{"id":4298,"date":"2019-02-22T08:03:32","date_gmt":"2019-02-22T08:03:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=4298"},"modified":"2021-03-26T19:21:19","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T19:21:19","slug":"10-body-changes-afffected-by-turner-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/10-body-changes-afffected-by-turner-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Body Changes Afffected By Turner Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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There are many things that change in a person\u2019s body once they get turner syndrome. Turner syndrome is a chromosomal condition that can lead to various issues during childhood and adolescence, as well as adulthood and even seniority. It sometimes also goes by the name monosomy, TS, or 45, X. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scientists don\u2019t have a deep understanding of the underlying causes of Turner syndrome, but they know that it\u2019s due to missing genes on the X chromosome of the patient this missing information can lead to improper development of various functions such as the reproductive system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we\u2019re going to look at eight of the most common body changes that are caused by Turner syndrome. Bear in mind the fact that there are other changes that could occur, but those covered here are among the more prominent complications of the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Infertility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Infertility <\/a>is one of the biggest issues that turner syndrome causes. Remember those missing genes in the X chromosome that we talked about? Well, some of those were responsible for telling the body how to assemble the reproductive system of the patient. This could lead to underdeveloped areas of the reproductive system making the patient infertile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, however, the reproductive system starts out fine with a full set of eggs. That being said, these eggs often die prematurely. It\u2019s unclear how turner syndrome leads to the premature death of the eggs, but some have suggested that the missing genes led to incorrect construction of the eggs making them genetically unstable and vulnerable to premature death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are currently studies being conducted on the exact cause of this premature egg death in the hopes that scientists may one day find a treatment that will prevent the death of these eggs. For now, those with Turner syndrome should have kids earlier on in their life to increase their odds of conceiving children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Lack of puberty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most obvious signs of Turner syndrome is the inability of the patient to enter puberty and begin menstruation without the aid of hormone <\/a>replacement therapy. In hormone replacement therapy \u2014 often shortened to HRT \u2014 the patient is given the estrogen hormones that her body did not produce enough of on its own so that she will be able to enter puberty. Some women do not undergo this therapy and thus stay in a menstruation less state until adulthood and even seniority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been some studies showing that failure to complete HRT at the appropriate age \u2014 before age 20 \u2014 might lead to some issues down the line including the premature death of egg cells. That being said, the studies on the long-term effects of turner syndrome if HRT is not received are still limited due to the fact that the sample size of most studies is very small \u2014 seeing as most babies with Turner syndrome are miscarried rather than born with the syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Webbed necks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Webbed necks are another body change that could be caused by Turner syndrome<\/a>. The term webbed neck refers to excess folds in the neck. Doctors aren\u2019t sure exactly why this occurs in patients with Turner syndrome, but they suspect that it\u2019s due to abnormal skin formation as a result of the missing genes in the X chromosome of the patient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, there are limited studies on the actual cause of the webbed necks \u2014 at least as far as the mechanism of the malformation goes. What all doctors can agree on is that most patients who have both webbed necks and an inability to naturally enter puberty have a high likelihood of turner syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Narrow aorta<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some patients who have turner syndrome also suffer from a narrowing of the aorta<\/a>. The aorta is responsible for supplying most of the blood to the lower half of your body. Thus, the narrowing of it could lead to various circulatory problems. It is unclear why turner syndrome leads to the narrowing of the aorta, but it could be a result of the low estrogen levels in those with Turner syndrome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another theory is that the genetic blanks in the X chromosome lead to improper formation of the heart making the aorta prone to narrowing as time goes on. While doctors can\u2019t agree which mechanism of turner syndrome leads to the narrowing of the aorta, they can all agree that it is a very dangerous symptom of the condition that needs to be treated immediately after the initial diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Swelling of the extremities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Turner’s syndrome can also lead to chronic swelling of the extremities. Some doctors have posed the possibility that the erroneous genetic area in the X chromosome leads to impaired immune function. If this theory proves true, it would mean that the immune system is mistaking healthy cells for invasive pathogens which leads to the swelling and sometimes inflammation <\/a>of the extremities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The confirmation of this theory would put turner syndrome into the autoimmune category of diseases. One of the risks that this runs is the fact that it will make it difficult for doctors to diagnose allergic reactions or anaphylaxis. Some patients with both a peanut allergy and turner syndrome died from anaphylaxis due to the fact that doctors were unable to differentiate between the symptoms of their allergic reaction and the chronic swelling caused by the syndrome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Cognitive issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cognitive issues are actually rare in turner syndrome cases, but still present. Very few people develop learning disabilities or other cognitive issues as a result of their turner syndrome, but there are still some who fall victim to these rare symptoms caused by the condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the cognitive issues that may form as a result of Turner’s syndrome include the inability to comprehend language, lack of focus, hyperactivity, mood swings, depression<\/a>, and learning delays. If you notice learning delays in your child coupled with delayed puberty, they may have turner syndrome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best thing to do is take a trip to your physician to get an official diagnosis and confirmation on whether or not your child has turner syndrome. Bear in mind that there are many causes of cognitive issues. As such, there\u2019s no need to jump to conclusions and scream turner syndrome as soon as your kid becomes hyperactive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Height issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many people with turner syndrome are below average in terms of height. They will often not display any of the normal growth spurts that children go through during the various stages of their life. Furthermore, they will often cap out at an unusually short height in comparison to the height of their parents. Some doctors have posed the possibility that the missing genes in the X chromosome lead to a deficiency in growth hormones due to decreased production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It could also be due to the fact that estrogen <\/a>levels are typically low in Turner syndrome patients. Regardless of the exact cause, it\u2019s clear that most with turner syndrome will struggle with achieving normal height. Speaking of low heights, those with Turner syndrome also tend to have lower hairlines than those without turner syndrome. This could be a consequence of the estrogen deficiency caused by the malformed X chromosome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Diabetes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some patients with Turner syndrome tend to develop diabetes <\/a>rather early in life. This might be because their pancreas is underdeveloped as a result of their incorrectly formed X chromosome. The pancreatic cells are the area of the body responsible for producing insulin \u2014 the hormone that regulates the glucose levels in your blood. Without enough insulin, your blood glucose levels will get to high which could lead to a diabetic coma. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctors are currently conducting further studies into the exact mechanism that leads to diabetes in patients with Turner syndrome. Some initial studies appear to confirm the suspicion that the malformed X chromosome leads to a decrease or inhibition of insulin production within the beta cells of the pancreas leading to Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance as opposed to insulin deficiency, which is why most turner syndrome patients with diabetes have Type 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Skeletal Abnormalities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Women suffering from Turner syndrome may find that they develop skeletal abnormalities \u2013 meaning that parts of the skeleton grow abnormally slowly, or that there are imbalances in the growth. This can lead to a number of potential issues later in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, scoliosis is common in women with Turner syndrome. This describes an abnormal curvature of the spine <\/a>on the lateral plane, meaning that it bends sideways, adjacent to the normal curves. While everyone has a slight curvature of their spine, we consider the condition to be scoliosis if it is more than 10 degrees deviated from the normal position. This can then cause back pain and might impact on gait and normal movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other examples include a very wide chest cavity, which can also cause widely spaced nipples: one of the early signs for parents to look for when trying to identify the condition in their young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These changes occur in the interaction between hormones and bone growth. Hormones like growth hormone and testosterone play a critical role in encouraging normal, healthy growth of the bones, and so if you have unusual production, it can result in changes in the appearance of the skeleton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sooner the replacement hormones are administered, the sooner these changes can be controlled and the higher the likelihood of the skeleton developing normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Underactive thyroid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An underactive thyroid is a less common issue affecting women with Turner syndrome. Specifically, this will impact around 10% of those who have the condition. It is necessary therefore to conduct regular blood tests in order to observe for the condition and to provide hormone replacement therapy (thyroid hormones) in order to try and rectify the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An underactive thyroid basically means that the glands are not producing enough T3 and T4, which in turn results in a slower metabolism. That means the body will become less able to burn energy for fuel, in turn leaving the sufferer feeling lethargic and tired, while also leading to weight gain in many cases. Several other conditions and complications are also linked with hypothyroidism<\/a>, owing to the side effects of hormones. You may find that this also triggers conditions such as carpal tunnel for instance and that it is linked to polycystic ovaries \u2013 another condition that can threaten fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Tiredness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tiredness <\/a>is a highly common issue associated with Turner syndrome. This can be caused by numerous changes, from differences in the heart which alter the amount of blood getting around the system, to changes to the metabolism such as the aforementioned hypothyroidism \u2013 for which slow metabolism and tiredness is the main symptom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiredness can also occur due to diabetes and pre-diabetic symptoms. Diabetes prevents the body from producing and\/or utilizing insulin properly, in turn preventing it from absorbing and using sugar. This means that sugar consumed in the diet will remain in the body, where it can cause significant damage to the nerves, and where it might lead to other problems such as frequent urination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Eye and ear problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Eye and ear problems are both common complications of Turner syndrome. The issue here is that young children with Turner syndrome are likely to suffer from a large number of inner ear infections<\/a>, which may be due to abnormalities in the shape of the ear canals as they develop. Likewise, eye problems may result from differences in the shape of the skull. These are not normally severe, and can usually be fixed with glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eye problems can also be caused by diabetes, where the sugar can cause nerve damage in and around the eye \u2013 potentially leading to blindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Osteoporosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Osteoporosis <\/a>is the abnormal brittle nature of bone. This can occur due to the low levels of estrogen, leaving sufferers more likely to damage their bones or break them. This is also another reason for the aforementioned skeletal abnormalities, such as the turned out elbows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to be careful when engaging in physical exercise and everyday tasks if you have osteoporosis as a simple fall or accident can lead to another more serious break or fracture. It may be that sufferers are more prone to stress fractures: caused by simple weight-bearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those with more body fat will be more likely to suffer several of these conditions. For instance, obesity makes diabetes considerably more likely, but it also makes osteoporosis more dangerous as the bones will need to bear greater weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Organ problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Organ problems can also occur as a result of Turner’s syndrome \u2013 though these are not normally dangerous. A heart murmur, for instance, is a symptom that is caused by the narrowing of the aorta. This is the big blood vessel that exits the heart and carries a lot of blood around the body. This won\u2019t happen in all cases, however, and it can largely be mitigated with surgery <\/a>and\/or hormonal therapies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also common for those with the condition to experience kidney disease. The kidneys are responsible for clearing waste products out of the blood in the form of urine and without them, patients might experience jaundice, itching of the skin, feelings of nausea, tiredness, and a host of other difficulties. These are caused by poisoning, where the blood is saturated with toxins, waste products, and germs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While these complications and symptoms sound serious, the truth is that most can be controlled and women will usually enjoy normal, happy lives while handling the symptoms.
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