What, if anything, can you tell me about "hypercalcemia"? My mother has a condition in which her body produces too much calcium, and this phrase was one she didn't fully understand.

-- Tracie

Hypercalcemia simply is a technical term for high calcium -- "hyper" means high, just as "hypo" means low. There are many reasons for a high blood calcium level. The most common is due to a problem with the parathyroid gland, a small gland next to the thyroid in the neck; a benign growth there leads to elevated parathyroid hormone levels, which in turn leads to elevated calcium levels. Some cancers, especially breast cancer, may also lead to elevated calcium levels. Taking too much supplemental calcium is a rare but potential possibility.

Often, hypercalcemia has no symptoms but is found incidentally on a routine blood test. Sometimes the high calcium levels may lead to the formation of kidney stones and all their associated symptoms (pain in the flank, blood and pain with urination, etc.). Treatment depends on cause -- if hypercalcemia comes from ingesting too many calcium supplements, for instance, then cutting down on the dose will do the trick. If it is due to a parathyroid problem, then usually surgery to remove the parathyroid gland is necessary.