Acromegaly
Acromegaly
Acromegaly occurs due to the overproduction of growth hormones from the pituitary gland during adulthood; it usually affects the adults only production of growth hormone increase in the bone size of hands face and feet.
In children, this condition is called gigantism. Acromegaly developed over a long period of time; therefore, it notices lately, but proper treatment prevents life-threatening complications.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms developed gradually over a long period; most common symptoms are enlargement of hands and feet size, enlarged nose, thickened lips, etc.
The following signs and symptoms are also present in most of the people.
- Menstrual cycle irregularities in women
- Impaired vision
- Coarsened, enlarged facial features
- Severe snoring due to obstruction of the upper airway
- Pain and limited joint mobility
- Coarse, oily, thickened skin
- Enlarged organs, such as the heart
Causes
The main cause is the overproduction of growth hormone from the pituitary gland.
The function of growth hormone is to act on the liver, and then the liver produces the insulin-like growth factor-1, which increases bone growth and another organ size.
The tumor is the most common cause of the hyper-activation pituitary gland.
- Pituitary tumors
Non-pituitary tumors
Complications
If prompt treatment does not start earlier, then it leads to severe complications, which included:
- Vision loss
- Diabetes mellitus
- Cardiovascular disease, particularly enlargement of the heart.
- Sleep apnea
- High blood pressure
Diagnosis
After checking your medical history, physical examination, and asking some questions, your doctor will advise the following steps.
- Growth hormone assess test.
- Growth hormone suppression test.
- Scanning to rule out the tumor.
Treatment
Treatment aims to lower the growth hormone level in your blood.
Surgery
It prefers when there is a tumor in your pituitary gland.
Medications
The purpose of medication is to lower the growth hormone production or block its receptor site. drugs included:
- Drugs to lower hormone levels (dopamine agonists).
- Drugs to prevent the action of GH (growth hormone antagonist).
- Medicines that reduce excess growth hormone secretion (somatostatin analogs)
Home remedies
Acromegaly can be controlled by the natural ways of controlling growth hormone production and the stimulation of output.
- Lose body fat.
- Don’t eat a lot before bedtime.
- Fast intermittently.
- Take beta-alanine in your drinks.
- Take a GABA supplement