Cushing's Syndrome Symptoms: How It Affects Your Health and Fertility

Cushing's syndrome is a condition caused due to the abnormal levels of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is naturally produced in the body by the adrenal gland to cope up with any stressful situation such as illness or any other trauma. If due to any other reason, this stress hormone is produced in higher quantity, then it can lead to Cushing's syndrome. This condition is fairly seen is women compared to men.

The abnormal levels of cortisol can occur due to various reasons such as the use of corticosteroids, pituitary tumor, adrenal gland tumor, tumor in other parts of the body such as pancreas, thyroid, lungs etc.

In this article, we will discuss the various symptoms of Cushing's syndrome.

Cushing's syndrome Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome vary from one person to another. Below given are some of the common Cushing's symptoms:

• Weight-gain
• Fatty deposits on the area like the neck, upper back, etc. Some may even have "buffalo hump" at the back due to the fat pad
• Round and moon-shaped face
• Pink or purple stretch marks on the skin, especially on the breast, arms, shoulders and thighs
• Skin bruises easily due to thinning of the skin
• Bruises or other injuries heal slowly
• Excessive hair growth
• Poor short-term memory
• Menstrual irregularities
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Lack of concentration
• Increased thirst and urination
• Acne
• Weak muscles
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar levels
• Stress
• Depression

Impact of Cushing's syndrome on Fertility

In the case of women, the high amount of cortisol in the body can disrupt their ovaries. It can also affect their menstruation by causing it to stop completely or become irregular. With all these issues, it may become difficult to conceive. Men with Cushing's syndrome have low sperm motility, erectile dysfunction, low libido and other infertility issues.