A disorder marked by progressive enlargement of the head, face, hands, feet, and chest due to excessive secretion of growth hormone by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland.

Also called Marie's Disease.

Elevated levels of the hormone somatotropin in adults causes thickening of bones such as the jaw, fingers, and bones of the skull.

Acromegaly is more commonly called a pituitary adenoma, which is a benign tumor on the pituitary gland. This disease affects the bones of the hands, feet, jaw, nose, and ribs.

This disease can be caused by a tumor on other parts of the body (besides the pituitary gland) such as the lungs, pancreas, and adrenal gland.

Hands and feet become larger and broader.

The skin may thicken (particularly on the face) and become more greasy and sweaty.

Changes to the face which may include thickened lips and nose, thickening of the scalp, and the jaw becomes more prominent.

The vocal cords thicken which may cause your voice to deepen.

Tongue may also enlarge, so, may often 'bite tongue'

Thickening of cartilage may cause arthritis in various joints.

Thickening of nasal passages can make you snore loudly.

Patients may also have Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, where the median nerve, going through the carpal tunnel is compressed by thickened tissue.

-  Before puberty, excess growth hormone causes increased linear growth.
- After puberty, excess growth hormone causes periosteal bone growth, increased organ size, and glucose intolerance.

- Continued hypersecretion in the immature patient leads to gigantism, and in the adult results in thickening of bones by subperiosteal deposition; the mandible, hands and feet are the most affected, a condition known as acromegaly.