The pituitary gland does affect the skin and can affect thyroid function, skin pigmentation, adrenal function, and even sexual development.
The part of the brain that the pituitary gland affects is the hypothalamus.
The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea and is located at the base of your brain.
The pituitary gland regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction through the hormones in which the pituitary gland produces.
The production of these needed hormones are stimulated or inhibited by the chemical messages that are sent from the hypothalamus to your pituitary.
You can live without a pituitary gland although without a pituitary gland you will need to take medication that replaces the pituitary hormones which you are missing without the pituitary gland.
Your pituitary gland hormones are really important for maintaining several body functions.
The foods that heal the pituitary gland are foods such as leafy greens, nuts, legumes and wheat and other foods high in minerals and vitamin E, magnesium and manganese.
Other nutrients that help heal the pituitary glands are iodine and iron.
If the pituitary gland is not functioning properly it can cause headache, eye problems, loss of side vision, double vision, pain in your face, sinus pain, ear pain, drooping eyelid, nausea and vomiting and seizures.
The most common malignant tumor of the pituitary gland is a prolactin-producing tumor (also called a prolactinoma) – the most common type of functioning tumor.
The disorders of the pituitary gland are.
Acromegaly.
Cushing's Syndrome.
Diabetes Insipidus.
Empty Sella Syndrome.
Hypopituitarism.
The signs that you have a low functioning pituitary gland are fatigue, mood changes, decreased facial or body hair, erectile dysfunction, not being able to produce breast milk, loss of pubic hair, irregular periods or no periods and hot flashes.
Doctors test for pituitary gland problems through use of a CT scan known as a computed tomopgraphy that creates detailed cross sectional images of part of the body.
The CT scan can find a pituitary adenoma if it is large enough although an MRI scan is sometimes also used to look at your brain and pituitary gland.
The organs that the pituitary gland controls are the kidneys, breasts and uterus.
The pituitary gland controls and monitors and regulates many body functions through the hormones that it produces which includes the growth and sexual reproductive development and function and the Glands which include the adrenal glands, gonads and the thyroid gland.
The symptoms of a person with a pituitary tumor are a deeper voice, joint pain, increased body odor and sweating, thicker skin, growth of hands and feet, changes in facial features such as larger lips, larger nose and tongue and also a longer lower jaw and wide spaces between the teeth.
A pituitary tumor will look like a small solid pituitary mass and sometimes a large heterogeneous solid mass.
The posterior pituitary bright spot is an MRI feature of the normal pituitary gland.
It refers to the intrinsically high T1 signal of the posterior pituitary thought to be from the storage of vasopressin, which has a T1-shortening effect.
An MRI does not always show a pituitary tumor especially if the pituitary tumor is small.
Around 30 percent of pituitary tumors are missed on an MRI or don't show up at all on an MRI.
Blood tests and urine tests may also be needed for testing for pituitary tumors and problems.
A doctor performs an MRI of the head to determine if a pituitary tumor is present.
The MRI scan can also help doctors determine whether a pituitary tumor is growing into nearby tissue.
Before the MRI scan, the doctor may inject a contrast agent into a vein in the arm to enhance the images.
The success rate of pituitary tumor removal is 90 percent.
Removal of a pituitary tumor is highly successful.
A pituitary headache will feel like a steady, bifrontal or unilateral frontal aching pain.
The organ that pituitary glands most directly affect are your thyroid, reproductive system organs and ovaries and testes.
A pituitary tumor can compress the brain as it grows which can lead to difficulties with vision, fine motor skills and speech.
The pituitary gland is directly connected to a part of your brain called the hypothalamus.
A pituitary tumor does not shorten life expectancy unless they happen to be cancerous.
The good news is though that most pituitary tumors are non cancerous and benign which means the also do not spread to other parts of your body.
However the earlier a pituitary tumor is diagnosed and treated, the better the your overall prognosis and quality of life.
The vast majority of people diagnosed with a pituitary tumor will live a long and healthy life.
Having a pituitary tumor or having one removed with surgery may permanently change your body's hormone supply.
As a result, you may need hormone replacement therapy for the rest of your life.
Pituitary tumors are unusual growths that develop in the pituitary gland.
This gland is an organ about the size of a pea.
It's located behind the nose at the base of the brain.
Some of these tumors cause the pituitary gland to make too much of certain hormones that control important body functions.
Some tumors make too much of a certain hormone. This can make it hard for the body to work the way it should.
Some tumors grow big enough to crowd out normal cells in the small space around the pituitary.
This can lead to vision problems, headaches, or other issues.
The causes of pituitary tumors are unknown.
Some tumors are caused by hereditary disorders such as multiple endocrine neoplasia I (MEN I).
The pituitary gland can be affected by other brain tumors that develop in the same part of the brain (skull base), resulting in similar symptoms.
Pituitary tumors can occur in people of any age (including in children), but they are most often found in older adults.
Surgery is the most common treatment for pituitary tumors.
If the pituitary tumor is benign and in a part of the brain where neurosurgeons can safely completely remove it, surgery might be the only treatment needed.
Neurosurgeons use two main approaches to removing pituitary tumors: endoscopic endonasal surgery and open surgery, or craniotomy.
A doctor performs an MRI of the head to determine if a pituitary tumor is present.
This scan can also help doctors determine whether a pituitary tumor is growing into nearby tissue.
Before the scan, the doctor may inject a contrast agent into a vein in the arm to enhance the images.