Information and treatment surrounding parathyroid glands can be difficult to find. We are here to help with that.

Our team of endocrine specialists at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery — a part of HCA Florida South Tampa Hospital — knows exactly what to do. Our dedicated surgical team uses their expertise to your advantage, making quick diagnoses and offering effective treatments. Together, we will be by your side throughout the process, giving you the high-quality, specialized care you deserve.

What is hyperparathyroidism?

Parathyroid glands are the four small glands behind your thyroid. They control the amount of calcium in your blood, bones and nerves, helping run your electrical system and keep your bones hard. Hyperparathyroidism is a disease caused by a tumor on one (or, less often, more than one) of these four parathyroid glands.

Symptoms of hyperparathyroidism

The symptoms of hyperparathyroidism can be mild or severe, but most people experience:

  • Bone aches
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Generalized body aches
  • High blood pressure

Conditions related to hyperparathyroidism

Although most parathyroid tumors are benign, the tumor causes the gland to produce more of the parathyroid hormone. This leads to hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood). In turn, this can result in kidney stones (calcium build up).

Additionally, during hyperparathyroidism, the parathyroid gland is "robbing" calcium from the bones, causing many people to develop osteoporosis.

Risk of developing hyperparathyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism is most likely to occur in older women (especially those who are 60 years old and older), although it very rarely can occur in teenagers and children.

How is hyperparathyroidism diagnosed?

Because the primary sign of hyperparathyroidism is hypercalcemia, we typically start with a routine blood test to examine the levels of calcium in your blood. Our specialists will also check the amount of parathyroid hormone (PTH) your parathyroid glands are producing. When needed, we offer other tests, such as vitamin D deficiency and bone density scans, as well.

How is hyperparathyroidism treated?

Hyperparathyroidism is treated with surgery – this is the only known treatment and is appropriate for patients of all ages. Our expertly trained and highly qualified endocrine surgeons offer this treatment.

Our team will typically remove about one half of one gland; however, each situation is unique. Our goal is to ensure your glands function without any long-term issues.

Dedicated parathyroid surgeons

This surgery is an advanced procedure performed by our parathyroid surgeons. In fact, nearly all of our parathyroid surgeons exclusively perform parathyroid surgeries. This means they are highly experienced and wholly dedicated to you. They will work closely with you to understand your condition and plan your surgery with precision and care.

We are also proud to offer you minimally invasive parathyroid surgery. This surgical approach enables us to perform your surgery with reduced scarring, less postoperative pain and a quicker recovery — while still delivering excellent outcomes for you.