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What Is Cushings Disease?

Cushing's disease is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure to cortisol, an adrenal hormone. Cortisol is often known as the "stress hormone."

  1. Cushing's Disease Symptoms

    • The symptoms of Cushing's disease include a round, full face (more than normal), excessive fat on the back of the neck (often called a buffalo hump), excessive fat around the waistline, frequent urination, headaches, lethargy and weakness, mood shifts, depression and anxiety or panic attacks. Patients may also experience acne. Many of the symptoms of Cushing's disease are similar to those of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), so doctors will usually test patients for both at once.

    Causes of Cushing's Disease

    • The adrenal gland produces cortisol when the pituitary gland produces adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). There are several reasons that the hormones might be out of whack, but one of them is the presence of a tumor. If a tumor is present on or near the pituitary gland, it may cause ACTH to be produced in excessive amounts and cause more cortisol to be produced as well. If this goes on for too long, Cushing's disease may be the result.

    Diagnosing Cushing's Disease

    • Diagnosing Cushing's disease is usually fairly simple. Certain symptoms are telling of the condition, such as the "moon face" or the buffalo hump on the neck. A physician who suspects Cushing's disease will order additional tests to detect the presence of cortisol in the blood stream, including blood work and urine tests. If a tumor is suspected, an MRI or other diagnostic test will be performed to confirm or rule out the presence of such a mass.

    Treatment for Cushing's Disease

    • Treatment for Cushing's disease usually involves some type of surgery, whether it is the removal of a troublesome tumor in the glandular area or the removal of a troublesome gland. If the gland is removed, hormonal supplements will need to be administered to make up for the loss of the gland, which is responsible for the secretion of the necessary hormones in normal amounts. Sometimes, certain medications may cause excessive hormone secretion that leads to Cushing's disease. If this is the case, the medication will need to be reevaluated and replaced with some other type of treatment for the patient's condition.

    Importance of Treatment

    • Cushing's disease is very serious, and proper treatment is of the essence. The symptoms of this condition are very similar to some others, and when they show themselves, the condition must be ruled out or confirmed, so treatment can begin as soon as possible.

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