salt and water regulator." It helps our kidneys maintain a balance of salt (sodium) and potassium levels in the body. It also controls our blood pressure.
When these hormones are low, the entire body functions are disrupted. That's what happens in Addison's disease.
What are the symptoms of Addison's disease?
The symptoms of Addison's disease come on gradually, slowly. So it can sometimes take a while to recognize it as a disease. These symptoms are similar to those of other common diseases, so they can be misunderstood.
See the table below for the main features you will see.
| Symptom | Description |
|---|---|
| Chronic fatigue and muscle weakness | Feeling tired and lifeless all day long, no matter how much rest you get. |
| Brown/blackening of the skin (Hyperpigmentation) | Darkening of the skin on areas such as the elbows, knees, knuckles, lips, and gums. Even old scars can turn black. |
| Loss of appetite and weight loss | Loss of appetite and consequent weight loss. |
| Low blood pressure (Hypotension) | If you feel dizzy, especially when you stand up from a sitting position, it could be due to low blood pressure. You may even lose consciousness. |
| Excessive craving for salt | As the body's salt levels decrease, there is a constant desire to eat salty foods and things like pickles. |
| Other features | Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, bloating, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), mental restlessness, and irregular menstrual cycles in women. |
What are the causes of Addison's disease?
The main cause of Addison's disease is an autoimmune disease.Simply put, this is when our body's own immune system goes haywire and attacks and destroys our own adrenal glands. This is the cause of 70% of Addison's patients.
In addition, there may be other reasons.
- Infections: Long-term infections such as tuberculosis and HIV can damage the adrenal glands.
- Cancer: Cancer cells that have formed elsewhere spread to the adrenal glands.
- Internal bleeding: Bleeding within the adrenal glands.
- Genetic causes: There is also a risk of developing this disease due to certain genetic conditions.
- Surgery: If you have had surgery to remove the adrenal glands.
How do you find this, Doctor?
If you have any of these symptoms, see your family doctor as soon as possible. He or she will examine you and refer you to a specialist if necessary.
Several blood tests are mainly used to diagnose the disease.
1. Basic blood test: This will check if your blood sodium (salt) levels are low or if your potassium levels are high.
2. ACTH Stimulation Test: This is the most crucial test. In this, a small amount of a hormone called ACTH, which is released by your brain, is given as an injection. In a healthy person, this injection causes the adrenal glands to produce a lot of the hormone cortisol. However, in a person with Addison's disease, the glands do not respond in this way. The disease is confirmed by taking a blood sample and measuring this cortisol level.
Additionally, a CT scan may be performed to check for infection, cancer, or bleeding in the adrenal glands.
The most dangerous: Addisonian Crisis
This is the most dangerous and sudden stage of Addison's disease. Symptoms usually come on gradually, so some people don't even know they have the disease. At this point, if the body is under a lot of stress, such as another illness, surgery, or an accident, the symptoms can suddenly become very severe. This is called an Addisonian crisis .
This is a medical emergency and can lead to death if left untreated.
Symptoms of an Addisonian crisis:
- Sudden, severe pain in the back, stomach, or legs.
- Severe vomiting and diarrhea, resulting in dehydration.
- Shock caused by a very low blood pressure.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Sudden fever and severe weakness.
If these symptoms appear,The patient should be taken to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital immediately.
Treatment and a normal life
You may be scared to hear about Addison's disease, but the good news is that there are very effective treatments for it.
This disease is caused by two types of hormones that are missing from the body. So the treatment is to give those hormones externally in the form of pills.
- Hydrocortisone: A steroid pill that replaces the hormone cortisol.
- Fludrocortisone: A pill that replaces the hormone aldosterone.
This medicine should be taken daily, exactly as prescribed by the doctor.
The most important thing is to never skip a single dose of medication. Even missing one dose can be dangerous.
If you have an infection, a fever, or are having surgery, your doctor will temporarily increase the dose of this medication to prevent an Addisonian crisis.
With proper treatment, someone with Addison's disease can live a completely normal, healthy life .
Take-Home Message
- Addison's disease is a condition in which the adrenal glands fail to produce enough of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone.
- The main symptoms are constant fatigue, weight loss, low blood pressure, and darkening of the skin.
- If you have these symptoms, don't panic and see a doctor immediately.
- Although this is a lifelong condition, you can live a completely normal life by taking daily medication.
- If you have Addison's disease, always wear a card or bracelet that states your condition. It could be a lifesaver in an emergency.
- Addisonian crisis is an emergency that requires immediate treatment. It is important to know the symptoms.
Addison's Disease, hormones, adrenal glands, cortisol, aldosterone, constant fatigue, darkening of the skin, adrenal glands, adrenal insufficiency, low blood pressure
💬 Comments (0)
No comments have been posted yet. Add your comment here for the first time.
Add your comment