Acromegaly
Overview
Acromegaly is a rare condition where the body makes too much of a hormone that can make parts of your body grow bigger. It can be successfully treated.
Symptoms
Symptoms of acromegaly can develop slowly. They may include: swollen hands and feettiredness or difficulty sleepingsleep apnoeasweatingnumbness and weakness in your handsabnormal height growth in children and teenagers (gigantism)body growth – feet, fingers, head, tongue and neck may increase in sizeheadachesjoint painthicker, more oily skina deeper voiceirregular periodserection problems You usually get acromegaly between the ages of 30 and 50 years old, but you can get symptoms at any age.
Causes
Acromegaly is usually caused by an adenoma (anon-cancerous tumour) in the pituitary gland. This is a pea-sized gland at the back of your brain. An adenoma can cause you to produce too much growth hormone. Acromegaly is not usually passed on from your parents (inherited).
Treatment
Treatments for acromegaly can include: surgery to remove the tumourradiotherapy to target the tumour and reduce growth hormone levelsinjections or tablets to reduce growth hormone levels Treatment usually stops your body producing too much growth hormone and usually improves your symptoms. After treatment, you'll continue to have appointments with a specialist. They can monitor how well your pituitary gland is working and check that your treatment is right for you.