Simple blood test can detect often misdiagnosed Parathyroid disease

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Doctors are raising awareness about a disease that often comes with vague symptoms.

Parathyroid disease is diagnosed in hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. The disorder effects the parathyroid, four pea-sized glands in the neck that produce a hormone which controls calcium levels in the body.

“Every cell in our body connects and communicates through calcium,” said Dr. Jose Lopez with Tampa General Hospital. “So if our calcium is off, everything can be off.”

Parathyroid disease impacts women about three times more than men and, in most cases, is typically diagnosed in a patent in their 50’s or 60’s. Because it presents with symptoms that can be commonly associated with other health issues, doctors say it often goes ignored or undiagnosed. Symptoms of parathyroid disease can include fatigue, trouble sleeping, muscle cramps, depression and memory loss.

Doctors say in some cases, there are no symptoms at all.

“A lot of patients are told ‘you’re tired because you’re going through menopause, you’re just getting older, your hormones are changing’ and for men ‘your testosterone levels are going down, you don’t feel as good, we all forget things’, but these are all classic symptoms of having parathyroid disease,” Dr. Lopez said.

Still, diagnosing parathyroid disease can be a simple process. Doctors say a simple blood test to check your calcium level is key. People with elevated calcium levels, even slightly raised, may have a diseased parathyroid gland.

There is no medication to combat the disease. Doctors say a diseased gland must be removed because it will only continue to increase calcium levels in the patient. For now, a minimally invasive surgery is currently the only available treatment option.

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