Let’s talk a little bit about parathyroid disease. The majority of people that have parathyroid problems have something called primary hyperparathyroidism. What that means is that the parathyroid glands, either one or all four of them, have decided to over-produce the parathyroid hormone which then creates an elevation of calcium in the blood.
Hyperparathyroidism is often times diagnosed by having elevated calcium in the blood work during routine labs. Generally, most people don't realize that they have hyperparathyroidism because the symptoms can be quite subtle. The symptoms include kidney stones, muscle weakness, bone pain, confusion, fatigue and constipation.
The treatment for hyperparathyroidism most of the time is surgical removal of the parathyroid gland that is over-producing the hormone. Firstly, the parathyroid gland that's causing all the problems needs to be identified and often times this requires some additional imaging modalities.
If you have any questions or think that you have an endocrine disorder that requires surgical management, contact your primary care provider for a referral.
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