Seek emergency treatment for the following: Acute adrenal failure can lead to life-threatening shock. Sometimes the symptoms of Addison's disease appear suddenly.

Body hair loss or sexual issues in some peopleĪcute adrenal failure, known as addisonian crisis.

Low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia.Then a stress, such as illness or injury, makes symptoms worse.

The disease can move so slowly that people who have it may ignore the symptoms at first. This disorder can affect the development of sex organs in men.Addison's disease symptoms usually happen slowly, often over months.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH): People who have this inherited hormonal disorder have difficulties producing adrenal hormones.

Adrenal cancer: This condition occurs when malignant tumors develop in your adrenal glands.

Pheochromocytoma: In this condition, tumors develop in the medulla of your adrenal glands.

Long-term steroid use can cause similar symptoms.

Cushing’s syndrome: This rare disorder occurs when your adrenal glands produce too much cortisol.

This is a self-destructive disease, in which your own immune system may attack your adrenal tissues.

Addison’s disease: This rare autoimmune disease develops when your adrenal glands don’t produce enough cortisol or aldosterone.

These disorders include the following medical conditions:

infections develop in your adrenal glands.

malignant, or cancerous, tumors grow in your adrenal glands.

benign, or noncancerous, tumors grow in your adrenal glands.

your pituitary gland fails to control your hormone production properly.

Which disorders affect your adrenal glands?Īdrenal gland disorders can develop when: Hormonal imbalances can result, causing a variety of symptoms and health problems. This can cause them to produce too little or too much hormone. Abnormal signals can disrupt the amount of hormones that your pituitary gland tells your adrenal glands to produce. Located in your head, your pituitary gland is the main controller of your endocrine glands. Your adrenal glands are controlled by your pituitary gland, another part of your endocrine system. Cortisol also helps regulate your metabolism, sugar levels, and blood pressure.

Cortisol works in conjunction with adrenaline and noradrenaline to help regulate your reaction to stress. Each gland also contains an inner adrenal medulla, which produces several other hormones, including adrenaline and noradrenaline.Īldosterone helps control your blood pressure by managing the balance of potassium and sodium in your body. It’s responsible for producing certain steroid hormones, including aldosterone and cortisol. Each adrenal gland contains an outer adrenal cortex. You have one triangular-shaped adrenal gland at the top of each kidney.

Adrenal cortex hormones and functions