There are four major health problems caused by adrenal gland disorders: These blood tests give your doctor information about the health of your kidneys and liver, and also tests blood sugar, blood proteins, and electrolytes (minerals in the body). You may also be asked to give blood for a metabolic work-up. Once a diagnosis is made, your health care provider can provide options for treatment. Imaging tests, such as a CT scan or MRI, must be done to diagnose an adrenal mass properly. The hypothalamus (a part of the brain) or pituitary gland (found at the base of the head) could fail to make the hormones that control the adrenal glands.

Adrenal disorders could also be from outside the gland. Adrenal masses can cause hormone levels to grow too high and result in high blood pressure.Ī problem inside the adrenal gland could be caused by a disease or mass in or around the gland. They also help the body react to stress and change. Adrenal gland hormones help control fluid and salt levels in the body for healthy blood volume and blood pressure. If the adrenal glands are not working well, they can make too many or too few hormones. To learn more about how the adrenal glands function, and the hormones they produce, follow the links in our resource list.ĭiagram of Adrenal Mass Enlarge What Can Go Wrong with Adrenal Glands? In addition the cortex controls things like: Cortisol specifically helps the body break down blood sugar and react to stress and change. The cortex (outer part) of the adrenal gland secretes steroid hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone. These hormones manage the body’s reaction to stress and affect things like:

The medulla (inner part) of the adrenal gland secretes hormones such as adrenaline (or epinephrine) and noradrenaline (or norepinephrine). Problems in the cortex or the medulla, then, can result in high blood pressure. They cause a faster heart rate and boost other systems that help you to react quickly with a burst of energy when needed. For example, they help regulate fluid and salt levels in the body that affect blood volume and blood pressure.

Their job is to keep the body in balance by making various hormones that are critical for maintaining good health.

The adrenal glands control many processes in the body. The adrenal cortex (outer part) makes steroid hormones (such as cortisone and aldosterone).The adrenal medulla (inner part) makes epinephrine (also called adrenaline).They are triangle-shaped, and measure about half an inch in height and 3 inches in length. The adrenal glands are found above each kidney. They can develop in anyone of any age, but they are more common in older individuals.! What Happens Under Normal Conditions An adrenal mass is an abnormal growth that develops in the adrenal gland.

Hormones secreted by adrenal gland