Acromegaly – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic

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Symptoms of acromegaly include an enlarged face and hands. Changes to the face may cause the brow bone and lower jawbone to protrude, and the nose and lips to get larger.

Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that develops when your pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood.

When you have too much growth hormone, your bones increase in size. In childhood, this leads to increased height and is called gigantism. But in adulthood, a change in height doesn't occur. Instead, the increase in bone size is limited to the bones of your hands, feet and face, and is called acromegaly.

Because acromegaly is uncommon and the physical changes occur slowly over many years, the condition sometimes takes a long time to recognize. Untreated, high levels of growth hormone can affect other parts of the body, in addition to your bones. This can lead to serious sometimes even life-threatening health problems. But treatment can reduce your risk of complications and significantly improve your symptoms, including the enlargement of your features.

A common sign of acromegaly is enlarged hands and feet. For example, you may notice that you aren't able to put on rings that used to fit, and that your shoe size has progressively increased.

Acromegaly may also cause gradual changes in your face's shape, such as a protruding lower jaw and brow bone, an enlarged nose, thickened lips, and wider spacing between your teeth.

Because acromegaly tends to progress slowly, early signs may not be obvious for years. Sometimes, people notice the physical changes only by comparing old photos with newer ones.

Overall, acromegaly signs and symptoms tend to vary from one person to another, and may include any of the following:

If you have signs and symptoms associated with acromegaly, contact your doctor for an exam.

Acromegaly usually develops slowly. Even your family members may not notice the gradual physical changes that occur with this disorder at first. But early diagnosis is important so that you can start getting proper care. Acromegaly can lead to serious health problems if it's not treated.

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The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus are located within the brain and control hormone production.

Acromegaly occurs when the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone (GH) over a long period of time.

The pituitary gland is a small gland at the base of your brain, behind the bridge of your nose. It produces GH and a number of other hormones. GH plays an important role in managing your physical growth.

When the pituitary gland releases GH into your bloodstream, it triggers your liver to produce a hormone called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) sometimes also called insulin-like growth factor-I, or IGF-I. IGF-1 is what causes your bones and other tissues to grow. Too much GH leads to too much IGF-1, which can cause acromegaly signs, symptoms and complications.

In adults, a tumor is the most common cause of too much GH production:

If left untreated, acromegaly can lead to major health problems. Complications may include:

Early treatment of acromegaly can prevent these complications from developing or becoming worse. Untreated, acromegaly and its complications can lead to premature death.

Dec. 01, 2022

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Acromegaly - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic