Cushing's Syndrome (original) (raw)

Also called: Hypercortisolism

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• Summary
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• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

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Summary

Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder. The cause is long-term exposure to too much cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal gland makes. Sometimes, taking synthetic hormone medicine to treat an inflammatory disease leads to Cushing's. Some kinds of tumors produce a hormone that can cause your body to make too much cortisol.

Cushing's syndrome is rare. Some symptoms are:

• Upper body obesity
• Thin arms and legs
• Severe fatigue and muscle weakness
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• Easy bruising

Lab tests can show if you have it and find the cause. Your treatment will depend on why you have too much cortisol. If it is because you have been taking synthetic hormones, a lower dose may control your symptoms. If the cause is a tumor, surgery and other therapies may be needed.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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• Cushing's Syndrome (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

• Cushing's Syndrome (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

• What Are the Symptoms of Cushing's Syndrome? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

• Cushing's Syndrome: Other FAQs (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

• What Causes Cushing's Syndrome? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

• Cushing disease: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

• NIH Researchers Find Potential Genetic Cause of Cushing Syndrome (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Cushing Syndrome (National Institutes of Health)

• Endocrine System (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

• ACTH blood test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Cortisol urine test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Cushing disease (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Cushing syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Cushing syndrome due to adrenal tumor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Dexamethasone suppression test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Ectopic Cushing syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Exogenous Cushing syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish