How to Diagnose Hyperparathyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism is overactivity of the parathyroid glands resulting in excess production of parathyroid hormone (PTH). It was first described and treated in the 1930s by Fuller Albright of Massachusetts General Hospital, working at the Mallinckrodt General Clinical Research Center.

Instructions

Hyperparathyroidism and Its Symptoms

• 1

  The symptoms of hyperparathyroidism are classically known by complaints of not feeling well, "groans" from abdominal pain, "stones" (kidney), "bones" (bone pain), and "psychiatric overtones" (lethargy, fatigue, depression or memory problems).

• 2

  The most accurate and definitive way to diagnose primary hyperparathyroidism is relatively easy to detect, because the parathyroid glands will be making an inappropriately large amount of parathyroid hormone in the face of an elevated serum calcium.

• 3

  Measuring the amount of calcium in the urine over a 24-hour period of time can diagnosis and confirm hyperparathyroidism. If the kidneys are functioning normally, they will filter much of this calcium in an attempt to rid the body of calcium, leading to an abnormally large amount of calcium in the urine. Measuring calcium in the urine, however, is an indirect measure of parathyroid activity and is only accurate in about 25 to 40 percent of the time.