Growth hormone or somatropin is responsible for cell growth as well as reproduction. But insufficient somatropin production by the pituitary gland may result in lack in height. It is mostly caused by a serious brain injury, any prevalent medical condition or might occur as a birth defect.
Types:
GHD is mostly permanent, but can also be transient. Read on to know how to detect whether you or your child is suffering from growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
Symptoms:
Childhood onset
Adult onset:
Tests to determine GHD:
Treatment:
The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.
Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.
Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:
When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is
The diagnosis depends on the age of the person
Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Endocrinologist.
The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.
Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.
Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:
When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is
The diagnosis depends on the age of the person
Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Growth hormone is one of the many hormones secreted by master endocrine gland i.e. pituitary gland. As its name suggests, growth hormone has a central role in the overall growth of human being. It plays a much more important role during childhood than adulthood. Growth hormone also controls our metabolism. Deficiency of growth hormone results in poor growth (short height) during childhood and also disorders of metabolism.
Growth hormone deficiency can be caused by abnormal development of pituitary gland, head injury, intra cranial tumors etc. or it can be idiopathic (reason not known). It is very important to identify the problem as early as possible because results are very good when treatment is started early. And also, because growth hormone deficiency can be caused by serious underlying disorders, for example - intracranial tumors. Following are few hints to possible diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.
Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.
Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:
When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is
The diagnosis depends on the age of the person
Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels.
If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult the doctor and ask a free question.
Allopathic medicine seems to be the de facto choice when it comes to treating emergency issues, and this fact does have merit backing it up. However, when a person has a reasonably inconsequential issue; homoeopathic medicine is the way to go!
Understanding Acromegaly!
Acromegaly is a situation in which there is an excess of the growth hormone produced. The good news is that is treatable, but while it is so, the diagnosis is not always correct, in many of the cases. This leads to a delay in the treatment and a long time for Acromegaly to have its effects, which progressively get worse. Most people who get Acromegaly notice their hands and feet getting bigger. This usually starts off by a person’s ring not fitting on as smoothly as it used to or his or her shoes feeling a bit tighter than they were earlier.
When a person is looking for ways to treat the condition of Acromegaly that he or she has the unenviable prospect of having to face, it can be said that while there are cures in various fields of medicine, homeopathy can be said to be the most comprehensive way to treat all issues a person may experience when it comes to his or her health. The reason for this is the fact that unlike many other forms of medication which look to either just suppress the issue which is at hand or to direct the problem to be solved, homoeopathy is one of the few philosophies which is comprehensive enough to evaluate the entire body. This allows for a person to get better overall, rather than fire-fighting one health problem and soon finding himself or herself back at the doctor’s office in order to address the next one.
Growth hormone, or somatropin, is responsible for cell growth as well as reproduction. But insufficient somatropin production by the pituitary gland may result in lack in height. It is mostly caused by a serious brain injury, any prevalent medical condition or might occur as a birth defect.
Types-
1. Congenital GHD- This form of GHD appears from at the time of birth itself.
2. Acquired GHD- GHD can be acquired during later life as a result of trauma, infection, tumor growth within the brain or radiation therapy.
3. Idiopathic GHD- Idiopathic GHD is the third, and comparatively worst kind of GHD since it has no treatment.
GHD is mostly permanent, but can also be transient.
Read on to know how to detect whether you or your child is suffering from growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
Symptoms-
Childhood onset-
Adult onset-
Tests to determine GHD-
Treatment-
1. Hormone supplements- Hormone supplements like corticothyroids (hydrocortisone or prednisone), Levothyroxine (levoxyl, synthroid, etc), and others work to replenish the deficiency of pituitary hormones.
2. Growth hormone injection- GH is injected beneath your skin, to cure GDH. This is a long-term treatment and requires constant monitoring.
The pituitary gland, a small gland located at the base of the brain, is responsible for producing growth hormones. When the growth hormones are not produced sufficiently by this gland, then the rate of growth is slower. In children, the hormone needs to be adequate to ensure the right amount of growth. To maintain the right amount of fats in the body, adults need this hormone. The hormone is also required to maintain muscles and bones in the body. Lack of the growth hormones can cause an emotional disturbance, tiredness, and motivation issues in adults. When the pituitary tumors are treated, cholesterol levels, too, are affected because of insufficient hormonal production. This deficiency can occur at any age in children and adults.
Symptoms in children and adults: When one is affected by slow growth hormone production, a number of symptoms may manifest. The most important symptom is the short stature. Growth velocity for the corresponding age is also lower, and puberty is also delayed. One can also see the mid-area accumulating more fat in the body. In children, this deficiency can make them look much younger for their age. The tooth development is much delayed and they do not stick to their developmental milestones. Adults find it difficult to do exercises or they have low endurance when the growth hormones are insufficient. The skin becomes thick and dry, and they are also prone to anxiety, depression, and other emotional disorders.
Diagnosis: A hypoglycemia test is conducted to confirm the diagnosis. The individual is administered insulin through an intravenous line. The growth of hormone level is measured after 30 minutes. If the result is less than 10 mcg per mL in children, then it is considered that there is growth hormone deficiency. An adult is considered deficient in growth hormones when the level is less than 3 mcg per mL.
Treatment methods: As low growth hormones can lead to stress and fatigue, it is important for the people who are affected by this condition to get enough sleep. They should also concentrate on taking healthy foods. The cholesterol and triglyceride levels are already increased in people who have low growth hormone levels. So, avoiding fatty and oily foods is necessary. Doing physical exercises every day is also recommended.
Growth hormone therapy is one of the ways to improve the growth hormone levels in the affected individuals. The treatment not only aims at improving this hormone levels but it also ensures that the metabolism is maintained in a healthy way. The drugs for this condition are injected under the layers of fat in the skin. The drug is given via injection once in a week throughout the treatment duration. If the disorder is because of tumors in the pituitary gland, then it can be treated only with a surgery. For the same condition, radiation therapy is also given, if the tumor is not removed successfully with the surgery. People with low levels of growth hormones are advised to lose fat and avoid eating a heavy meal before bedtime. Intermittent fasting is also recommended.
The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.
Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.
Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:
When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is
The diagnosis depends on the age of the person
Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an endocrinologist.
Growth hormone or somatropin is responsible for cell growth as well as reproduction. But insufficient somatropin production by the pituitary gland may result in lack in height. It is mostly caused by a serious brain injury, any prevalent medical condition or might occur as a birth defect.
Types:
GHD is mostly permanent, but can also be transient. Read on to know how to detect whether you or your child is suffering from growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
Symptoms:
Childhood onset:
Adult onset:
Tests to determine GHD:
Treatment:
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