Addison's disease

Symptoms of Addison's disease

Addison's disease can be difficult to detect at first, because early symptoms are similar tosymptoms of many other health conditions. Initial symptoms of Addison's disease caninclude: fatigue (lack of energy or motivation) lethargy (abnormal drowsiness or tiredness) muscle weakness low mood (mild Depression ) or irritability loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss the need to urinate frequently increased thirst craving for salty foods Dehydration can also be an early sign of Addisons disease. It's caused by lack of the hormone aldosterone in your body, which is used to regulate the balance of salt and water. Later symptoms Further symptoms of Addisons disease tend to develop gradually over months or years. However, additional stress , caused by another illness or an accident, for example, may cause your symptoms to suddenly get worse. You may go on to develop: low blood pressure when you stand up, which can cause dizziness and fainting feeling sick (nausea) vomiting diarrhoea abdominal,joint or back pain muscle cramps chronic exhaustion, which may cause depression brownish discolouration of the skin, lipsand gums (hyperpigmentation), particularly in the creases on your palms, on scars or on pressure points, such as your knuckles or knees a reduced libido (lack of interest in sex) , particularly in women Some women may also have irregular periods or miss some periods completely.Children with Addison's disease may experience puberty later than usual. Some people with Addison's disease also develop low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) . This can cause symptoms such asdifficulty concentrating, confusion, anxiety and even unconsciousness (particularly in children). If you're experiencing symptoms of Addison's disease, see your GP so they can diagnose or rule out the condition. These symptoms will usually improve withappropriate treatment. This causes your symptoms to get progressively worse and eventually lead to a life-threatening situationcalledan adrenal or Addisonian crisis. During an adrenal crisis, the symptoms of Addisons disease appear quickly andseverely. This could happen whenyou're already experiencing initial symptoms or without any symptoms at all. Signs of an adrenal crisis include: severe dehydration pale, cold, clammy skin sweating rapid, shallow breathing dizziness severe vomiting and diarrhoea severe muscle weakness headache severe drowsiness or loss of consciousness An adrenal crisis is a medical emergency. If left untreated, it can be fatal. If you think you or someone you know with Addisons disease is having an adrenal crisis, dial 999 for an ambulance. If an adrenal crisis isn't treated, it can lead to a coma and death. There's also a risk your brain won't get enough oxygen if treatment is delayed, which can cause permanent disability.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on

Articles for addison's disease

Introduction

Addison's disease is a rare disease that occurs due to the abnormal function of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are endocrine glands situated above the kidneys (one for each). They are responsible for the production of the hormone aldosterone and cortisol. When the levels of the secretion of these hormones is lowered, the disease occurs.

Symptoms of Addison's disease

Symptoms include a general feeling of illness, nausea, anorexia, weight loss, frequent urination, muscular weakness. In advanced stages, other symptoms may arise such as a stomach ache, lack of motivation, vomiting, depression etc. In rare cases, the disease may begin with very severe symptoms, and in this case, an adrenal crisis is occuring.

Causes of Addison's disease

Addison's disease occurs when your adrenal cortex is damaged, reducing the levels of hormones it produces. Adrenal disease occurs when the cortex of the adrenal glands suffers damage. Due to this the production of hormones is reduced. In the majority of cases, this condition occurs due to a malfunction of the immune system.

Diagnosing Addison's disease

The diagnosis of Addison's is made under hospital conditions. The patient is carefully examined for hyperpigmentation marks (brown marks) in the palm of the hand, elbow, lips and gums. The patient may exhibit orthostatic hypertenstion (a lowering of the arterial pressure when the patient stands up immediately from lying down).