Acromegaly is a rare yet serious condition that arises due to excess secretion of growth hormone (GH). It is mainly termed as a hormonal imbalance where in people suffers from unusually large physical features. Acromegaly leads to some serious chronic health complications like type 2 diabetes, high BP, arthritis and so on.
What is acromegaly?
Pituitary gland present in brain produces growth hormone (GH) which helps in growth of bones, cartilage, muscle, organs and other tissues. But due to the formation of benign or non cancerous tumors in the pituitary gland, excess growth hormones are secreted by the pituitary gland. Excess production of this hormone leads to a condition called acromegaly. Under this condition, people experience enlargement of hands, feet, jaw, facial bones and others. This condition is mostly seen in middle aged adults and both men and women are equally affected by acromegaly. In very rare cases acromegaly also affects children and it is referred to as gigantism.
Symptoms of acromegaly?
Symptoms of acromegaly develop on a slow pace and the most common and visible symptom is enlarged or swollen hands and feet. The other symptoms include
- Changes in facial features like enlarged jaw and tongue
- Thickened and oily skin
- Visibility of gaps between teeth
- Headache
- Vision problems
- Joint pain
- Arthritis
- Low libido and erectile dysfunction
- Sleep apnea
- Insomnia
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Increased sweating and body odour
- Irregular menstruation
If the condition progress, people may also face swelling of internal organs like heart, liver, lungs and kidneys. People with acromegaly are at an increased risk of developing colon polyps. These colon polyps if left untreated or if they are not removed may progress into colon cancer.
What are the causes and how acromegaly effects?
Acromegaly, the excess production of growth hormone (GH) is mainly caused due to non cancerous pituitary gland tumour called as pituitary adenoma. Growth of tumours elsewhere in the body like pancreas, lungs and adrenal glands can also lead to acromegaly. These tumors increase growth hormone level by producing it by themselves or by producing growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH). These GHRH stimulates pituitary gland to secrete more growth hormone.
Acromegaly is a serious condition and causes severe physical changes. This abnormal growth affects appearance of individuals. If the condition progresses, internal organs also gets affected which further leads to several chronic health problems. Health problems with acromegaly include hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes, uterine fibroids, heart problems and many others.
Treatment and suggestions
If any individual experience the symptoms of acromegaly, it is important to consult specialists. As acromegaly is a serious disorder, if left untreated may also lead to death. In many cases, the disease goes unnoticed as the changes takes place very slowly. Removing tumors and regularising hormonal production is very crucial to control the disease. Homeocare International provides effective homeopathy treatment for acromegaly based on the symptoms and theory of individualization. People with acromegaly should monitor their levels of growth hormone regularly. The treatment for acromegaly basically depends on the severity, and location of the tumour i.e. whether it is a pituitary or non pituitary gland tumours.