Parathyroid gland

Parathyroid glands are small glands of the endocrine system which are located in the neck behind the thyroid. There are four parathyroid glands which are normally the size and shape of a grain of rice. Occasionally they can be as large as a pea and still be normal. The four parathyroids are shown in this picture as the mustard yellow glands behind the pink thyroid gland. Normal parathyroid glands are the color of spicy yellow mustard

The sole purpose of the parathyroid glands is to control calcium within the blood in a very tight range between 8.5 and 10.2.  In doing so, parathyroids also control how much calcium is in the bones, and therefore, how strong and dense the bones are. The thyroid gland regulates the body’s metabolism and has no effect on calcium levels while parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels and have no effect on metabolism.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) Release controlled by ionized calcium level with negative feedback system *Five major actions 1-Activates and increases the number of osteoclasts, which mobilizes calcium from bone 2-Increases renal tubular reabsorption of calcium 3-Increases conversion of Vitamin D to active dihyoxy form in kidneys 4-Increases urinary phosphate excretion, which reduces calcium loss 5-Increases GI calcium absorption

The Role of Calcium in the Human Body... 1-To provide the electrical energy for our nervous system. 2-To provide the electrical energy for our muscular system. 3-To provide strength to our skeletal system Thus, calcium is the most closely regulated element in our bodies!  In fact, calcium is the ONLY element / mineral that has its own regulatory system (the parathyroid glands). 

Parathyroid Function 1-The parathyroid glands monitor the calcium in the blood 24 hours per day. 2-The four parathyroid glands make more or less parathyroid hormone (PTH) in response to the level of calcium in the blood. 3-When the calcium in our blood goes too high, the parathyroid glands STOP making PTH--they shut down.

4-When the calcium in our blood goes too low, the parathyroid glands make more PTH. Increased PTH causes the body to put more calcium into the blood. Increased PTH causes the bones to release their calcium into the blood. 5-Calcium is the most important element for the nervous system, the muscular system, and the skeletal system. This is why parathyroid disease (over-production of PTH) causes symptoms of the brain, muscles, and bones.

Hyperparathyroidism is a disease of the parathyroid glands Hyperparathyroidism is a disease of the parathyroid glands...Too much parathyroid hormone is produced by an overactive parathyroid gland. The most common cause of excess hormone production (hyperparathyroidism) is the development of a benign tumor in one of the parathyroid glands.

Symptoms of Parathyroid Disease 1-Loss of energy. Don't feel like doing much. Tired all the time. 2-Kidney Stones. 3-High Blood Pressure . 4-Tired during the day and frequently feel like you want a nap. 5-Can't concentrate, or can't keep your concentration like in the past. 6-Decrease in sex drive.

7-Thinning hair (predominately in older females) 7-Thinning hair (predominately in older females). 8-Don't sleep like you used to. Wake up in middle of night. 9-frequent headaches **Most people with hyperparathyroidism will have 2-4 of these symptoms. Some will have lots of them.

3 - Autoimmune Hypoparathyroidism Diagnosis and Causes             1 - Damage to the Parathyroid Glands from Surgery             2 - Developmental Defects in the Parathyroid Glands             3 - Autoimmune Hypoparathyroidism             4 - Defects in the Parathyroid Hormone Molecule             5 - Defective Regulation of Parathyroid Hormone Secretion

Treatment of Hypoparathyroidism Calcium and Vitamin D Analogues Parathyroid-Tissue Transplantation or Parathyroid Hormone

WHAT CAUSES EXCESS PARATHYROID HORMONE PRODUCTION? The most common cause of excess hormone production (hyperparathyroidism) is the development of a benign tumor in one of the parathyroid glands.

HOW MANY PEOPLE GET PARATHYROID DISEASE Hyperparathyroidism) ? The incidence of parathyroid disease (hyperparathyroidism) is about one in 20,000 people.  Its fairly uncommon--actually sort of rare, thus most surgeons only see one patient with this disease per year or two! It occurs in women more often than men (almost exactly 75% women, 25% men), and the average age is about 58 years old--but people of any age can get it. Young people do get parathyroid disease, but this is rare.

"The 10 Parathyroid Rules of Norman" 1-There are no drugs that will make parathyroid disease better….None. 2-Nearly all parathyroid patients have symptoms; 95% know it--and feel bad. Most of the rest just don’t know it until the disease is fixed. 3-Symptoms of parathyroid disease do NOT correlate with the level of calcium in the blood. Many patients with only slightly elevated calcium and parathyroid hormone will have BAD symptoms and develop severe osteoporosis.

4-All patients with parathyroid disease have calcium levels and PTH levels that go up and down. Fluctuating levels of calcium are typical of parathyroid disease 5-All patients with hyperparathyroidism will develop osteoporosis.  ALL 6-Taking Fosamax or Actonel will NOT help bones that are being attacked by a bad 7-Parathyroid disease will get worse with time in all patients. It will not stay the same, nor will it get better on its own. 8-There is only one treatment for parathyroid disease (hyperparathyroidism): Surgery

9-Nearly all parathyroid patients can be cured with a minimal operation. The days of big dangerous parathyroid surgery are gone (so don't let your surgeon perform one on you!). 10-The success rate and complication rate for parathyroid surgery is VERY dependent upon the surgeon’s experience.

summary *There are 4 parathyroids glands. We all have 4 parathyroids. *Except in rare cases, parathyroid glands are in the neck behind the thyroid. *Parathyroids are NOT related to the thyroid (except they are neighbors in the neck). *The thyroid gland controls much of your body's metabolism, but the parathyroid glands control body calcium. They have no relationship except they are neighbors. .

Parathyroid glands make a hormone, called "Parathyroid Hormone" *Parathyroid glands make a hormone, called "Parathyroid Hormone". *Doctors and labs abbreviate Parathyroid Hormone as "PTH". *Just like calcium, PTH has a normal range in our blood...we can measure it to see how good or bad a job the parathyroid glands are doing. *All four parathyroid glands do the exact same thing. *Parathyroid glands control the amount of calcium in your blood and bones. *You can easily live with one (or even 1/2) parathyroid gland.

Removing all 4 parathyroid glands will cause very bad symptoms of too little calcium (hyp0parathyroidism). Hyp0parathyroidism is the opposite of hypERparathyroidism and it is very rare... *When parathyroid glands go bad, it is just one gland that goes bad about 96-98% of the time--it just grows big (develops a benign tumor) and makes too much hormone. *There is only ONE way to treat parathyroid problems--Surgery.

Parathyroid adenoma Pre-op Calcium 10.5 Pre op PTH 75 Reno, Nevada 56 year old female Parathyroid adenoma Pre-op Calcium 10.5 Pre op PTH 75 Reno, Nevada

year old male 51 Pre-op CA = 12.1 Pre-op PTH = 150 Seattle, Washington