Pituitary Adenoma: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

When a pituitary adenoma, a noncancerous tumor that grows on the pituitary gland at the base of the brain. Also known as pituitary tumor, it doesn’t spread like cancer but can still cause serious problems by pushing on nearby nerves or flooding your body with too much of one hormone. This tiny gland controls your thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, and even growth and milk production. When it’s disrupted by a tumor, your whole system can go off track.

Not all pituitary adenomas cause symptoms. Some are found by accident during an MRI for another issue. But when they do, the signs depend on what hormone they’re overproducing. A prolactinoma, a common type of pituitary adenoma that makes too much prolactin can lead to unwanted breast milk, missed periods, or low sex drive. A tumor pushing out growth hormone, the hormone responsible for body growth and metabolism might cause enlarged hands, feet, or facial bones—a condition called acromegaly. Others may cause headaches, vision loss, or fatigue because the tumor presses on the optic nerve or crowds out normal pituitary function.

Diagnosis usually starts with blood tests to check hormone levels, followed by an MRI to see the tumor’s size and location. Treatment isn’t always surgery. For prolactinomas, pills like cabergoline often shrink the tumor and restore normal hormone levels without a single incision. Larger tumors or those causing vision problems might need surgery, often through the nose, not the skull. Radiation is rare and usually saved for cases that don’t respond to other options.

What you won’t find in most guides is how much this condition affects daily life. People with untreated pituitary adenomas often feel exhausted, depressed, or out of sync with their own body. Hormone imbalances don’t just cause physical changes—they mess with sleep, mood, energy, and even relationships. That’s why managing it isn’t just about removing a tumor. It’s about restoring balance, one hormone at a time.

Below, you’ll find real-world advice from people who’ve dealt with this—how they spotted the signs, what treatments worked (and didn’t), and how they learned to live with the changes. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, supporting someone who is, or just curious about how a small gland can change everything, these posts give you the facts without the fluff.