What do the Parathyroid Glands do?
The parathyroid glands are located just behind the thyroid gland. Humans have four separate individual glands. The glands themselves release a hormone known as Parathyroid Hormone (PTH). This hormone helps regulate blood calcium levels. Occasionaly either one or multiple numbers of the parathyroid glands can release too much PTH, resulting in hyperparathyroidism. Hyperparathyroidism. Patients with hyperparathyroidism can experience bone and muscle aches, kidney stones and osteoporosis. Although medications can be given to lower the life-threatening calcium levels quickly, the preferred treatment for hyperparathyroidism is surgical. That is because the effects of such medications are short-lived and the condition will persist, and in most cases, get worse over time. Most cases of disorders involving overactivity of the parathyroid glands are caused by a benign tumor. Only 1% of primary hyperparathyroid states are related to cancer of the parathyroid glands. Surgery for this condition ca
