Revise: Conditions affecting the Endocrine System
Knowledge of the Endocrine System is an essential part of training
in many
therapies
- such as Massage, Aromatherapy, Accupuncture, Shiatsu, and others.
This page summarises basic information about some conditions of
the endocrine system. The level of detail about these conditions
that is included on this pages is appropriate for most first level
(e.g. A-Level and ITEC) courses in human biology and bodywork therapies.
The following table lists some common endocrine conditions
in alphabetical order.
Term
|
Cause
|
Effect (Symptoms)
|
|
Addison's Syndrome
|
Inadequate secretion of coricosteroid
hormones by the adrenal glands, sometimes as a result of tuberculous
infection. |
Symptoms: include weakness, loss of energy,
low blood pressure, and dark pigmentation of the
skin. |
 |
Treatment: Formerly fatal, this disease is now
treatable by replacement hormone therapy. |
|
|
Amenorrhoea
|
Primary amenorrhoea (menstrual periods fail
to appear at puberty) may be caused by absence
of the uterus or ovaries (e.g. Turner’s syndrome)
or a hormonal imbalance. |
|
Secondary amenorrhoea (menstrual periods stop
after establishment of puberty) may be caused by
disorders of the hypothalamus, deficiency of ovarian,
pituitary, or thyroid hormones, mental disturbance,
depression, anorexia nervosa, or a major change
of surroundings or circumstances. |
|
The absence or stopping of the menstrual
periods. (It is normal for the periods to be absent
before puberty, during pregnancy and milk secretion,
and after the end of the reproductive period.) |
|
Cushing's Syndrome
|
Excess amounts of cortico-steroid
hormones in the body. |
Symptoms include: weight gain; reddening
of the face and neck; excess growth of body and facial
hair; raised blood pressure; loss of mineral from the
bones (osteoporosis); raised blood glucose levels;
and sometimes mental disturbances. |
|
Menopause
|
Cessation of viable egg production in
the female. |
Leads to hormonal imbalance; lack of negative feedback
to the hypothalamus/activity; continued release of
FSH. |
|
Symptoms: hot flushes; night sweats;
mood swings; increased risk of heart attack; osteoporosis
speeds up. |
|
Treatment: Hormone Replacement
Therapy (HRT), with associated increased risk of
breast cancer. |
|
|
Pre-menstrual Syndrome
|
Associated with the accumulation
of salt and water in tissues.
The hormone progesterone is thought to be a causative element and a deficirncy
of fatty acids has also been observed. |
Nervousness; irritability; emotional
disturbance; headache; and/or depression – said
to affect some women for up to about 10 days prior
to menstruation. |
|
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
|
A hormonal disorder characterized by
incomplete development of Graafian follicles in the
ovary due to inadequate secretion of luteinizing hormone;
the follicles fail to ovulate and remain as multiple
cysts distending the ovary. |
Further hormone imbalance results in obesity, hirsutism
and acne and the woman is infertile due to the lack
of ovulation. |
|
The treatment is administration of the appropriate
hormones. |
|
|
| 
This is the end of this page, but a General
Introduction to the Endocrine System, information
about the Main Endocrine Glands, and other aspects of the
Endocrine System,
such as Diabetes are
included
on
other
pages
of
this
website. |
... End of Article ...
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|
