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Adrenal Disorders Care
Adrenal disorders occur when the adrenal glands (small glands above the kidneys) produce too little or too much of one or more essential hormones. At Henry Ford Health, our Adrenal Disorders Clinic is one of few in the region and is a referral center for patients with complex adrenal conditions.
Discover the details of our adrenal disorders care. You’ll learn about the conditions we treat, the tests and procedures we use and why our team is a top choice for your care.
Why choose Henry Ford Health for adrenal disorders care?
Because adrenal disorders are uncommon, it’s rare to find specialized expertise in these conditions. When you choose the Henry Ford Health team, you receive access to endocrinologists who focus on adrenal disorders and bring you the latest care options.
The Henry Ford Health difference:
- Expertise in adrenal disorders: With advanced training from a nationally recognized adrenal disorders center, our endocrinologists bring expertise to the diagnosis and management of complex adrenal disease. These experts are leaders in the field, offering exceptional clinical care, conducting research and speaking at national conferences.
- Convenient locations: With clinics throughout southeast Michigan, we make it as easy as possible for you to access the treatment and services you need.
- Research-driven treatment: Our endocrinologists study new and better ways to treat adrenal disorders, so you have access to the most up-to-date therapies. Eligible patients may receive new treatments through research studies or clinical trials.
- Collaborative care: We work closely with endocrine surgery, urology, radiologists, pathologists and geneticists. All of these experts have specific expertise and experience in adrenal disorders.
- Advanced tests: Henry Ford Health offers an array of specialized testing in-house, so you don’t have to travel outside our system during diagnosis. For example, we offer adrenal venous sampling, which allows us to determine if adrenal symptoms are coming from one or both glands. This test helps us target your treatment more effectively.
- Teaching and training: In addition to providing exceptional clinical care, our endocrinologists teach and train fellows. Fellows are physicians pursuing subspecialty training in endocrinology. This teaching emphasis demands that we stay at the leading edge of our field as we educate the next generation of experts.
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Adrenal disorders we treat
Adrenal disorders are complex. Our experts spend as much time with you as needed to ensure you understand your diagnosis and care options. Together, we develop a treatment plan that prioritizes your needs and goals.
The most common adrenal disorders we treat are adrenal tumors, including:- Adrenal adenomas, the most common and usually benign (noncancerous) adrenal gland tumor
- Adrenal cortical carcinoma, a rare tumor that develops in the outer layers of the adrenal glands
Some of the other adrenal disorders we treat include:
- Cushing’s syndrome, a rare condition caused by long-term high cortisol
- Mild autonomous cortisol secretion, a condition where the body produces more cortisol than it needs
- Primary aldosteronism, when the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone
- Pheochromocytoma, a rare adrenal tumor that’s typically noncancerous but can cause too much adrenaline
- Adrenal insufficiency, when the adrenal glands don’t produce enough cortisol and sometimes aldosterone, two key hormones
- Adrenal disorders in pregnancy, which raise the risk of pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure and intrauterine growth restriction
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a group of genetic disorders that cause too little cortisol and aldosterone and high androgens
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Adrenal tests and procedures
Our endocrinologists use the latest tests and treatments, including:
- Adrenal vein sampling: This imaging test uses a narrow tube (catheter) to collect blood from both adrenal veins. It helps us determine whether symptoms are coming from one or both adrenal glands. We have two radiologists who perform high volumes of this specialized, gold-standard test.
- Medications: Some patients are good candidates for specialized medications that control or replace hormones. Our team is well-versed in all the latest adrenal medical therapies.
- Surgery: Surgery to remove tumors or the entire adrenal gland is a common treatment for adrenal disorders. Our surgeons use leading-edge techniques, including minimally invasive and robotic approaches. We also offer cortical-sparing adrenalectomies, surgeries that remove adrenal tumors while sparing healthy tissue.
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Adrenal disorders FAQs
What are the signs of adrenal disorders?
In some cases, symptoms are subtle and discovered only through abnormal laboratory testing or imaging. If you have symptoms that interfere with your quality of life, see your healthcare provider to get more information.
Adrenal disorders can cause a variety of symptoms. Patients may develop ongoing or difficult-to-manage high blood pressure. Others notice:- Unexplained weight gain or loss
- Fatigue
- Easy bruising
- Mood changes
- Headaches
- Sweating episodes
- Heart racing
What are the main treatments for adrenal disorders?
Doctors customize adrenal disorders treatment based on the specific diagnosis and each patient’s clinical needs. Management may include surgery to remove an adrenal tumor or, in some cases, the affected gland. For other conditions, specialized medications are used to control excess hormone production or to replace hormones.
Why is it important to find an adrenal specialist?
Adrenal disorders are rare and complex. Treating them effectively requires specialized expertise, such as the kind you’ll find from our team at Henry Ford Health.
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Adrenal disorders care locations
We have clinics across Michigan and offer virtual visits when appropriate.