Treatment involves taking corticosteroids, a drug that mimics cortisol, for the rest of your life to replace the hormones that your body is not producing.

While adrenal insufficiency cannot be cured, it can be effectively managed. If you have adrenal insufficiency, your provider will refer you to an endocrinologist - a hormone specialist. You may also need an ACTH stimulation test to see if your adrenal glands are functioning properly. Your provider will perform a physical exam and order blood tests. See your primary care provider if you are experiencing these symptoms.

Treatment for Adrenal Insufficiency at Rush

Patches of dark skin on the face, neck or hands.

Signs You Should Get Help for Adrenal InsufficiencyĪdrenal insufficiency symptoms include the following:

Tertiary adrenal insufficiency when the pituitary gland does not produce enough ACTHĪdrenal insufficiency is caused by your immune system attacking your healthy adrenal glands, most commonly, by mistake.

This is the result of either prolonged steroid use due to a health condition or issues with the pituitary gland.

Secondary adrenal insufficiency is when medications cause the adrenal glands to stop producing cortisol.Other causes may include cancer or an infection. This most commonly happens when your immune system attacks healthy adrenal glands by mistake. Addison's disease, or primary adrenal insufficiency is when antibodies destroy the adrenal glands.This impacts the ability of the glands to produce hormones, including cortisol, which helps your body respond to stress aldosterone, which affects the balance of fluid in the body and adrenocorticotropic (ACTH), which helps to regulate cortisol. Adrenal insufficiency occurs when the adrenal glands do not function properly.

Adrenal gland issues