Adrenal Gland Disorder: Everything You Need to Know

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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:45 Types of Adrenal gland disorders
1:28 Causes of Adrenal gland disorders
1:52 Symptoms of Adrenal gland disorders
2:37 Diagnosis of Adrenal gland disorders
3:09 Treatment of Adrenal gland disorders



Adrenal gland disorders (or diseases) are conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of the adrenal glands.[1] Adrenal disorders may cause hyperfunction or hypofunction, and may be congenital or acquired.

The adrenal gland produces hormones that affects growth, development and stress, and also helps to regulate kidney function. There are two parts of the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex produces mineralocorticoids, which regulate salt and water balance within the body, glucocorticoids (including cortisol) which have a wide number of roles within the body, and androgens, hormones with testosterone-like function.[2] The adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline).[2] Disorders of the adrenal gland may affect the production of one or more of these hormones. Adrenal adenoma, a benign tumor of the adrenal gland which may result in overproduction of one or more adrenal hormones, or may be inactive
Adrenocortical carcinoma, cancer of the adrenal cortex
Adrenal incidentaloma, an adrenal tumor (of any type) discovered accidentally during a scan which performed for an unrelated reason
Pheochromocytoma, a catecholamine-producing tumor of the adrenal medulla, which may or may not be cancerous