Thyroid & Parathyroid Specialist

What are the thyroid and parathyroid glands?

Your thyroid is a wide, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck in the front. As part of your endocrine system, it secretes hormones that control many of your body’s functions. Two of the hormones that come from your thyroid gland, T3 and T4, are mainly responsible for regulating your metabolism.

Attached to the back of your thyroid are four parathyroid glands. They produce and secrete a hormone called parathyroid hormone. The parathyroid hormone helps control the levels of certain minerals in your body, like calcium and phosphorus. It also stimulates your kidneys to help them filter waste out of your blood.

What are the symptoms of a thyroid or parathyroid problem?

Thyroid and parathyroid problems can affect you in many ways. Their symptoms might be difficult to link to an endocrine problem if you’re not familiar with the functions of your thyroid and parathyroid glands.

Issues with your thyroid or parathyroid result from an overproduction or underproduction of the hormones produced by these glands. Your symptoms depend on the exact complication, which can be:

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid. Its symptoms include tremors, weight loss, sweating, and restlessness.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid, can cause you to gain weight, be tired all the time, and slow your mental capacity.

Hyperparathyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism, an overactive parathyroid, can cause symptoms of high calcium levels in your blood. These include nausea, weakness, tiredness, and frequent urination.

Hypoparathyroidism

Hypoparathyroidism is very rare. Its possible symptoms include seizures, muscle aches, muscle twitching, and memory problems.

When are thyroid and parathyroid surgery needed?

If your thyroid or parathyroid issues aren’t treatable with medications, surgery could be the next step for you. Thyroidectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of your thyroid to control its abnormal production of hormones. You could need a thyroidectomy to treat hyperthyroidism or other problems like cancer and noncancerous thyroid enlargement (goiter).

A parathyroidectomy is a surgery to remove one or more of your parathyroid glands. In most hyperparathyroidism cases, which the surgery treats, just one of your four glands is overproductive. The surgeons at Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, determine which gland is causing problems and remove it through a 2-3 cm incision.

Thyroid and parathyroid problems can cause symptoms and complications throughout your entire body. To find out more about thyroid and parathyroid surgeries, call Lakeland Surgical Clinic, PLLC, today or book a consultation online at your convenience.