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What Are the Symptoms of Addison’s Disease?
The primary symptoms of Addisons disease tend to be episodic and non-specific.
Common symptoms include:
The symptoms of Addisons disease are directly associated with the degree of adrenal impairment.
JR Bee / Verywell
As a progressive disease, the symptoms tend to worsen over time if left untreated.
Other symptoms are related to a drop in aldosterone, the hormone responsible for sodium retention.
What Are the Causes of Addison’s Disease?
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Addisons disease is because of a failure of the adrenal glands.
The adrenal glands are one of several organs that comprise theendocrine system.
It is produced in a part of the adrenal glands known as thezona fasciculata.
It is produced in a different part of the gland known as thezona glomerulosa.
Addisons disease develops when the adrenal glands can no longer adequately supply the body with cortisol and aldosterone.
An adrenal crisis can occur as either an extension of Addisons disease or independent of it.
The condition is potentially life-threatening and requires immediate medical care.
According to one study, the following are the most common precipitating factors for an adrenal crisis.
Other studies have also supported gastrointestinal illness as the predominant trigger for an acute adrenal crisis.
Additional risk factors include pregnancy and diabetes.
Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency
An adrenal crisis can also occur if thepituitary glandis damaged or diseased.
The pituitary gland is part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Its role is to instruct the adrenal gland when to produce more cortisol and how much.
It does so with a hormone calledadrenocorticotropichormone (ACTH).
How Is Addison’s Disease Diagnosed?
Addisons disease is diagnosed with a variety of blood and imaging tests used to confirm adrenal insufficiency.
How Is Addison’s Disease Treated?
In most cases, this would involve oral steroid medications taken two to three times daily.
Grapefruit and licorice can also amplify side effects and should be consumed sparingly.
Speak to your healthcare provider if the side effects are intolerable or causing you distress.
In some cases, treatment can be changed or the dosages reduced.
Giving too much hydrocortisone in an emergency situation will do no harm.
By contrast, under-dosing will do little to prevent the rapid deterioration of your condition.
An adrenal crisis requires hospitalization with intravenous hydrocortisone and intravenous fluids composed of 0.9% sodium chloride.
How to Cope With Addison’s Disease
Living with any chronic disease can be challenging.
If fatigued, dont push itallow your body time to recover.
Early diagnosis and treatment may further increase these rates.
An adrenal crisis doesnt need to be your first symptom.
Hence, prompt identification and management are key to ensuring a good outcome.
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