A syndrome characterized by enlargement of the hands, feet, ears, nose, lips, and tongue, skin thickening and swelling of internal organs. It is caused by overproduction of growth hormone in the pituitary gland, usually by a pituitary adenoma
Symptoms of Acromegaly
The following features are indicative of Acromegaly:
coarse, oily and thickened skin
excessive sweating and body odor
small outgrowths of skin tissue
deepened, husky voice due to enlarged vocal cords and sinuses
severe snoring due to obstruction of the upper airway
impaired vision
headache
enlarged tongue
pain and limited joint mobility
menstrual cycle irregularities in women
enlarged hands and feet
erectile dysfunction in men
enlarged liver, heart, kidneys, spleen and other organs
increased chest size
coarsened and enlarged facial features
fatigue and muscle weakness
It is possible that Acromegaly shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.
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Common Causes of Acromegaly
The following are the most common causes of Acromegaly:
overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland
overproduction of insulin-like growth factor-I hormone
Risk Factors for Acromegaly
The following factors may increase the likelihood of Acromegaly:
pancreatic tumor
lung tumor
past history of pituitary tumor
adrenal tumor
Prevention of Acromegaly
No, it is not possible to prevent Acromegaly.
hormonal disorder
Occurrence of Acromegaly
Number of Cases
The following are the number of Acromegaly cases seen each year worldwide:
Rare between 10K - 50K cases
Common Age Group
Acromegaly can occur at any age.
Common Gender
Acromegaly can occur in any gender.
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Acromegaly
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Acromegaly:
Growth hormone (GH) and Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) measurement: To measure the levels of GH and IGF-I and diagnose acromegaly
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): To determine the location and size of a tumor of the pituitary gland
Growth hormone suppression test: To verify acromegaly by measuring the blood levels of GH
Doctor for Diagnosis of Acromegaly
Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Acromegaly:
Endocrinologist
Complications of Acromegaly if untreated
Yes, Acromegaly causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Acromegaly is left untreated:
premature death
diabetes
high blood pressure
heart problems
Procedures for Treatment of Acromegaly
The following procedures are used to treat Acromegaly:
Transsphenoidal surgery: To remove the pituitary tumor and normalizing the GH (growth hormone) production
Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Acromegaly
The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Acromegaly:
Proton beam therapy: Gradually lowers the GH (growth hormone) levels
Conventional radiation therapy: Kills the tumor cells and slowly decreases the GH (growth hormone) levels
Gamma Knife radiosurgery: Normalises the GH (growth hormone) levels
Time for Treatment of Acromegaly
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Acromegaly to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
Disease cannot be treated but only maintained or effects reduced