Overview
What you need to know
UW Health doctors are known throughout the nation for their ability to recognize and successfully treat parathyroid disorders. Our team can diagnose and successfully cure parathyroid disease that others don’t realize exists.
Your parathyroid glands are four tiny glands in your neck that produce a hormone that controls calcium levels in your body. If these glands make too much or too little of the hormone, your overall health is affected. Sometimes people think the symptoms are simply due to aging. Over time, though, the symptoms become harder to downplay.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Expertise: The key to the right diagnosis
Parathyroid disorders don’t always cause symptoms. Sometimes a blood test alerts your doctor to a problem. On the other hand, you can have a parathyroid disorder even if your blood work appears normal.
Hyperparathyroidism is the most common parathyroid condition. It occurs when you have too much parathyroid hormone. It can cause:
Abdominal pain
Anxiety
Bone pain
Constipation
Depression
Fatigue
Frequent urination
Headaches
Heartburn
Joint pain
Kidney stones
Memory problems
Muscle weakness
Nausea or vomiting
Palpitations
Thinning hair
Trouble concentrating
Trouble sleeping
At UW Health, we look at symptoms and test results to decide if you could have parathyroid disease. Doctors from around the country refer their patients to us. We also see people who have symptoms that have gone undiagnosed. We see those who think they may have been misdiagnosed as well.
Meet our team
Experienced providers make a difference
We have a team of dedicated surgeons and nurses that focuses on parathyroid disease. Because they see many patients, they’ve developed the highest level of expertise. They’re able to spot problems that less-specialized doctors might miss. And they make sure you get the help you need.
Treatments and research
Get expert treatment, get healthy again
Treatment is based on the cause of your disease. If your parathyroid hormone levels are elevated for other reasons, you doctor might suggest medication.
For many parathyroid conditions, surgery is usually required. The surgeries are done to remove enlarged glands and glands with tumors. These tumors are not usually cancerous. Most of these surgeries do not require an overnight stay in the hospital.
Locations
Help is nearby
To make things easy for you, we offer surgery clinics in Madison, Wis., and Rockford, Ill. Our team will care for you through your diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.
Patient and support services
We know you’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.
When you have a problem that may need surgery, it’s normal to have questions. We take the time to address your concerns and help you understand your treatment. We also offer valuable online tools and resources to help you learn about parathyroid disease.