Parathyroid disease refers to problems with the parathyroid glands. Almost everyone has four parathyroid glands, located in the neck near the thyroid. These glands exist to regulate blood calcium levels, so parathyroid disease is fundamentally a problem of calcium. The calcium in your blood is kept in a very tight range - your body doesn't want it too low or too high. The parathyroids are what ...

Primary hyperparathyroidism can affect multiple organ systems and produce many different symptoms. The most common symptoms of parathyroid disease are **fatigue and a general sense of not being well.** Most patients will report some fatigue, which can range from mild tiredness to severe fatigue that makes it difficult to work or perform normal daily activities. This, along with other symptoms, ...

For the most common type of parathyroid disease, called primary hyperparathyroidism, the only treatment is an operation. During the operation, one or more diseased parathyroid glands are removed. Primary hyperparathyroidism is characterized by high calcium (generally over 10.0 mg/dl in adults over age 40, slightly higher for younger adults). If you have parathyroid disease with high calcium, th...

We diagnose parathyroid disease using lab tests, particularly calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. (If you know your calcium and PTH, you can use the <a href="https://www.southwestparathyroid.com/app" target= "_blank">Parathyroid Analysis Tool</a> for an assessment of what your labs mean.) A high serum calcium level (checked on routine labs like a Basic Metabolic Panel or Comprehens...

Thanks for asking! Parathyroid surgery is nearly always outpatient, and you go home the same day as the operation. There are some rare exceptions, so occasionally someone will need to spend the night in the hospital. For example, patients who are on dialysis for kidney failure or patients with very severe heart or lung disease that might need to be monitored for a little longer after surger...