hormonal and metabolic disorders
Adrenal Insufficiency
Symptoms of Adrenal Insufficiency
People with adrenal insufficiency feel weak, tired, and dizzy when standing up after sitting or lying down. These problems may develop gradually and insidiously. People with Addison disease develop patches of dark skin. The darkness may seem like tanning, but it appears on areas not even exposed to the sun. Even people with dark skin can develop excessive pigmentation, although the change may be harder to recognize. Black freckles may develop over the forehead, face, and shoulders, and a bluish black discoloration may develop around the nipples, lips, mouth, rectum, scrotum, or vagina. Dark skin patches usually do not occur in people with secondary adrenal insufficiency. Most people lose weight, become dehydrated, have no appetite, and develop muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Many become unable to tolerate cold. Unless the disease is severe, symptoms tend to become apparent only during times of stress. Periods of hypoglycemia, with nervousness and extreme hunger for salty foods, can occur, particularly in children. If adrenal insufficiency is not treated, an adrenal crisis may occur. Severe abdominal pain, profound weakness, extremely low blood pressure, kidney failure, and shock may occur. An adrenal crisis often occurs if the body is subjected to stress, such as an accident, injury, surgery, or severe infection. If adrenal crisis is not treated, death may quickly follow. 