Endocrinologist for Bad Homburg: Pituitary gland diseases
When the control center gets out of balance: Doctor for Bad Homburg on pituitary gland disorders
BAD HOMBURG It is inconspicuous and only about the size of a cherry stone, but it controls all bodily functions: The pituitary gland, also known as the pituitary gland, releases messenger substances which in turn regulate other endocrine glands. It is therefore not surprising that disorders of the pituitary gland have far-reaching consequences for the entire organism. Growth and metabolism, stress regulation, water balance, pregnancy and breastfeeding – all of these can be thrown out of balance if the pituitary gland produces too many or too few hormones.
Diseases of the pituitary gland are rare but serious, says a specialist in Bad Homburg
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h. c. Christian Wüster is an endocrinologist and head of the Hormone and Metabolism Center in Mainz, where he is also the contact person for patients from Bad Homburg. He reports: “The function of the pituitary gland can be impaired by trauma, circulatory disorders, inflammation or tumors. Fortunately, this only happens very rarely, but it can have a dramatic impact on health.” Tumors in the area of the pituitary gland are usually so-called adenomas, which are benign in themselves.
However, due to their size, they can exert pressure on other areas of the brain and lead to a change in the secretion of pituitary hormones. One possible consequence is Cushing’s syndrome, which is caused by an overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol. Those affected often suffer from muscle atrophy, obesity and increased blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Diagnosis and therapy of pituitary diseases by the endocrinologist for Bad Homburg
If the pituitary gland produces too little or too much of the growth hormone somatotropin (STH), this can lead to short stature or abnormal height growth. A reduced release of the hormone ADH in turn disrupts the entire water balance. Those affected suffer from unquenchable thirst and excrete up to 20 liters of urine a day. Doctors also refer to this as “diabetes insipidus”. If a pituitary disorder is suspected, endocrinologist Prof. Dr. Wüster and his team take a comprehensive medical history: “In addition to laboratory tests and imaging procedures, detailed endocrinological functional diagnostics help us to identify the type of disease.”
