Enlarged Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland located at the base of the brain, in a small bony cavity referred to as sella turcica. Undoubtedly one of the most important components of the endocrine system, pituitary gland secretes hormones meant to facilitate homeostasis. In fact, an important hormone secreted by pituitary gland, the tropic hormone, helps in stimulating the other endocrine glands.

The hormones secreted by pituitary gland play an important role in various body functions, including growth, regulating blood pressure, thyroid gland functioning and regulating body temperature. At times however, this gland is known to encounter some problems in functioning, owing to various disorders of the pituitary gland. This in turn, reflects on various body functions it regulates. Enlarged pituitary gland is a common symptom of these pituitary gland disorders, ranging from Cushing's syndrome to pituitary gland tumor.

Enlarged Pituitary Gland Symptoms
Enlargement of pituitary gland, caused due to noncancerous tumor referred to as pituitary adenoma, may or may not disturb hormone production. When it does affect the hormone production, the symptoms are quite obvious. These symptoms of enlarged pituitary glands include headache, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, double vision, drooping eyelids, problems with sense of smell, etc. Vision problems are quite common as the pituitary gland tends to press on the optic nerve passing above it as it enlarges. In some cases, it is also known to cause loss of vision in individuals. In most of the cases though, overproduction or underproduction of a particular hormone, affects the part of the body to which it caters.

Enlarged Pituitary Gland Causes
In most of the cases, enlarged pituitary gland is associated with pituitary gland tumor. However, causes of enlarged pituitary gland also include internal bleeding into the gland or other underlying ailments. Some of the prominent ailments which are known to cause enlargement of pituitary gland include sarcoidosis disease. Slightly enlarged pituitary gland, on the other hand, is generally attributed to some thyroid disorder. Owing to the possible hazards of pituitary gland enlargement, one has to promptly opt for its treatment as soon as the condition is diagnosed.

Enlarged Pituitary Gland Treatment
The treatment of enlarged pituitary gland depends on the underlying cause of the enlargement. Basically, enlargement of pituitary gland can be diagnosed by imaging tests, like CT scan or MRI scan. Once the enlargement is diagnosed, it can be treated by treating the underlying cause responsible for it. This treatment may include radiation therapy or surgery to in order to treat the tumor, or medication to treat underlying ailments, like tuberculosis. Hormone replacement therapy is effective in treating the symptoms associated with pituitary disorders. As the symptoms are caused due to overproduction or underproduction of some hormones, they can be cured by correcting hormonal imbalance through the means of hormone replacement therapy.

This was in brief about the various causes and symptoms of enlarged pituitary gland, along with its treatment. It is but obvious that pituitary gland is one of the most important components of our body, and any malfunctioning in it is bound to result in adverse effects on our health.