What is Addison’s Disease?
Addison’s disease is a disorder of the adrenal glands. The condition occurs when the outer layer of the adrenal glands is damaged, and they are unable to produce enough hormones. It is also called adrenal insufficiency.
The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system and produce hormones that impact the organs and tissue in our bodies. When this process is disturbed, it can lead to Addison’s Disease. These hormones help to maintain hundreds of functions in the body, including regulating blood pressure and heart function, helping slow the immune system's inflammation response, balancing the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for energy, regulating the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and helping to maintain proper arousal and sense of feeling good generally.
Symptoms of Addison’s Disease
Early symptoms of Addison’s Disease can include weakness and fatigue, unexplained and unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, experiencing depression or anxiety, low blood pressure and low blood sugar, feelings of nausea, joint pains, darkening of the skin (in the creases of the palms of the hands, scars, knuckles, or knees), feeling dizziness, lack of motivation or drive, overwhelming feelings of drowsiness and lethargy, muscle weakness, irritability, changes in mood and personality, hypovolemia - or low blood volume, loss of body hair, lack of appetite, finding difficulty in standing up, anxiety, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, craving for foods with a high salt content, fainting, irregular menstrual periods or missing periods for women, sexual dysfunction (in women) and even psychosis in rare cases.
Causes of Addison’s Disease
The most common cause of Addison’s Disease is an autoimmune condition, as the body’s immune system begins to attack the adrenal glands. The immediate cause is the destruction or malfunction of the adrenal glands. Other causes for this condition can include genetic defects, hemorrhage, the surgical removal of the adrenal glands, Amyloidosis or an infection. Cancer can also be a reason for this disease, as the cancerous cells can reach the adrenal glands, thus causing them to dysfunction.
Risk factors of Addison’s Disease
There are certain factors that can increase your chances of getting Addison’s disease. These risk factors include having a family history of Addison’s disease, cancer, vitiligo, tuberculosis, diabetes or thyroid disease.
Complications of Addison’s Disease
Complications that can be caused by this disease include weakness of the bones, excess hair growth, high blood pressure, gastritis, stomach ulcer and insomnia. Severe, sudden cases of Addison’s disease can become an Addisonian crisis, or acute adrenal failure. This can happen if the Addison’s disease is left untreated or allowed to worsen. Symptoms for this include severe abdominal pain, extreme muscle weakness, arrhythmias (from hyperkalemia), loss of consciousness, overwhelming lethargy, acute back or leg pain, a seizure, clinically significant low blood pressure or shock, which may lead to organ damage or failure, and severe vomiting and diarrhea that can cause dehydration.
Diagnosis of Addison’s Disease
To diagnose someone with Addison’s disease, the doctor will conduct a physical examination, also interviewing the patient regarding their medical history and the patient’s signs and symptoms. Other tests include blood tests that measure the patient’s levels of sodium, potassium, cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), ACTH stimulation test, insulin-induced hypoglycemia test and urine tests. Imaging tests such as a CT Scan can also be conducted to scan the abdomen.
Precautions and Prevention of Addison’s Disease
Unfortunately, there is really nothing you can do to prevent this disease. However, regular cardiovascular exercise and stress management can help patients increase their body’s core strength and help regulate the symptoms. Stress management can be done through yoga, breathing exercises and meditation to make it easier to deal with the disease. Regular checkups after treatment should be done as well.
Treatment of Addison’s Disease
There are certain treatments for Addison’s disease, based on the patient’s medical history, family history and other circumstances. These treatments include homeopathic treatments, acupuncture and acupressure treatments, conventional or allopathic treatments, surgical procedures, dietary and herbal treatments, and others.
Homeopathic Treatment of Addison’s Disease
The homeopathic medicines can help in stimulating the adrenal glands to improve the secretion of the hormones and allow the normal functions of the body to continue. Through this, they can control the disease from spreading. This treatment has been known to provide relief to patients with Addison’s disease. Some of the homeopathic remedies for Addison’s disease are natrum muriaticum, belladonna, calcarea carbonica, iodine, tuberculin, arsenic and phosphorus.
Conventional or Allopathic Treatment of Addison’s Disease
The purpose of medication is to replace the cortisol and aldosterone the body is no longer able to produce itself. Cortisol is replaced orally with hydrocortisone or cortisone acetate tablets taken once or twice a day. Aldosterone is replaced orally with a mineralocorticoid called fludrocortisone acetate (Florinef) tablet. It is usually recommended that patients receiving aldosterone replacement therapy should increase their salt intake. However, the side effects of these medications can include sleep problems, acne, decrease in the speed of wound healing, dizziness, nausea, and sweating. In case of an adrenal crisis, injections of hydrocortisone, saline solution and sugar (dextrose) are given.
Surgical Treatment of Addison’s Disease
Patients with Addison’s disease who need surgery with general anesthesia are given injections of hydrocortisone and saline. In case of an emergency situation, treatment includes doses of hypovolemia, hyperkalemia, and hyponatremia.
Dietary and Herbal Treatment of Addison’s Disease
In certain cases, an increase in sodium intake is recommended. You are also recommended to take calcium-rich foods such as dairy products and oranges. It is recommended to drink at least two liters of water every day. Foods such as Beef liver, fish and crabs have vitamin B and can also be beneficial. Herbal remedies such as green tea extract, licorice root, turmeric, milk thistle, Echinacea, Siberian ginseng and astragalus are also believed to be beneficial. Ashwagandha has been proven very effective in helping patients with Addison’s disease.
Other Treatment of Addison’s Disease
The use of ginger has been beneficial in lessening the symptoms of Addison’s disease. It stimulates digestion and acts as an anti-nausea aid to target the symptoms of nausea and vomiting that occur during Addison’s disease.
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Patient's Feedback
For Safe Natural Holistic Treatment, contact or visit:
Ethos Healthcare
Email : contactethos@gmail.com
Phone: +91-11-26164016, 46026700
Mobile / Whatsapp: +91-9810155920
Website:
www.ethosbodyandmindclinic.com
and
www.ethoshealthcare.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Addison’s disease is a disorder of the adrenal glands. The condition occurs when the outer layer of the adrenal glands is damaged, and they are unable to produce enough hormones. It is also called adrenal insufficiency.
The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system and produce hormones that impact the organs and tissue in our bodies. When this process is disturbed, it can lead to Addison’s Disease. These hormones help to maintain hundreds of functions in the body, including regulating blood pressure and heart function, helping slow the immune system's inflammation response, balancing the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for energy, regulating the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and helping to maintain proper arousal and sense of feeling good generally.
Symptoms of Addison’s Disease
Early symptoms of Addison’s Disease can include weakness and fatigue, unexplained and unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, experiencing depression or anxiety, low blood pressure and low blood sugar, feelings of nausea, joint pains, darkening of the skin (in the creases of the palms of the hands, scars, knuckles, or knees), feeling dizziness, lack of motivation or drive, overwhelming feelings of drowsiness and lethargy, muscle weakness, irritability, changes in mood and personality, hypovolemia - or low blood volume, loss of body hair, lack of appetite, finding difficulty in standing up, anxiety, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, craving for foods with a high salt content, fainting, irregular menstrual periods or missing periods for women, sexual dysfunction (in women) and even psychosis in rare cases.
Causes of Addison’s Disease
The most common cause of Addison’s Disease is an autoimmune condition, as the body’s immune system begins to attack the adrenal glands. The immediate cause is the destruction or malfunction of the adrenal glands. Other causes for this condition can include genetic defects, hemorrhage, the surgical removal of the adrenal glands, Amyloidosis or an infection. Cancer can also be a reason for this disease, as the cancerous cells can reach the adrenal glands, thus causing them to dysfunction.
Risk factors of Addison’s Disease
There are certain factors that can increase your chances of getting Addison’s disease. These risk factors include having a family history of Addison’s disease, cancer, vitiligo, tuberculosis, diabetes or thyroid disease.
Complications of Addison’s Disease
Complications that can be caused by this disease include weakness of the bones, excess hair growth, high blood pressure, gastritis, stomach ulcer and insomnia. Severe, sudden cases of Addison’s disease can become an Addisonian crisis, or acute adrenal failure. This can happen if the Addison’s disease is left untreated or allowed to worsen. Symptoms for this include severe abdominal pain, extreme muscle weakness, arrhythmias (from hyperkalemia), loss of consciousness, overwhelming lethargy, acute back or leg pain, a seizure, clinically significant low blood pressure or shock, which may lead to organ damage or failure, and severe vomiting and diarrhea that can cause dehydration.
Diagnosis of Addison’s Disease
To diagnose someone with Addison’s disease, the doctor will conduct a physical examination, also interviewing the patient regarding their medical history and the patient’s signs and symptoms. Other tests include blood tests that measure the patient’s levels of sodium, potassium, cortisol and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), ACTH stimulation test, insulin-induced hypoglycemia test and urine tests. Imaging tests such as a CT Scan can also be conducted to scan the abdomen.
Precautions and Prevention of Addison’s Disease
Unfortunately, there is really nothing you can do to prevent this disease. However, regular cardiovascular exercise and stress management can help patients increase their body’s core strength and help regulate the symptoms. Stress management can be done through yoga, breathing exercises and meditation to make it easier to deal with the disease. Regular checkups after treatment should be done as well.
Treatment of Addison’s Disease
There are certain treatments for Addison’s disease, based on the patient’s medical history, family history and other circumstances. These treatments include homeopathic treatments, acupuncture and acupressure treatments, conventional or allopathic treatments, surgical procedures, dietary and herbal treatments, and others.
Homeopathic Treatment of Addison’s Disease
The homeopathic medicines can help in stimulating the adrenal glands to improve the secretion of the hormones and allow the normal functions of the body to continue. Through this, they can control the disease from spreading. This treatment has been known to provide relief to patients with Addison’s disease. Some of the homeopathic remedies for Addison’s disease are natrum muriaticum, belladonna, calcarea carbonica, iodine, tuberculin, arsenic and phosphorus.
Conventional or Allopathic Treatment of Addison’s Disease
The purpose of medication is to replace the cortisol and aldosterone the body is no longer able to produce itself. Cortisol is replaced orally with hydrocortisone or cortisone acetate tablets taken once or twice a day. Aldosterone is replaced orally with a mineralocorticoid called fludrocortisone acetate (Florinef) tablet. It is usually recommended that patients receiving aldosterone replacement therapy should increase their salt intake. However, the side effects of these medications can include sleep problems, acne, decrease in the speed of wound healing, dizziness, nausea, and sweating. In case of an adrenal crisis, injections of hydrocortisone, saline solution and sugar (dextrose) are given.
Surgical Treatment of Addison’s Disease
Patients with Addison’s disease who need surgery with general anesthesia are given injections of hydrocortisone and saline. In case of an emergency situation, treatment includes doses of hypovolemia, hyperkalemia, and hyponatremia.
Dietary and Herbal Treatment of Addison’s Disease
In certain cases, an increase in sodium intake is recommended. You are also recommended to take calcium-rich foods such as dairy products and oranges. It is recommended to drink at least two liters of water every day. Foods such as Beef liver, fish and crabs have vitamin B and can also be beneficial. Herbal remedies such as green tea extract, licorice root, turmeric, milk thistle, Echinacea, Siberian ginseng and astragalus are also believed to be beneficial. Ashwagandha has been proven very effective in helping patients with Addison’s disease.
Other Treatment of Addison’s Disease
The use of ginger has been beneficial in lessening the symptoms of Addison’s disease. It stimulates digestion and acts as an anti-nausea aid to target the symptoms of nausea and vomiting that occur during Addison’s disease.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patient's Feedback
For Safe Natural Holistic Treatment, contact or visit:
Ethos Healthcare
Email : contactethos@gmail.com
Phone: +91-11-26164016, 46026700
Mobile / Whatsapp: +91-9810155920
Website:
www.ethosbodyandmindclinic.com
and
www.ethoshealthcare.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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