Woman’s shoe size increased, a physician from Hyderabad’s Apollo Hospital recently described how he found a woman’s benign tumour.
Her shoe size increasing by two counts in just two years was one of the biggest indicators.
According to Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist, who described how he found the tumour.
Dr. Kumar revealed in a series of tweets that the woman’s husband had been his initial patient and had complained of back pain. In any case, the doctor soon caught sight of his wife’s face as she sat next to her husband.
The physician explained, “Her lips and nose looked a little bigger than usual. Her tongue was a little larger than usual, and her teeth were slightly spaced out when she smiled. Her voice was a bit husky as she spoke.”
Case of a woman whose shoe size increased from 5 to 7 over two years
— Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM🇮🇳 (@hyderabaddoctor) December 20, 2022
1. It was an usual OPD, when I was counselling one of my patients with back pain about exercise, diet and correct posture. Incidentally, I noticed his wife's face who was sitting beside the patient.#MedTwitter
The doctor considered the likelihood of a brain disorder. Don’t get me wrong, but has your shoe size increased? he then inquired. The doctor said that she had eyes that nearly popped out.
She responded, looking shocked “Dr. yes, In the last two years, it has gone from 5 to 7.
Everyone gets bigger feet as they age, right?”
“Feet do grow in childhood and adolescence, but at your age- I’m afraid, they don’t grow,” the doctor retorted. She was asked to take a blood test and return for review after the doctor informed her that he was certain she had the disease.
A blood test revealed very high levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF 1), which may indicate oversecretion of growth hormone (GH).
Since the pituitary gland in the brain is where GH is secreted, the doctor requested an MRI of the brain, which supported the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma (a benign tumour).
A pituitary adenoma caused excessive GH secretion, which was Dr. Kumar’s final diagnosis for the patient’s acromegaly. He also stated that the woman underwent surgery, and the tumour was removed through the nose rather than the brain.
The doctor wrote about her recovery, saying, “She recovered very well, in fact. Improved speech, tongue, and facial features. IGF-1 levels returned to normal after 12 weeks. For her mild diabetes, she needed medication.
Before the illness was discovered, she might have had it for two years. She was fortunate to avoid more serious issues.”
He gave the readers a message, “Changes in adult facial appearance and an increase in shoe size (due to growing feet) may be signs of acromegaly (GH excess).
An easy blood test called IGF 1 can be used to make the initial diagnosis. Serious complications can be avoided with early treatment.”
