Pituitary Gland Disorders

Pituitary gland disorders are conditions caused by too much or too little of one or more of the hormones secreted by the pituitary gland. Pituitary tumors or adenomas which are mostly benign are the most common cause of pituitary disorders. Most pituitary adenomas do not produce hormones, while others hyper secrete excessive amounts of hormones that ravage the body and do untold damage. They can also compress the pituitary gland and cause a decrease or deficiency in one or more hormones which in the case of cortisol can be life threatening. They can also compress the optic nerve causing visual problems or vison loss, as well as headaches.

During Pituitary Awareness Month we will be highlighting some of the more common pituitary gland disorders in our Pit Stop series. It is PNA’s hope that this increased awareness will help patients receive an earlier diagnosis and proper treatment.