The pituitary gland is often portrayed as the "master gland" of the body. Such praise is justified in the sense that the anterior and posterior pituitary secrete a battery of hormones that collectively influence all cells and affect virtually all physiologic processes. The pituitary gland may be king, but the power behind the throne is clearly the hypothalamus. As alluded to in the last section, some of the neurons within the hypothalamus - neurosecretory neurons - secrete hormones that strictly control secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary. The hypothalamic hormones are referred to as releasing hormones and inhibiting hormones, reflecting their influence on anterior pituitary hormones.

Primary aldosteronism, also known as primary hyperaldosteronism or Conn's syndrome, is excess production of the hormone aldosterone by the adrenal glands resulting in low renin levels. Often it produces few symptoms. Most people have high blood pressure which may cause poor vision or headaches.

Medical Terminology

poor posture (postural kyphosis) – slouching, leaning back in chairs and carrying heavy bags can stretch supporting muscles and ligaments, which can increase spinal curvature. abnormally shaped vertebrae (Scheuermann's kyphosis) – if the vertebrae don't develop properly, they can end up being out of position.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) is a hereditary condition associated with three primary types of tumors: medullary thyroid cancer, parathyroid tumors, and pheochromocytoma. MEN2 is classified into three subtypes based on clinical features. MEN2A, which affects 60% to 90% of MEN2 families Medullary thyroid cancer: 98% to 100% with MEN2A are affected Pheochromocytoma, a typically benign (noncancerous) tumor of the adrenal glands: 50% with MEN2A affected Parathyroid adenoma (benign tumor) or hyperplasia, meaning increased size, of the parathyroid gland: 5% to 10% with MEN2A affected MEN2B, which affects 5% of MEN2 families Medullary thyroid cancer: 98% to 100% with MEN2B affected Pheochromocytoma: 50% with MEN2B affected Mucosal neuromas, which is a benign tumor of nerve tissue on the tongue, lips and throughout the gastrointestinal tract: 95% to 98% affected Digestive problems caused by disordered nerves in the gastrointestinal tract: 75% to 90% affected Muscle, joint, and spinal problems: 95% affected Typical facial features, including swollen lips and thick eyelids: 75% to 90% affected Familial medullary thyroid cancer (FMTC), which affects 5% to 35% of MEN2 families Medullary thyroid carcinoma only Sources: Gagel RF, Marx SJ. “Multiple endocrine neoplasia.” Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, Chapter 40, 11th ed., Philadelphia, 2008, and Eng C, Clayton D, et al. Grubbs EG, Gagel RF. My, How Things Have Changed in Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2A! J Clin Endocrinol Metab 100(7):2532-5, 7/2015. PMID: 26151398. What causes MEN2? MEN2 is a genetic condition. This means that the cancer risk and other features of MEN2 can be passed from generation to generation in a family. The gene associated with MEN2 is called RET. A mutation (alteration) in the RET gene gives a person an increased risk of developing medullary thyroid cancer and other tumors associated with MEN2.

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a disorder in which muscle tissue and connective tissue such as tendons and ligaments are gradually replaced by bone (ossified), forming bone outside the skeleton (extra-skeletal or heterotopic bone) that constrains movement. This process generally becomes noticeable in early childhood, starting with the neck and shoulders and proceeding down the body and into the limbs. Extra-skeletal bone formation causes progressive loss of mobility as the joints become affected. Inability to fully open the mouth may cause difficulty in speaking and eating. Over time, people with this disorder may experience malnutrition due to their eating problems. They may also have breathing difficulties as a result of extra bone formation around the rib cage that restricts expansion of the lungs.

How to Check Cervical Mucus

The usual reason given for people getting fat is that they eat too much and/or exercise too little. That reflects one of the basic laws of thermodynamics—I forget which one. The amount of energy you put into a system minus the energy you take out has to be stored somewhere i.e. FAT! This formulation—true though it is—does not entirely explain obesity since some people seem to eat more than fat people and exercise no more than these same fat people, and yet they are not fat! Chalking this fact up to the general perversity of the universe is not sufficient explanation. Other factors must come into play. I mention below some of the ideas thoughtful people have proposed to explain why fat people become fat:

Recommended range without diabetes is 70 to 130mg/dL. (The standard for measuring blood glucose is "mg/dL" which means milligrams per deciliter.) If your blood glucose level is above 130mg/dL, that's fasting hyperglycemia. Fasting hyperglycemia is a common diabetes complication.

a disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine.

How to place an NG tube in a baby,

There are 3 major parts of the respiratory system: the airway, the lungs, and the muscles of respiration. The airway, which includes the nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles, carries air between the lungs and the body's exterior.

Gastroparesis -- literally “paralyzed stomach” -- is a serious condition manifested by delayed emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine after a meal. There is no cure for gastroparesis, but treatment can speed gastric emptying and relieve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

A blood transfusion is a routine medical procedure that can be lifesaving. During a blood transfusion, donated blood is added to your own blood. A blood transfusion may also be done to supplement various components of your blood with donated blood products. In some cases, a blood transfusion is done with blood that you've donated ahead of time before you undergo elective surgery. During a typical blood transfusion, certain parts of blood are delivered through an intravenous (IV) line that's placed in one of the veins in your arm. A blood transfusion usually takes one to four hours, though in an emergency it can be done much faster.

Labyrinthitis is a mild, often self-limited condition characterized by vertigo, tinnitus, nausea, and a loss of balance. The disorder often follows a viral illness (eg, influenza). Labyrinthitis may also be caused by trauma, bacterial infection, allergies, benign tumors, and certain medications .

Panic attacks are discrete periods of intense fear or discomfort. Symptoms may include palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, a choking sensation, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, paresthesias, and a fear of dying or losing control

Cataplexy is a sudden, temporary loss of muscle tone that can result in collapse. It is often caused by intense emotions, including laughter

Holter monitoring, electrocardiogram or echocardiogram are only recommended if a cardiac cause (e.g., arrhythmias, possible cardiac syncope, myocardial ischemia) is suspected.