What are they?
These four glands sit in the neck around the thyroid gland and control the level of calcium in the blood.

What can go wrong with the parathyroid glands?
The glands may become overactive leading to too high a level of calcium in the blood. This is called primary hyperparathyroidism.

Why is calcium so important?
Calcium is important for proper functioning of the brain, muscle and nervous tissue and the maintenance of healthy bones. This is why we have parathyroid glands and other systems in the body to maintain the calcium at a normal level.

What are the symptoms of raised calcium?
Some people have no symptoms. Others will experience malaise, muscular aches and pains, abdominal pain or constipation, kidney stones and thirst. These symptoms have often been present for a long time before a diagnosis is reached. There may even be psychiatric type symptoms of mania or depression.

What if I feel perfectly well?
For many patients there are very few symptoms and some will have none. However all will be losing calcium from the bones and developing osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). There is also evidence that there are longterm effects on the heart and major blood vessels.

What causes hyperparathyroidism?
The commonest cause is a benign tumour of a parathyroid gland resulting in excess production of parathyroid hormone. This condition is curable by a simple surgical procedure.