The parathyroid glands are small glands located within the tissue of the bigger thyroid gland in the neck. The parathyroid glands secrete parathyroid hormone, which is involved in the maintenance of normal calcium levels in the body. Dysfunction of these glands can result in too much parathyroid hormone, or hyperparathyroidism, or too little hormone, called hypoparathyroidism. Each of these diseases has different symptoms.
Causes of Parathyroid Dysfunction
The most common cause of hyperparathyroidism is the growth of a parathyroid tumor. Most of the time these tumors, called adenomas, are benign and can be cured with surgery, but before that happens, they can increase the production of parathyroid hormone. Other causes of hyperparathyroidism include patients who have used the antipsychotic drug lithium for a long time; radiation therapy to the face or neck; or radioactive iodine therapy used for hyperthyroidism.
Causes of hypoparathyroidism include accidental removal of the gland when the thyroid gland is removed for any reason, congenital absence of the parathyroid glands and autoimmune disorders such as Addison's disease.
Symptoms of Hyperparathyroidism
The typical description of symptoms of patients with hyperparathyroidism is "moans, groans, stones, bones and psychiatric overtones." "Moans and groans" refers to the bone pain that patients feel. Patients also feel tired and weak, and they may have trouble concentrating. They also have trouble sleeping. The "stones" refers to the development of kidney stones. Increased levels of parathyroid hormone increases the amount of calcium circulating in the bloodstream. The excess calcium gets caught in the kidneys, causing stones. The "bones" relates to osteoporosis, as the parathyroid takes the calcium from the bone, decreasing their density and making them brittle. The "psychiatric overtones" is from the depression that patients with hyperparathyroidism exhibit.
Symptoms of Hypoparathyroidism
Decreased parathyroid hormone production is less common, usually the result of inadvertent removal of the gland. Symptoms relate to the inability of the parathyroid gland to maintain adequate levels of calcium in the body. Low calcium levels then increase the level of phosphorus. Low calcium can cause numbness and tingling of the skin, muscle cramps, and tetany (painful muscle spasms). Patients can also feel weak or have mood swings. They can have other changes, like brittle nails and thinning of the hair.
