What is hormone deficiency?
Hormone deficiency is a decrease in pituitary function. This referred to as hypopituitarism or panhypopituitarism.
Hypopituitarism When one or several hormones are not adequate.
Panhypopituitarism When all hormones are absent.
What causes hormone deficiencies?
- A pituitary tumor (called an adenoma) Surgery in the region of the pituitary,
- Damage of the pituitary by trauma such as road accidents
- Radio therapy to the pituitary gland itself or part of the brain close to the pituitary gland eventually damages normal pituitary tissue
- Damage to the pituitary gland by the blocked blood supply, bleeding, significant pressure from the surrounding, inflammation or infiltrations
- Auto immune attack on the pituitary gland
- Damage of the pituitary by the infection, e.g meningitis, encephalitis, tuberculosis
- Isolated deficiency of one of the hormone since birth
What are general symptoms of hormone deficiencies?
- Low cortisol level can cause weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, dizziness, and fatigue.
- Low growth hormone can cause failure of growth, fatigue, low libido, weight gain, mental confusion, and muscle weakness.
- Low sex hormone level can cause impotence, irregular or absent menstrual periods. lethargy and hot flashes
- Low thyroid hormone will cause dry skin, fatigue, weight gain.
- Lack of ADH causes severe thirst and frequent urination.