Types of Cushing's Syndrome

Did you know there are different types and causes of Cushing's Syndrome?

The first separation is whether it comes from inside the body (endogenous) or outside of the body (exogenous). 

Endogenous Cushing's Syndrome is generally caused by tumors on the pituitary glad (most common) which is then called "Cushing's Disease", but it can also be caused by tumors on the adrenal glands or an ectopic tumor (fairly rare, and generally within the lungs, which may be cancerous). 

Exogenous Cushing's Syndrome comes from taking steroid medications, generally long-term.  Steroids are often used to treat auto-immune diseases and conditions like asthma and skin disorders.  They can be quite effective, but with the added steroids your body may begin to show signs and symptoms of Cushing's Syndrome.   

Another differentiation in endogenous disease is that it can be florid (ie, your cortisol is always high) or cyclic, periodic or episodic (meaning you alternate from low/normal cortisol to high cortisol and back at varying intervals...sometimes predictable, and these fluctuations can be over days or even years). 

It can also present as subclinical, mild, or severe...but that is generally more of a classification of how bad your lab work is and not of how sick you are, or how long or badly you've been effected.  You can have mild, cyclic disease and still be unable to function and on death's door.