What are the symptoms of pituitary tumors?

A pituitary tumor that produces too much prolactin may cause:

• Headache
• Some loss of vision
• Less frequent or no menstrual periods or menstrual periods with a very light flow
• Difficulty getting pregnant
• Impotence in men
• Lower sex drive
• The flow of breast milk in a woman who is not pregnant or breastfeeding

A pituitary tumor that produces too much adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) may cause:

• Headache
• Some loss of vision
• Weight gain reflected in the face, neck, and trunk of the body, but thin arms and legs
• A lump of fat on the back of the neck
• Thin skin that may include purple or pink stretch marks on the chest or abdomen
• Easy bruising
• Growth of fine hair on the face, upper back, or arms
• Bones that break easily
• Anxiety, irritability, depression
• Growth deceleration with weight gain in children
• Irregular menses

A pituitary tumor that produces too much growth hormone may cause:

• Headache
• Some loss of vision
• In adults, growth of the bones in the face, hands, and feet
• In children, excessive growth of the whole body
• Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers
• Snoring or pauses in breathing during sleep
• Joint pain
• Sweating more than usual
• Extreme dislike of or concern about one or more parts of the body

A pituitary tumor that produces too much TSH (through high T4) may cause:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Shakiness
• Weight loss
• Trouble sleeping
• Frequent bowel movements
• Sweating

Nonfunctioning tumors press on or damage the pituitary and prevent it from secreting enough hormones. If there is too little of a particular hormone, the gland or organ it normally controls will not function correctly. Symptoms of nonfunctioning pituitary tumors are¹:

• Headache
• Some loss of vision
• Loss of body hair
• In women, less frequent menstrual periods or no periods at all, or no milk from the breasts
• In men, loss of facial hair, growth of breast tissue, and impotence
• In women and men, lower sex drive
• In children, slowed growth and sexual development

• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Seizure
• Runny or drippy nose