Acromegaly, also referred to as hyperpituitarism, is a condition in which the growth hormone is produced in larger than normal quantities. in this condition, the size of the bones of hands, feet and face increase in size and this is why this condition is often referred to as gigantism. the condition occurs equally in men and women, generally in the age group between 30 and 50 years.

Causes: in general cases, the main source of the hypersecretion of the growth hormone is a pituitary tumor or an adenoma. since the pituitary is the gland that is responsible for the secretion of hormones that stimulate specific organs to produce hormone like thyroid hormones, Prolactin, etc, the functioning of other organs may also be affected. Acromegaly is hard to diagnose in early and as a result, the growth hormone is hypersecreted for a prolonged period. in some rare cases, the condition may also result from tumors of the adrenal glands, lungs and pancreas.

Symptoms: the hypersecretion of the Growth Hormone by the pituitary leads to the enlargement of the bones, muscles, cartilages, organs and tissues. Some symptoms of the condition include thick, oily, coarse skin, enlarged lips, tongue and nose, snoring while sleeping due to the obstruction of the upper airway and deepening of voice because of the increase in size of the vocal cords and sinuses. A person suffering from Acromegaly may also show symptoms like headaches, weakness, fatigue, excessive sweating and body odor and impaired vision. in women, it may also lead to breast discharge and disruptions in the menstrual cycle. in men, it could cause impotence. Acromegaly is also known to cause hypertension, diabetes, and increased chances of getting a cardiovascular disease. the disease has a very insidious onset and progresses very slowly.

Treatment: the most common means of treating Acromegaly is radiation therapy which might be used as a primary treatment or it may be combined with drugs and surgery. the therapy is given in doses that are given over a period of four to five weeks. With the help of radiation therapy, the Growth Hormone levels in the patient’s body can come down by around 50% in a period of 2-5 years. however, the downside of this medication is that the production of other hormones by the pituitary are affected negatively. Brain injury and vision losses are two other risks that are related with radiation therapy. Surgery is also done in order to remove the adenoma in order to restore the pituitary to its normal condition.

If the primary surgery fails, then for complete remission induction, dopamine and somatostatin analogues along with Growth Hormone-Receptor antagonists are given to the patient. the main aim of treatment for Acromegaly is to bring the pituitary gland to function normally such that it produces normal quantities of the growth hormone. Also, in order to control the symptoms, medication is administered and dietary sodium is restricted, i.e., a diet that is low in salt is provided.

Lakeland Abortions Clinic. Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women’s Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women, including, physical examinations, family planning, counseling, laboratory services. Gainesville Abortion Clinic. Article Source

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Hypothyroidism normally occurs when the body produces insufficient thyroid hormones needed for body metabolism. Thyroid hormones are produced by thyroid gland which is located at the base of the throat.

Postpartum hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland affecting women after childbirth. it normally occurs between 3-8 months after childbirth and is characterized by an inflamed thyroid gland. Research has shown that between 5-10 percent of women develop this disorder after childbirth, and has been identified as the major cause of postpartum depression in most women.

The cause of this condition still remains unclear but the following types of women are at risk of developing postpartum hypothyroidism. These include women with a family history of thyroid diseases, with history of miscarriages, suffering from diabetes and arthritis, suffering from infertility, with high levels of cholesterol and those suffering from goitre

Symptoms vary in every woman depending on the type of risk factors. Thee followings are some of the symptoms of this condition;

• Depression
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Slowed heart rate
• Hair loss
• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Fatigue
• Hoarse voice
• Dry skin

If you are at risk of developing postpartum hypothyroidism or diagnosed with this disorder, you need to consult your doctor for appropriate treatments. Treatment varies from one individual to another and depends on age, health and medical history of patient and severity of disease. A blood test normally carried out to measure the level of thyroid hormone, thyroxine or T4 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Treatment normally involves the use of synthetic or natural thyroid hormone medication prescribed by doctor.

Apart from medications, you can improve your thyroid by modifying your diet. you need to incorporate certain foods into your regular diet in order to control this disorder. These include foods that are rich in iodine. Iodine is an important trace mineral needed by thyroid gland to function properly. Fish, seaweed, seafood and iodized salt are good sources of iodine. Others include selenium and tyrosine rich foods. They are all essential for proper functioning of thyroid gland. you should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables regularly, and make sure to drink plenty of water everyday. this will help you to lose weight associated with hypothyroidism.

Tags: Hypothyroidism, Postpartum, Signs, Symptoms, Treatments

this entry was posted on Thursday, January 27th, 2011 at 8:19 pm and is filed under Postpartum Depression. you can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.