Your adrenal glands sit just above your kidneys. Their outer layer makes hormones that help your body respond to stress and regulate blood pressure and water and salt balance. Addison disease happens when the glands don't make enough of these hormones.
Causes
- Usually a problem with the immune system, which mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues and damages the adrenal glands.
- Other causes include infections and cancer.
Symptoms
- weight loss;
- muscle weakness;
- fatigue that gets worse over time;
- low blood pressure;
- patchy or dark skin.
Diagnosis and treatment
Lab tests can confirm Addison disease. Untreated, it can be fatal.
Treatment means taking hormone pills for the rest of your life. People with Addison disease should carry an emergency ID that says they have the disease, lists their medicines, and states how much they need in an emergency.
Sources
- "Addison Disease," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH). https://medlineplus.gov/addisondisease.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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