What Is Hyperaldosteronism / Conn’s Syndrome? Causes, Symptoms and Ayurvedic Treatment

ABSTRACT

Adrenal glands are located on each kidney and are triangular in shape. These glands consist of two layers that are medulla and cortex, medulla layer forms epinephrine and the cortex layer forms aldosterone and cortisone. These glands control various processes in the body which includes body balancing by making most essential hormones. These hormones are important as they help to regulate salt and fluid levels in the body which have direct relation with blood pressure and blood volume. They help in controlling the body while stress conditions by releasing epinephrine. So problems in these glands may alter the regulation of the hormones as well as cause various health conditions in the body. Among all the health conditions caused by abnormality of the hormones produced by adrenal glands we are going to study conn’s Syndrome or Hyperaldosteronism. So let’s have a look!!!!!

INTRODUCTION

Conn’s syndrome is one of the rare disorders that occurs when adrenal glands form an excessive amount of aldosterone. This condition is also called primary hyperaldosteronism. What is Aldosterone? It is a hormone whose main role is to control the potassium and salt levels in blood, as if it increases too much then leads to high blood pressure. Out of 100 cases of High BP 1 or fewer people have this condition due to Conn’s Syndrome. This condition is more common in women than in men. This can happen at any age but most commonly in 30s to 40s. This is a common introduction about Conn’s Syndrome, let’s have a view on its causes and symptoms.

FACTS ABOUT HYPERALDOSTERONISM

Following are some of the facts about Hyperaldosteronism that one must know:

• This condition can be seen in almost 10% of patients with Hypertension.
• Its prevalence varies from 4.6% to 16.6%.
• The prevalence depends upon various factors like – diagnostic methods, severity of hypertension, etc.
• This condition is found more in women than in men.

CAUSES OF HYPERALDOSTERONISM

Mostly this condition is random but few cases are passed on from parents. Conn’s Syndrome can be caused if there is a tumor or benign cortical adenoma over the gland. Also this can be caused due to bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (odd growth in glands). Both these health conditions are commonly the cause of Conn’s Syndrome and they raised the Aldosterone to too high levels. Sometimes this condition can occur due to some other reasons that affects the kidneys flow which includes following:

• Kidney artery narrowing
• Fluid loss
• Shock
• Heart failure
• Liver Disease
• Kidney tumors
• Pregnancy

If aldosterone levels are high due to the above mentioned conditions then this condition is termed as secondary hyperaldosteronism, as in these conditions hormones are in excess due to a cause other than any problem in adrenal gland.

SYMPTOMS OF HYPERALDOSTERONISM

Most commonly, patients with this condition have higher BP than normal people. Only the blood reports make it clear whether the BP is high due to Conn’s Disease or there is any other reason behind this. So it is not always possible to control this condition only with anti-hypertensive medications. The electrolyte imbalance due to Conn’s Disease leads to electrolyte imbalance and cause following symptoms

• Frequent Voiding
• Headache
• Night time voiding
• Lack of muscle strength
• Eyesight problems
• Muscle twitching
• Muscle cramps
• Increased thirst
• Paralysis
• Needles and pins like feeling

The severity of the above symptoms depends upon the abnormality of the electrolyte imbalance.

DIAGNOSIS OF HYPERALDOSTERONISM

Diagnosis of this condition is done firstly with blood tests. Generally this condition remains undiagnosed as hypertension can be caused by various conditions and risk factors. Common signs of this condition include high Bp with medication resistance. Along with that electrolyte imbalance is there which includes hypernatremia and hypomagnesemia. If your physician thinks that there might be hyperaldosteronism and notices its signs and symptoms then they will offer you to go for various blood tests. These blood tests include PRC (Plasma renin concentration) and PRA (Plasma renin activity).

If a person is suffering from Secondary hyperaldosteronism then the levels of these reports will be higher than the normal. The other test a physician offers to clear diagnosis is aldosterone suppression test. If these tests are positive then a cause is detected by Computed tomography scan generally for diagnosing any tumor causing hyperaldosteronism.

AYURVEDIC VIEW OF HYPERALDOSTERONISM

While Ayurveda will not dismiss hormonal imbalances as insignificant, the Ayurvedic approach for balancing the hormones is totally different from allopathic medicine at fundamental levels. According to Ayurveda there is a deeper reason if any of your hormones are going off track. Ayurveda works on the root cause why the hormonal balance is occurring but not only to introduce the hormones into the body or eliminate excessive amounts of hormones out of the body. So for that it is must to clarify what is the root cause and how we can eliminate the root cause of the condition with Ayurveda. As we read earlier the main cause as per modern is formation of tumor over the gland which according to Ayurveda is due to Kapha dosha and Vata dosha. This leads to the excessive secretion of Aldosterone that is due to the aggravation of Pitta Dosha. This further causes the main symptom that is high B.P and electrolyte imbalance which cause various symptoms. These symptoms include frequent voiding, night time voiding, increased thirst, muscle cramps and twitching, etc. So basically there is a need to balance Pitta dosha previously and then there is a need to reduce Kapha and Vata Dosha for preventing further growth of tumors over the Adrenal Gland.

Solution of Hyperaldosteronism in Ayurveda: As we read earlier stress leads to Vata dosha aggravation in this condition and our body leads to depletion. This condition needs the management which helps in pacifying Vata dosha in the body, eliminating more stress hormones from the bloodstream (i.e adrenal hormones) nourishing and rejuvenating the body. Following are various steps with which you can provide your body all these things:

• Quiet the mind: We all know it’s really difficult to remove false stress from our life but we can make ourselves so strong that our body will be able to resist any kind of the stress. That happens only if we will focus on quieting and calming our minds. For that following are some ways mentioned in Ayurveda that helps in making you strong enough to resist any kind of stress. So introduce the following practices to your daily life to make your mind stress free, that is one of the main causes of any health issue.
• Yoga: Yoga is responsible for moving prana in the body, cleaning stagnation, dissipating tension and encouraging fluidity. Yoga is responsible for balancing all the three doshas so in every condition one dosha is mainly responsible. You can do dosha for balancing, specifically that dosha. As in hyperaldosteronism Vata dosha is aggravated to a large extent and is mainly responsible. There are various Vata balancing practices which include Utkatasana (Chair Pose), Malasana (Garland Pose), Salabhasana (Locust Pose), Janu Sirsasana (Head-of-the-Knee Pose), Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose), Janu Sirsasana (Head-of-the-Knee Pose), etc.
• Pranayama: Pranayama is a practice that helps in moving life force (Prana) in our body and helps to restore vitality in the energy channels of our body. So in case of Hyperaldosteronism our adrenal gland becomes too full that can be cleared and transformed with the help of Pranayama. Pranayama that helps in removing excessive arsenal hormones from the body includes Nadi shodhana (that cleans the channels) and Bhramari (that makes the mind relaxed).

All the above changes in daily routine helps in regulating Vata dosha and makes the endocrine system working effectively that is needed to manage the condition of Hyperaldosteronism. Along with these practices and daily life regimen there are miraculous herbs in Ayurveda that help in managing the condition of Hyperaldosteronism. Planet Ayurveda provides various remedies that include such miraculous herbs, let’s have a look!!!!

HERBAL REMEDIES BY PLANET AYURVEDA FOR HYPERALDOSTERONISM

Planet Ayurveda is a holistic Ayurvedic company which is formulating various Ayurvedic supplements under the guidance of M.D Ayurveda practitioners. All the formulations prepared at this company are totally free from preservatives as well as synthetic materials. That’s why the products have many certifications such as ISO certification, GMP certification, Halal certification and many others. Planet Ayurveda helps in managing various disorders by working on the root cause of the condition. So you can freely consult the doctors at Planet Ayurveda and have safe treatment from them for any health concern. As we are talking about the condition of Hyperaldosteronism, let’s see what herbal remedies by Planet Ayurveda helps in managing this condition. Following herbal remedies are provided by Planet Ayurveda for the same, let’s know what these remedies are made up of and how they help in managing this condition.

1. ARJUN TEA
2. ARJUNA CAPSULES
3. BRAHMI CAPSULES
4. KANCHNAR GUGGUL
5. NAVKARSHIK CHURNA

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

1. ARJUN TEA

Arjun Tea is one of the herbal teas formulated by Planet ayurveda. This tea includes ingredients such as Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna), punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa), Pipal Twak (Ficus religiosa), Dalchini (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), etc. This is one of the best teas that helps in removing toxins and extra accumulation of any kind of harmful substances in the bloodstream. So daily consumption of this tea helps in detoxifying the channels that flow blood and manages the condition of Hyperaldosteronism.

Dosage: l cup daily, add 1 tsp of Arjuna Tea in 400 ml of water, boil it up to 100 ml, strain and drink when it becomes lukewarm.

2. ARJUNA CAPSULES

Arjuna Capsules is a single herbal capsules formulation of Planet Ayurveda. These capsules are made up of standardized extract of herbs Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna). Arjuna herb consists of various properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial. This herb helps in maintaining proper blood flow by cleansing the blood channels. The reason for adding this formulation to the management of Hyperaldosteronism is to regulate the hindered blood flow by excessive hormones of adrenal gland. Also excessive formulation of Aldosterone hormone leads to high Blood pressure which is reduced with the help of Arjuna Capsules.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals.

3. BRAHMI CAPSULES

Brahmi Capsules is a wonderful remedy that helps in maintaining health of the Nervous System. These capsules consist of pure standardized extract of herb Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri). Vata aggravation is the main reason which is responsible for no proper regulation of the endocrine system. Thus Brahmi being a neuroprotective and Vata balancing herb regulates the Endocrine System and maintains the levels of Aldosterone in the body.

Dosage: 1 capsule twice daily with plain water after meals.

4. KANCHNAAR GUGGUL

Kanchnaar Guggul is one of the classical Ayurvedic formulations that is prepared by Planet Ayurveda under the strict guidance of M.D. Ayurveda practitioners. The formulation is available in tablet form which consists of ingredients such as Kanchnaar (Bauhinia variegata), amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Bhibhitaki (Terminalia bellerica), Varuna (Crataeva religiosa) and various others. This formulation helps in reducing the size of the tumor by reducing Kapha dosha. As Kapha is mainly responsible for formulation of Granthi in the Adrenal glands thus these tablets are added to the management of this condition.

Dosage: 2 tablets twice daily with plain water after meals.

5. NAVKARSHIK CHURNA

Navkarshik Churna is one of herbal powder formulation which consists of fine and pure powders of herbs like Vacha (Acorus calamus), Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), Daruhaldi (Berberis aristata) and various others. This powder formulation is mainly effective in eliminating ama accumulation in the body. So basically this herbal powder is added to the management of Conn’s Disease to clear out toxins from the body and reduce Oxidative stress that is the reason behind depletion of the bodily tissues.

Dosage: 1 teaspoonful twice daily with warm water after meals.

CONCLUSION

Conn’s syndrome is one of the rare disorders that occurs when adrenal glands form an excessive amount of aldosterone. It is a hormone whose main role is to control the potassium and salt levels in blood, as if it increases too much then leads to high blood pressure. Conn’s Syndrome can be caused if there is a tumour or benign cortical adenoma over the gland. According to Ayurveda this condition is caused by aggravation of Vata dosha for which stress is the main cause. The tumour inside the Adrenal gland is caused by kapha dosha as well as Vata dosha, so to manage the condition as per Ayurveda we have to reduce or eliminate excessive Vata dosha and Kapha dosha from the body. For this purpose Planet Ayurveda offers you safe herbal remedies, so you can consume these safe herbal remedies along with following an advised diet chart to manage your condition.