Addison's disease
Addison's disease is a condition that a person can have where their body does not make enough of a hormone called cortisol. Think of cortisol as a superhero that helps your body handle stress and fight off illness. Your body needs this hormone to function properly.
Now, imagine that you have a team of superheroes in your body, and cortisol is their leader. If your team doesn't have enough leaders, it can't fight off the bad guys (like germs and stress) as well. This is what happens when a person has Addison's disease.
Some signs and symptoms of Addison's disease may include feeling very tired or weak, losing weight or not being able to keep weight on, having stomach pains, and feeling dizzy when you stand up. Sometimes people with Addison's disease can also have changes in their skin color, turning darker than usual.
Doctors can test for Addison's disease by looking at a person's cortisol levels in their blood. If they find that someone has low levels of cortisol, they may diagnose them with Addison's disease.
Luckily, Addison's disease can be treated with medication that replaces the missing cortisol. These medications are called steroids and can come in the form of pills or injections. With the proper treatment, people with Addison's disease can go on to live happy and healthy lives, just like everyone else!
Now, imagine that you have a team of superheroes in your body, and cortisol is their leader. If your team doesn't have enough leaders, it can't fight off the bad guys (like germs and stress) as well. This is what happens when a person has Addison's disease.
Some signs and symptoms of Addison's disease may include feeling very tired or weak, losing weight or not being able to keep weight on, having stomach pains, and feeling dizzy when you stand up. Sometimes people with Addison's disease can also have changes in their skin color, turning darker than usual.
Doctors can test for Addison's disease by looking at a person's cortisol levels in their blood. If they find that someone has low levels of cortisol, they may diagnose them with Addison's disease.
Luckily, Addison's disease can be treated with medication that replaces the missing cortisol. These medications are called steroids and can come in the form of pills or injections. With the proper treatment, people with Addison's disease can go on to live happy and healthy lives, just like everyone else!