W6 Synchronous Reflection Opton B

W6 Synchronous Reflection Opton B

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W6 Synchronous Reflection Opton B

Hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare affliction that affects the quantity of parathyroid hormone produced in the body (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). The secretion of parathyroid hormone is significantly reduced in Hypoparathyroidism (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). Parathyroid hormone is imperative for the human body as it maintains the level of calcium and phosphorus (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). When the production of parathyroid hormone is reduced, calcium level in the bones and blood also nosedives. Without substantive levels of calcium, phosphorus levels start to increase within the blood. Maintaining a proper calcium diet can somewhat ease the suffering.

Symptoms

There are numerous symptoms of hypoparathyroidism. An individual can experience severe burning in toes and lips. The muscles making up legs, feet, and abdomen stiffens. The muscles making the mouth, hands, arms, and throat experience severe spasms. An individual can experience fatigue and weakness. A woman might endure unbearable menstruation. Additionally, individuals may experience hair loss. Moreover, an individual might experience coarse skin. Furthermore, due to reduce levels of calcium might result in nails becoming fragile. The most severe symptoms comprise anxiety and depression.

Causes

There are multiple causes considered to be the source of Hypoparathyroidism. The first cause is post-surgical hypoparathyroidism (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). This is the most prevalent reason for individuals contracting hypoparathyroidism. Any damage to the parathyroid glands during surgery results in hypoparathyroidism. Another reason could be an autoimmune disease. When the immune system of an individual starts to treat parathyroid glands as an external agent by generating antibodies against it, as a result, parathyroid gland stops functioning (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). Low levels of magnesium can also result in hypoparathyroidism.

Complications

There are both reversible and irreversible complications attached to hypoparathyroidism. Reversible complications include painful twitching in hands and fingers called Tetany (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). Additionally, an individual can experience painful needle-like sensation in lips and tongue called paresthesias (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). Irreversible complications include stunted growth in children (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012). Stunted growth severely impedes the mental development of children. Additionally, an individual can lose the ability to maintain proper balance and posture due to calcium deposits in the brain (Al-Azem & Khan, 2012).

Addison's disease

A very rare disease in which the human body produces an inadequate amount of certain hormones is often referred to as Addison's disease (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). Addison’s disease in medical parlance is often called adrenal insufficiency (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). Adrenal glands are situated above the kidneys tasked to produce cortisol and aldosterone. In the case of Addison's disease, adrenal glands do not produce these two hormones in sufficient amounts. Addison’s disease can afflict an individual belonging from any age group or gender (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). It is widely considered as a life-threatening illness. Treatment to Addison’s disease includes taking hormones to make up for the sufficient amounts causing the disease.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Addison’s disease generally appear gradually over time. Such is the pace of symptoms making an appearance that most of the times they are ignored. The ignoring of the symptoms tends to exacerbate the illness. Some of the symptoms may include severe fatigue (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). Decreased appetite results in reduced weight. Additionally, low blood pressure, low level of blood sugar, nausea, abdominal pain can also serve as the symptoms (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018).

Causes

Addison's disease is contracted when there is significant damage to the adrenal glands (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). The damage to adrenal glands results in insufficient secretion of cortisol and aldosterone (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). Adrenal glands form an essential component of the endocrine system. The endocrine system oversees the secretion of various hormones from various glands.

The adrenal glands are divided into two sections. An interior section called medulla secretes hormones like adrenaline (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018). The cortex forms the outer layer of the adrenal gland which produces corticosteroids (Hellesen, Bratland & Husebye, 2018).

In case the cortex is damaged, adrenocortical hormones are not produced. This disorder is named as primary adrenal insufficiency. It is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the organs of the body.

References

Al-Azem, H., & Khan, A. A. (2012). Hypoparathyroidism. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 26(4), 517-522.

Hellesen, A., Bratland, E., & Husebye, E. S. (2018, June). Autoimmune Addison's disease–An update on pathogenesis. In Annales d'endocrinologie (Vol. 79, No. 3, pp. 157-163). Elsevier Masson.