What is it?
Hypothalamic dysfunction is a disorder where the
hypothalamus does not function as it usually should. Firstly, the hypothalamus is a very small
part of the brain, close to the centre and is about the size of a pea. The hypothalamus is an essential part of the
endocrine system and plays a huge role in body coordination and regulation. The maintenance of the internal environment
of the body is known as homeostasis. The
hypothalamus is in charge of:
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
- Body Temperature
- Fluid balance
- Body weight
- Secretion of glands
- Production of hormones
- Sleep Cycles
When an individual has hypothalamic dysfunction, some of
these functions may not work or require some extra doses, such as for hormones
and typically water. Something to be
wary of is that the pituitary gland and hypothalamus work very closely
together, so it is hard to differentiate when there is a disorder in that area.
What might cause it?
Hypothalamic dysfunction usually stems from a number of
factors and most fall under severe health conditions that may be intentional. All these factors will either damage of
disrupt the hypothalamus from carrying out its processes. These are the main causes of hypothalamic
dysfunction:
- Malnutrition – Not eating enough of each major nutrient group, such as a lack of carbohydrates, proteins, etc.
- Trauma – After a severe accident that may have impacted the brain.
- Anorexia – Forcefully reducing the amount of food intake by a huge amount, usually to stay thin. This disorder is linked to malnutrition.
- Bulimia – When one eats a lot of food and then forcefully controls their weight through pills or vomiting as they want to keep thin.
- Tumours – Tumours are anomalous growths, and if it occurs in the hypothalamus it will cause a severe impact.
Symptoms:
These symptoms may show hypothalamic dysfunction but it is
really hard to tell from other causes such as for weight gain, fatigue or
constipation. Either way, these are some
symptoms to watch out for:
- Headaches
- Vision Problems
- Diabetes
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Weight Gain
- Body Hair Loss
- Hoarse Voice
- Impotence
- Disturbance in Menstrual Cycle
(Taken from http://bit.ly/SsFMjn)
How can it be treated?
Usually, hypothalamic dysfunction is helped by improving
your lifestyle. For malnourishment, a
proper and healthy diet is needed as well as exercise. Drinking lots of water is also a must. For hormonal imbalance, a doctor needs to be
consulted to get a proper check-up and then taking the proper hormonal
drugs. If it is a tumour or injury that
caused it, surgery may be needed to remove the tumour or operate on the
hypothalamus to heal it. Either way,
take care of yourself and ensure you live a healthy lifestyle to ensure your
body is maintained well.
References:
- http://bit.ly/1fKSmV9
- http://bit.ly/1jvLg6d
- http://1.usa.gov/1eEaGtJ
- http://bit.ly/1juAYn3
- bit.ly/1juzV6q
- http://bit.ly/1iiapNb
- http://abt.cm/1ii8ZSW
- http://bit.ly/SsFMjn
- http://bit.ly/RkV5t8
- http://bit.ly/1rVcZOI
