When Parathyroid Glands
MALFUNCTION Tiny glands can cause a host of big health problems that TGH parathyroid gland surgeons excel at treating BY KAREN FELDMAN Two pairs of rice-sized glands pack a big punch when it comes to keeping our bodies in good working order. Most people haven’t even heard of parathyroid glands, but these four tiny organs tucked behind the thyroid gland in our necks produce a hormone that regulates calcium in the blood. When they malfunction, calcium blood levels become unbalanced, causing a wide range of unwelcome symp-
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toms, such as chronic fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, kidney stones, cardiac arrhythmias, chronic kidney disease, and osteoporosis. The good news is that this condition, referred to as hyperparathyroidism, is most often caused by a benign tumor in the glands. The tumor—or the gland in which it is situated—can be surgically removed in a simple outpatient procedure, solving the problem. (A less common condition, known
Dr. Doug Politz and Dr. Jose Lopez perform parathyroid surgery.
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