Post by carly on Mar 28, 2011 9:26:19 GMT
Recent research shows that many people who have had a head injury have hormone deficiencies afterwards, caused by damage to the pituitary gland. Research has shown that around a quarter of people who have suffered a moderate to severe head injury experience pituitary problems.
The pituitary gland is an important gland and it is often referred to as the 'master gland', because it controls several of the other hormone glands (e.g. adrenals, thyroid). It is usually about the size of a bean and consists of two parts (often called lobes) - a front part, called the anterior pituitary and a back part, called the posterior pituitary.
The Pituitary gland produces a number of hormones or chemicals which are released into the blood to control other glands in the body. If the pituitary is not producing one or more of these hormones, or not producing enough, then this condition is known as hypopituitarism. The term Multiple Pituitary Hormone Deficiency (MPHD) is sometimes used to describe the condition when the pituitary is not producing two or more of these hormones. If all the hormones produced by the pituitary are affected this condition is known as panhypopituitarism.
The signs of hypopituitarism can easily be overlooked as they often, though not always, develop gradually. They vary depending on which pituitary hormones are affected.
They include:
Headaches
Difficulty in coping with stress
Tiredness
Muscle weakness
Stiffness in the joints
Nauseous feelings
Constipation
Weight loss or gain
A smaller appetite
Discomfort in the abdomen
Feeling cold
Visual disturbances
Loss of armpit or pubic hair
Hoarseness
Thirst and excessive urination
Low blood pressure
Dizziness
Men may also experience:
Loss of interest in sex
Erectile dysfunction
Decrease in facial or body hair
Women may experience:
Absent or infrequent periods
Infertility
Inability to produce breast milk
Children may experience:
Stunted growth
Delayed sexual development
Impotence in adulthood
However all these symptoms can be treated by hormone replacement.
Individuals and families that have been affected by pituitary problems following an ABI argue that not enough GPs and hospital doctors are aware of this complication. Patients are not given hormone check-ups after their injury and no mention of the risk of problems is detailed in the discharge letter they receive.
Also of concern is the that the national guidelines on the treatment and management of head injuries published by The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE ) do not mention pituitary problems as being a consequence of certain head injuries.
If you have had a head injury and you are troubled by any of the symptoms listed above please go and see your GP and ask him or her to refer you to an endocrinologist.
For more information on pituitary disorders please visit:
www.pituitary.org.uk/
To read personal stories relating to pituitary disorders following ABI or to find out how to petition NICE to review their guidelines then please visit:
www.headinjuryhypo.org.uk
The pituitary gland is an important gland and it is often referred to as the 'master gland', because it controls several of the other hormone glands (e.g. adrenals, thyroid). It is usually about the size of a bean and consists of two parts (often called lobes) - a front part, called the anterior pituitary and a back part, called the posterior pituitary.
The Pituitary gland produces a number of hormones or chemicals which are released into the blood to control other glands in the body. If the pituitary is not producing one or more of these hormones, or not producing enough, then this condition is known as hypopituitarism. The term Multiple Pituitary Hormone Deficiency (MPHD) is sometimes used to describe the condition when the pituitary is not producing two or more of these hormones. If all the hormones produced by the pituitary are affected this condition is known as panhypopituitarism.
The signs of hypopituitarism can easily be overlooked as they often, though not always, develop gradually. They vary depending on which pituitary hormones are affected.
They include:
Headaches
Difficulty in coping with stress
Tiredness
Muscle weakness
Stiffness in the joints
Nauseous feelings
Constipation
Weight loss or gain
A smaller appetite
Discomfort in the abdomen
Feeling cold
Visual disturbances
Loss of armpit or pubic hair
Hoarseness
Thirst and excessive urination
Low blood pressure
Dizziness
Men may also experience:
Loss of interest in sex
Erectile dysfunction
Decrease in facial or body hair
Women may experience:
Absent or infrequent periods
Infertility
Inability to produce breast milk
Children may experience:
Stunted growth
Delayed sexual development
Impotence in adulthood
However all these symptoms can be treated by hormone replacement.
Individuals and families that have been affected by pituitary problems following an ABI argue that not enough GPs and hospital doctors are aware of this complication. Patients are not given hormone check-ups after their injury and no mention of the risk of problems is detailed in the discharge letter they receive.
Also of concern is the that the national guidelines on the treatment and management of head injuries published by The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE ) do not mention pituitary problems as being a consequence of certain head injuries.
If you have had a head injury and you are troubled by any of the symptoms listed above please go and see your GP and ask him or her to refer you to an endocrinologist.
For more information on pituitary disorders please visit:
www.pituitary.org.uk/
To read personal stories relating to pituitary disorders following ABI or to find out how to petition NICE to review their guidelines then please visit:
www.headinjuryhypo.org.uk