Your Life With Acromegaly
Introduction
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder where the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone (GH). It is a very rare disease where there is only about 20,000 cases of it per year. To be treated it needs a medical diagnosis, labs tests, etc. and is a chronic disease, so it could be lifelong or it could only last a few years.
Explanation of Imbalance
As stated the pituitary gland produces too much GH in Acromegaly. Organs and body parts affected by this include the liver, kidneys, spleen, and most noticeably the hands, feet, and face. All of these parts will enlarge and become bigger than they are supposed to be. In order for the immune system to start fighting, medication is needed.
A kid with Acromegaly
2014. Gurgaon, India. Acromegaly. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <https://pituitary.org/tag/88-acromegaly>.
Comparison of hands: left is a hand with the disease, the right is normal
2015. By Parker Brown. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/GrowthDisorders/49938>
Enlargement of feet due to Acromegaly
N.d. Acromegaly. By Abby Horkey. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <https://pathologyproject.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/acromegalyabby/>.
Symptoms
Many of the symptoms are physical deformities. Normally there is the enlargement of the hands and/or feet, however abnormally large tongue, bulging chest, and enlarged organs are also common in these cases.
Treatments
Acromegaly is a special disease in that it can not be cured although certain medicines can help reduce the pain. Lanreotide, by injection; Octreotide, by injection; and Cabergoline are three forms that can help, but these must be used promptly to avoid serious illnesses. Radiation therapy can also be used. Surgery may need to be done if it reaches extreme lengths.
Health Consequences
Acromegaly can bring on some serious health consequences in its aftermath. Some of these serious penalties from having acromegaly include Type 2 diabetes, colon polyps, and an increased risk of getting cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Colon polyps can later lead to colon cancer.
Quote
"The prevalence of acromegaly is approximately 4,676 cases per million population, and the incidence is 116.9 new cases per million per year."
By Jason Harris