acromegaly causes symptoms and treatment
Some of the fairly common symptoms of the condition are: 1  Enlargement of the hands and feet. 2  Sausage-like fingers. 3  Distinct facial characteristics, including broad lips and nose.  Thickened 1  ears. Coarsening and thickening of the skin, especially on the palms and soles.  Hyperpigmentation of the 1  skin. Excessive lubrication of the skin, causing  acne. Overproduction of growth hormone (GH) by the pituitary gland over a long period of time causes acromegaly. There are several reasons for overproduction of GH. The most common reason is the presence of a pituitary adenoma, which is a benign (non-cancerous) tumor of the pituitary gland. These tumors produce excess GH. Acromegaly is an endocrinological syndrome causing an overgrowth of some organs, bones and joints. Read on to find out all about the disease as well as its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. This tumor is not cancer. Because of the tumor, your body makes too much growth hormone. Once in a while, tumors in the pancreas, liver, or parts of the brain can cause high levels of growth hormone. That leads to higher levels of another hormone, called insulin-like growth hormone, which causes the symptoms you see. Specific treatment for acromegaly will be determined by your physician based on: 1  your age, overall health, and medical history. 2  extent of the disease. 3  your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies.  expectations for the course of the 1  disease. your opinion or preference. When the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone, this results in excessive growth – called acromegaly. The excessive growth occurs first in the hands and feet, as soft tissue begins to swell. This rare disease affects mostly middle-aged adults. Untreated, the disease can lead to severe illness and death. Treatment of Acromegaly. Acromegaly is treated very successfully in most cases. The aims of treatment are to reduce GH and IGF-I production to normal levels in order to reverse or improve the symptoms, and to prevent or minimize damage to the rest of the pituitary gland and surrounding brain tissue by relieving the pressure exerted by the tumor. When you have acromegaly, your body makes too much growth hormone. This makes parts of your body -- like your hands, feet, and face -- grow too much. It also affects your heart and bones. There are treatments for acromegaly, and every case is different. In most cases, it might be years before you notice symptoms. Some of the fairly common symptoms of the condition are: Enlargement of the hands and feet. Sausage-like fingers. Distinct facial characteristics, including broad lips and nose. Thickened ears. Coarsening and thickening of the skin, especially on the palms and soles. Hyperpigmentation of the skin. Symptoms of acromegaly may include: 1  Large growth in the hands and feet (rings or shoes may no longer fit) 2  Severe acne and thickening skin. 3  Deepening voice.  Protrusion of forehead and 1  jaw. Excessive sweating.  Fatigue.
Causes: Overproduction of growth hormone (GH) by the pituitary gland over a long period of time; Treatment: Relieving the pressure exerted by the tumor; Symptoms: Large growth in the hands and feet, Severe acne and thickening skin, Deepening voice, Protrusion of forehead and 1 jaw, Excessive sweating, Fatigue.