Newly Diagnosed: Taking the First Step on Your Journey
Becoming educated is a good place to start on your journey with Cushing’s disease. Whether you are a patient or a caregiver, knowing as much as possible about the disease will help you be a more active participant in your or your loved one’s healthcare. Learn more below about Cushing’s and its causes, symptoms, and diagnosis.
Overview
Cushing’s disease and Cushing’s syndrome are both named after Harvey Cushing, who first identified the symptoms and causes of the condition in 1912. This disease develops when the pituitary gland releases too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), usually the fault of a tumor on that gland. To learn more about Cushing’s, click the button below.
Causes
Cushing’s disease is a form of Cushing’s syndrome, in which high cortisol levels cause debilitating physical, mental, and hormonal symptoms. When cortisol levels are too high — a condition known as hypercortisolism — patients experience a variety of harmful physical and mental changes. To learn more about the causes of Cushing’s, click the button below.
Symptoms
People with Cushing’s disease and Cushing’s syndrome show a variety of physical, mental, and hormonal symptoms, and not all patients will exhibit the same symptoms. To learn more about the symptoms of Cushing’s, click the button below.
Diagnosis
Cushing’s disease can be difficult to diagnose, because its symptoms develop gradually and are similar to those of Cushing’s syndrome, a broader category with other causes for Cushing’s onset, as well as with other illnesses. To learn more about diagnosing Cushing’s, click the button below.
