Show Every cell in the body uses calcium to communicate with the different parts of the cell inside itself. All the nerves in the body uses calcium to send information and commands to the next nerve, muscle, or organ. This is why calcium imbalance can cause so many neurologic symptoms, such as tiredness, anxiety, depression, poor sleep, and poor concentration. Muscles also use calcium to flex, which in turn means that calcium imbalance may cause the muscles to cramp or weaken. This calcium monitoring system runs constantly, thereby maintaining calcium and parathyroid hormone in a very narrow but normal range. Normal parathyroid glands will turn on and off dozens of times per day, in an attempt to keep the calcium level in the normal range so our brain and muscles function properly. Those of us with normal parathyroid function will have calcium levels that are in a very narrow range, with almost no variability (this narrow range is usually much narrower than what is considered to be the range of normal by laboratories for calcium). This can be contrasted with somebody that has a bad parathyroid gland, which has lost its regulatory system. The control system is lost in parathyroid tumors know as hyperparathyroidism, and in general, there is an upward trend in calcium and PTH levels.What is Parathyroid Hormone?Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is the hormone released by the parathyroid gland to regulate the levels of calcium in the body. The way PTH maintains calcium balance is by:
There is a very fine control of calcium level in our body by the parathyroid glands. The body doesn’t like big changes in calcium levels because then the body runs inefficiently, so the parathyroid glands are constantly working to keep the calcium level in the range the body likes. That range is different for every person and is a narrow range, with occasional high or low numbers that the parathyroid glands quickly correct. Dr. Strewler discovered this relationship years ago and described it very well in the graphs below. On graph 2 you can see that a 0.1 mg/dl change in calcium level is met with a 30% change in PTH levels, so the parathyroids react quickly and strongly to changes in calcium. What Happens When You Have A Parathyroid Tumor?A calcium imbalance in the blood is a sign of parathyroid disease. A tumor develops within a parathyroid gland when there is a disturbance on the sensor of a single parathyroid cell. The set point for the calcium sensor (acting similar to a thermostat) for the calcium changes to a higher number for that particular abnormal cell, while the remaining normal cells stay at the proper sensor calcium level. However, as the calcium in the blood increases, the normal parathyroid cells “turn off,” while the abnormal or bad parathyroid cell continues to produce PTH. The abnormal parathyroid cell begins to multiply and get bigger and the normal cells that are currently not active start to get smaller and shut down. Over time, the calcium level will increase until it reaches the set point on the calcium sensor of the parathyroid tumor cells. The parathyroid tumor essentially hijacks the calcium balance of the body. Almost all hyperparathyroid patients experience symptoms of the disease, however, one of the reasons that so many hyperparathyroid patients go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed is because the symptoms are wide-ranging, are not obvious, and can be associated with several other diseases. As a result, symptoms of hyperparathyroidism can be hard for an inexperienced physician to pinpoint. Some of the debilitating symptoms of hyperparathyroidism include:
But please understand, regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms, the disease is still destroying your body, and ultimately decreasing your life expectancy if not treated. Luckily, the disease can be cured by removing the tumor with a minimally invasive procedure that usually takes less than 20 minutes and can be done under local anesthesia. Talk To A Parathyroid Expert Today!If you are suffering from parathyroid disease, contact the CENTER for Advanced Parathyroid Surgery today so we can help you feel like yourself again! Dr. Babak Larian is a parathyroid disease expert who treats patients from around the world. Many of his patients have gone years without being diagnosed properly and upon their first consultation with Dr. Larian are diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism. Dr. Larian will then perform a minimally invasive parathyroidectomy to cure your condition! We are here to help you. |