What Is Cushing Syndrome? Cushing syndrome is a rare condition that happens when there's too much of the hormone cortisol in the body. It's also called hypercortisolism. Most cases of Cushing syndrome happen in adults 25 to 40 years old, and it's more common in women than men. What Is Cortisol? Cortisol (KOR-tih-sol) is a type of glucocorticoid (gloo-koh-KOR-tih-koyd) hormone made by the two adrenal glands . The adrenal glands are small organs that sit on top of the kidneys. Cortisol made by the body: converts sugar, fat, and protein into energy stimulates glucose production regulates blood pressure helps prevent swelling and inflammation suppresses immune system responses It's often called the "stress hormone" because cortisol gives our bodies the energy to fight stress, such as a fever, illness, injury, or a dangerous situation (the "fight-or-flight" response). It signals the body to speed up the metabolism of stored sugar, fat, and protein, turning these into energy. Doctors use manmade cortisol, or hydrocortisone, to treat asthma, allergies, and inflammation. What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Cushing Syndrome? Symptoms of Cushing syndrome might take months to develop. They can include: a round face a fatty hump between the shoulders and neck weight gain growth problems red or purple stretch marks thin skin that bruises easily tiredness acne high blood pressure type 2 diabetes thicker, more noticeable facial hair in girls (hirsutism) bone problems muscle weakness behavior changes What Causes Cushing Syndrome? Cushing syndrome can happen if someone takes large amounts of corticosteroid drugs, such as prednisone. This is known as exogenous (ek-SAH-jeh-nis) Cushing syndrome. Someone might take oral corticosteroids (pills taken by mouth) to: treat an inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or asthma prevent the body from rejecting a transplanted organ Less often, a corticosteroid applied to the skin (for instance, to treat eczema) or inhaled (to treat asthma) can lead to Cushing syndrome if used in very high doses. Cushing syndrome also can happen if the body makes too much cortisol. This is known as endogenous (en-DAH-jeh-nis) Cushing syndrome. In children, Cushing syndrome usually happens because of: a problem in the adrenal gland that makes it produce too much cortisol a problem in the pituitary gland an adrenal tumor (most of these are not cancerous) How Is Cushing Syndrome Diagnosed? A doctor may suspect Cushing syndrome if a person has the telltale signs, such as a rounded face, a pad of fatty tissue between the shoulders, thin skin with bruises and stretch marks, and poor growth. In children, doctors might suspect Cushing syndrome when a child is gaining weight but not growing as expected. The doctor will do a physical exam and ask if the child has been taking a corticosteroid medicine for a long time. In kids not taking a corticosteroid medicine, doctors might order tests. These can include: 24-hour urinary free-cortisol test: a urine test that collects urine (pee) for 24 hours to measure hormone levels a diurnal cortisol test: measuring cortisol in a blood or saliva (spit) sample a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test: doing a blood test to measure cortisol after the child takes a glucocorticoid a CRH stimulation test: doing repeated blood draws over several hours to measure cortisol levels after the child gets a shot of corticotropin-releasing hormone How Is Cushing Syndrome Treated? A pediatric endocrinologist will oversee the care of a child with Cushing syndrome. Depending on what's causing it, treatment for Cushing syndrome might involve: surgery to remove tumors or growths on the adrenal or pituitary glands radiation therapy to treat tumors or growths on the adrenal glands changing how much or how often a child takes a corticosteroid medicine taking drugs that block the production of hormones What Else Should I Know? Children with Cushing syndrome will have follow-up visits with their pediatric endocrinologist every 3–6 months. The doctor will check hormone levels, adjust medicines as needed, and see if symptoms have improved. To do this, the doctor might: order blood tests and urine tests see if the child is reaching the expected height and weight goals Back to Articles Related Articles Endocrine System The glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they release affect almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. Read More Other Diseases That Are More Common in People With Type 1 Diabetes Kids and teens with type 1 diabetes have a greater risk for thyroid disease, celiac disease, and Addison's disease. Learn more about these autoimmune disorders. Read More Adrenal Insufficiency Adrenal insufficiency is a condition that happens when the adrenal glands do not work as they should. Read More Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) affects the adrenal glands, which make important hormones. Symptoms depend on a child's age, sex, and which hormones the adrenal glands make too little or too much of. Read More Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the ovaries produce higher than normal amounts of certain hormones, which can interfere with egg development and release. Learn how doctors diagnose and treat PCOS. Read More Metabolic Syndrome Metabolic syndrome is a group of health problems that put kids at risk for heart disease and diabetes. With lifestyle changes, many kids improve their health and reduce their risk of disease. Read More Metabolic Syndrome Metabolic syndrome is a signal that someone could be on the road to serious health problems. Find out more in this article for teens. Read More Metabolism Brush up on metabolism, the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy, in this article. Read More Metabolism Your body gets the energy it needs from food through a process called metabolism. Get all the facts on metabolism in this article. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.