Acromegaly FAQs
- What is acromegaly?
- What is a hormone?
- What causes acromegaly?
- What is the pituitary gland?
- How does a tumor in the pituitary gland cause abnormal growth elsewhere?
- How common is acromegaly?
- How do I know if I have acromegaly?
- What are other symptoms of acromegaly?
- Why does acromegaly cause vision loss and headache?
- What is gigantism?
- What are the complications of acromegaly?
- Is acromegaly a fatal disease?
- How is acromegaly diagnosed?
- What treatments are available for acromegaly?
- Other questions about acromegaly
- Where Can I Go For More Information?
- Web Links
- Synonyms and Keywords
- Authors and Editors
What is acromegaly?
Acromegaly is a serious condition that occurs when the body produces too much of the hormones that control growth. This causes abnormal enlargement of bone, cartilage, muscle, organs, and other tissues. This abnormal growth can cause serious disease and even premature death.
Next: What is a hormone? »
Women's Health
Find out what women really need.
From WebMD
Healthy Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Acromegaly FAQs
Osteoarthritis Overview
Osteoarthritis is not a single disease but rather the end result of a variety of disorders leading to the structural or functional failure of 1 or more of your joints. Osteoarthritis involves the entire joint including the nearby muscles, underlying bone, ligaments, joint lining (synovium), and the joint cover (capsule).
- Osteoarthritis also involves an advancing loss of cartilage. The cartilage tries to repair itself, the bone remodels, the underlying (subchondral) bone hardens, and bone cyst form. This process has several phases.
- The stationary phase of disease progression in osteoarthritis involves the formation of osteophytes or joint space narrowing.
- Osteoarthritis progresses further with obliteration of the joint space.
- The appearance of subchondral cysts (cysts in the bone underneath the cartilage) indicates the erosive phase ...
- The stationary phase of disease progression in osteoarthritis involves the formation of osteophytes or joint space narrowing.
Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine
Acromegaly »
Increased and unregulated growth hormone (GH) production, usually caused by a GH-secreting pituitary tumor (somatotroph tumor), characterizes acromegaly.
