Bronze disease is a fairly common phenomenon that worries mostly elderly people. The essence of the disease is the violation of the adrenal gland and refers to the field of endocrinology. In 1855 the British scientist Thomas Addison first described a vivid clinical picture of this disease. The diagnosis "chronic insufficiency of the adrenal cortex" can be made only by a doctor. Therefore, in no case you can not take any medications yourself, if you think that you have problems in the endocrine system. Chronic adrenal insufficiency arises from a lack of the hormone cortisone, which plays an important role in the metabolism. Cortisone also has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Thanks to his active work, the immune system in a healthy person functions without failures.
Symptoms of
Symptoms of Addison's disease are quite pronounced, they can not be ignored or deliberately ignored. A person can hardly continue to live as before, because the state of health affects the mood, the activities we are engaged in. Adrenal insufficiency is manifested in the body in a strictly defined way. It should be considered in more detail the obvious signs of the disease, which should alert:
- Constant fatigue. Problems with the adrenal gland are manifested by a strong sense of fatigue and lack of physical strength. Man wants to rest all the time, sometimes he lacks the strength to just get out of bed and start doing everyday things. If you notice yourself in such a state of oppressive impotence, then you need to see a specialist as soon as possible for further diagnosis and treatment.
A constant feeling of fatigue does not leave the patient even when he seems to have rested well, for example, after a night's sleep. Impotence can last for a long time: several weeks or even months. During this period, a person really does not really care. Most often, he wants the people around to just leave him alone. Constant fatigue can eventually go into a strong apathy: there will be a feeling of despair and indifference.
- Loss of appetite. Chronic failure of the adrenal cortex is often manifested by a complete or partial lack of appetite. Man gradually ceases to eat the habitual way for himself: the frequency and volume of portions decreases. Sometimes the situation improves, but not for long: there is no physical strength and the desire to do something for yourself. Loss of appetite is often associated with mood, emotional disorders and other physical ailments.
However, if you began to experience some aversion to food, this is an alarming sign. You can not ignore such a symptom and close your eyes in every possible way. Well-being of a person necessarily affects the appetite. Various physical ailments affect how much we eat. At the same time, excessive selectivity in food can not be considered a loss of appetite and something critical for the body. It is necessary to be able to distinguish between these concepts.
- Weight fluctuations. Addison's disease manifests itself by sudden fluctuations in weight. In most cases, it begins to drop sharply for no apparent reason. To suspect obvious trouble can be due to frequent lack of appetite, unwillingness to eat at regular hours. There are patients who have a sudden upward jump in weight. They seem to eat, as usual, without increasing the amount of flour and sweet, but the clothes that just recently fell right now become small and cramped.
Experts say that the bronze disease is so insidious that people do not recognize it immediately and until the last time they go to see a doctor. There is nothing sadder than the situation when a person comes to the doctor's office completely desperate at a late stage of the disease.
- Intestinal disorders. Diagnosis of Addison's disease often occurs as a result of this symptom. With this disease, intestinal disorders occur quite often. They also signal about the obvious trouble, which happened suddenly inside the body.
Patients may be troubled by prolonged constipation, persistent diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain of varying degrees of intensity. As a rule, people pay attention to those or other manifestations of a disorder of the stool and therefore visit a specialist. In themselves, the disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are not evidence of Addison's disease, but this symptom requires careful attention from the medical staff.
- Low pressure. Adrenal insufficiency manifests itself through fluctuations in blood pressure. Some people for years suffer from attacks of dizziness and a sense of lack of air, but do not correlate these symptoms with signs of a serious illness. As a rule, with bronze disease, blood pressure decreases down to critical levels.
Sometimes a person can experience hypotension several days in a row, feel weak, nauseous and dizzy. Underpressure often makes people feel unhappy and limited in their movements. When a person has to spend most of his time in bed taking medication, it becomes not a joke and fun. Low blood pressure can be life threatening when the condition can not stabilize for a long time.
- Depression. Addison's disease is often manifested through depressive disorders. People gradually become isolated in themselves, they begin to live everyday needs and problems. Man is literally beginning to be tormented by nightmares. Emotional instability is the main characteristic of bronze disease. Patients suffer from constant anxiety, fear, obsessive memories, tormenting doubts in themselves, which pursue them day and night, do not give the opportunity to really enjoy life.
Depression, contrary to popular belief, indicates obvious dysfunction within the body. A healthy person and sadness is much less, because he has internal resources for life and self-realization. Depression is never the norm, it is worth remembering this and not letting the situation down. Specialists in the field of psychology compare it with the depressing state of mute despair, from which the personality often can not come out on its own. She needs help from outside, considerable support from relatives and friends.
- Permanent thirst. Bronze disease is often manifested by a strong thirst and a state of weakness. Patients complain of a dry mouth that does not pass a long time. Constantly thirsty - day and night. This state prevents normal sleep: a person worries, shudders and wakes up from the slightest rustle. Sometimes patients do not notice that they drink many liters of water in just a few hours. Constant thirst often arises against a background of almost complete lack of appetite. The skin thus acquires an unhealthy yellowish-bronze hue. In the end, even from the side it becomes clear that the person is something sick.
- Tachycardia. A rapid heartbeat does not always indicate that the patient has heart problems directly. Tachycardia can be a signal of the presence of completely different diseases, in particular, such as bronze disease. Addison's disease is very insidious in that it often disguises itself for other diseases. That's why a competent specialist - a doctor always directs the patient to take all the necessary tests and makes a complete picture of the anamnesis.
Reasons for
To develop such unpleasant symptoms as occurs during the formation of a bronze disease, there must be grounds. There are several reasons for Addison's disease. Older people should pay attention to them:
- Disturbances in the work of the adrenal glands. If there are any failures in the work of the adrenal glands, then the probability of Addison's disease is high. People at risk should carefully monitor their diet, pass necessary examinations on time and take care of their health in general.
- Chronic renal failure. People with chronic diseases in the kidneys often suffer from concurrent bronze disease. To reduce the risk to a minimum, it's better to visit a specialist nephrologist on time and be safe. Patients with chronic pyelonephritis should systematically observe and monitor the state of their urinary system.
- Poor nutrition. Insufficient nutrition can negatively affect the condition of the adrenal glands and, ultimately, cause such an unpleasant disease as a bronze disease. People who lack appetite should understand that they endanger their health. In order to avoid the development of Addison's disease, you need to eat fully, making sure that every day your body receives all the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements for normal functioning.
- Application of medicines. Frequent use of potent drugs sooner or later will lead to some kind of failure in the body. The use of drugs, especially antibiotics, negatively affects all systems and organs of man. We sometimes thoughtlessly take any pills, not correlating their appropriateness with the fact, what harmful effects they can have. It is worth applying drugs strictly according to the doctor's prescription and in a limited period of time.
Treatment of
Since bronchial disease causes a deficiency of the hormone cortisol, hormonal therapy is required to restore it. Treatment should begin with an objective assessment of the situation in each case. The doctor carefully listens to the patient's complaints, prescribes tests and only then prescribes the necessary medications.
Thus, bronze disease is a serious reason to call a doctor. This disease needs timely diagnosis and treatment.
