Parathyroid disease is an overarching term for several conditions involving parathyroids, four small glands about the size of peas located in your neck. These glands help manage your body's calcium and phosphorous levels. This disease happens when the production of parathyroid hormones, or PTH, becomes unbalanced.
Hyperparathyroidism: Too Much PTH
When your body produces too much PTH, you may be diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism, which can be caused by a small, benign tumor in one of the parathyroid glands.
Some of the common symptoms of hyperparathyroidism are:
- Aches and pain
- Constipation
- Depression
- Increased need for sleep
- Increased urination
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle fatigue
- Nausea
- Thirst
- Vomiting
- Weakness
PTH can cause the calcium levels in your body to rise too high, which often leads to thinning bones and kidney stones. High blood calcium levels might play a part in other problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and trouble concentrating. However, more research is needed to better understand how primary hyperparathyroidism affects the heart, blood vessels and brain.
Hypoparathyroidism: Not Enough PTH
Hypoparathyroidism is a rare condition in which your body doesn't produce enough PTH. Blood tests for hypoparathyroidism may show low levels of calcium and high levels of phosphorous.
Common symptoms associated with hypoparathyroidism include:
- Anxiety
- Breathing issues
- Dental issues
- Dry, coarse skin
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Hoarseness
- Muscle aches
- Numbness or tingling in the fingers, toes and lips
Hypoparathyroidism usually happens following surgery to remove the parathyroid glands. It can sometimes follow thyroid cancer surgery. Though rare, hypoparathyroidism may occur from an autoimmune disorder or a genetic disorder. In other rare circumstances, radiation to the neck may cause under activity of the parathyroid glands.
What Happens If Parathyroid Disease Goes Untreated?
Depending on the type of parathyroid disease you have, leaving it untreated can cause serious health problems that can include osteoporosis and kidney stones.
There are several tests your doctors can use to determine what's causing your parathyroid disease and find the best course of treatment. They include blood and imaging tests such as CT scans, MRI, ultrasound and a special X-ray that measures bone density.
How Do You Treat Parathyroid Disease?
There are several different treatments available for parathyroid disease. With hyperparathyroidism, doctors often recommend surgery to remove overactive parathyroid glands. Afterward, calcium levels in the blood may be low, which can often be managed with calcium supplements. As your remaining parathyroid glands begin to compensate by producing enough PTH, you may be able to discontinue these supplements. Patients diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism are commonly prescribed calcium and vitamin D supplements.
If your parathyroid disease isn't causing other symptoms and isn't severe, then your doctor may opt to watch and wait. If that's the case, you may need regular testing to ensure your condition isn't progressing.
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