Symptoms of Pituitary Tumors and Disorders

January 8, 2026

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Behrouz Salehian M.D., clinical professor, Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Duarte.

The pituitary gland is a master endocrine organ. By secreting nine major hormones, it controls the whole endocrine system.

The symptoms of a pituitary disorder or tumor may look vastly different from one person to another. They often depend on the type of disorder, where it’s located in the pituitary gland and whether it affects nearby structures. For example, if the gland makes too much or too little of certain hormones, the patient may notice changes in weight, mood or growth. If a tumor presses on nearby structures, such as the nerves that control vision, the patient may experience headaches or eyesight changes.

Pituitary Tumor Symptoms

Pituitary tumors don’t always cause noticeable symptoms, but when they do, they may affect the body in different ways. The symptoms depend on the degree of the pituitary tumor’s growth and any affected nearby structures, such as the optic nerve (nerve of vision). Sometimes if the tumor is secreting excessively, one of its hormones may cause specific symptoms.

People with pituitary tumors may experience one or several of the symptoms below.

• General symptoms, like fatigue, nausea or vomiting, muscle weakness, aching joints, easy bruising, mood changes, depression or trouble concentrating.
• Headaches or vision changes, including loss of side vision, blurred or double vision or drooping eyelids.
• Hormone-related changes, such as unexplained weight gain or loss, menstrual cycle changes, early menopause, excessive thirst and frequent urination, delayed puberty, fertility problems, decreased libido and changes in sexual function.
• Growth or physical changes, such as enlarged hands or feet, changes in facial features or spontaneous breast milk production.

It’s important to talk with a doctor if any of these changes occur.

Pituitary Adenoma Symptoms

Benign tumors are the most common type of pituitary disease. Most of these tumors are pituitary adenomas, which often cause different symptoms depending on tumor type and size, whether or not they produce hormones (functioning or non-functioning) and whether the patient is male or female.

In men, symptoms may include:

• Decreased libido or erectile dysfunction
• Infertility
• Breast enlargement
• Loss of body hair or decreased muscle mass

In women, symptoms may include:

• Irregular or missed menstrual periods
• Difficulty becoming pregnant
• Unexplained breast milk production
• Signs of low estrogen, like hot flashes or vaginal dryness

In both men and women, pituitary adenomas may also cause more general symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, vision changes or weight fluctuations.

Acromegaly Symptoms

The symptoms of acromegaly occur due to excessive secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary tumor. Symptoms tend to develop slowly, making them easy to miss at first. Over time, the patient may notice:

• Enlarged hands and feet (rings or shoes no longer fit)
• Thickened skin or increased sweating with unpleasant odor
• Changes in facial features, such as a larger jaw, nose or lips
• Joint pain or swelling
• Deepening of the voice
• Headaches or vision problems
• Tiredness, weakness or sleep problems
• Changes in menstrual cycles (women)
• Erectile dysfunction (men)

Cushing’s Syndrome Symptoms

Symptoms of this condition occur due to excessive secretion of the adrenocorticotropin hormone and stimulating adrenal glands to make excessive cortisol. These symptoms often develop slowly and may include:

• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Mood changes
• High blood pressure or blood sugar
• Weight gain, especially in the face, upper back and abdomen
• Thin arms and legs compared to the rest of the body
• Round, flushed face
• Purple stretch marks on the skin (often on the abdomen, thighs or breasts)
• Thinning skin that bruises easily
• Muscle weakness and difficulty standing up or taking stairs
• Slow healing of cuts, scrapes or infections
• Irregular or absent menstrual periods, excess hair growth on the face or body (women)
• Reduced fertility, decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction (men)

Signs of Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes insipidus, or arginine vasopressin deficiency, is due to loss of secretion of the antidiuretic hormone. The main symptoms of diabetes insipidus are excessive thirst and frequent urination, in addition to:

• Drinking water constantly, specially cold water
• Frequent urination and waking up frequently at night to urinate
• Dehydration leading to dry mouth, shivering, nausea, headaches, dizziness, weakness or confusion
• Weight loss

Empty Sella Syndrome Symptoms

Empty sella syndrome is a structural abnormality of a layer of tissue separating the pituitary gland from the brain. Consequently, intracranial fluid is transmitted to the pituitary gland and pushes it into its base, causing a small pituitary gland. Most of the time, this is an incidental finding discovered during an MRI of the brain. While the primary symptoms are headaches and high blood pressure, others may include:

• Fatigue or weakness
• Irregular or missed menstrual periods (women)
• Decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction (men)
• Unexplained weight changes
• Difficulty handling stress or illness

Hypopituitarism Symptoms

Hypopituitarism is a lack of secretion of one or few pituitary hormones, whereas panhypopituitarism means secretion of all hormones from the pituitary gland are affected.

With hypopituitarism, symptoms often develop slowly and may include:

• Fatigue, weakness, unexplained weight gain or loss, low blood pressure or feeling cold more easily
• Irregular or absent menstrual periods, infertility, vaginal dryness or hot flashes (women)
• Low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, loss of facial or body hair or infertility (men)
• Slowed growth in children or delayed puberty in teens
• Depression, difficulty concentrating, dry skin, sensitivity to cold or trouble managing stress and illness

Signs of Lymphocytic Hypophysitis

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is a rare condition that mostly affects women during the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

Common signs of this extremely rare condition may include:

• Persistent or worsening headaches
• Blurred or double vision or loss of side vision
• Fatigue or weakness
• Unexplained weight changes
• Irregular or absent menstrual periods (women)
• Reduced sex drive or erectile dysfunction (men)
• Sensitivity to cold
• Low blood pressure or blood sugar
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness

Prolactinoma Symptoms

Prolactinoma is a prolactin-secreting pituitary tumor. Prolactin is a hormone of milk synthesis and secretion.

Women may experience:

• Irregular or missed menstrual periods
• Infertility or difficulty becoming pregnant
• Unexplained breast milk production
• Lowered sex drive

Men may experience:

• Erectile dysfunction or reduced sex drive
• Infertility
• Breast enlargement and rarely milk secretion

Both men and women may experience:

• Headaches
• Vision changes, especially loss of side vision

Sheehan Syndrome Signs

This rare condition can occur in women after severe blood loss during or after childbirth. Symptoms may include:

• Difficulty breastfeeding
• Fatigue or weakness
• Loss of menstrual periods
• Low blood pressure or dizziness
• Unexplained weight changes
• Sensitivity to cold
• Hair loss
• Depression
• Low serum sodium with minimal illness