Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is used to provide the sex hormones in women such as estrogen and progesterone, or estrogen alone. The treatment is usually required after the menopause as the ovaries do not produce sufficient amounts of these sex hormones. To balance the inadequate levels of sex hormones in the body, women are prescribed hormone replacement therapy that helps the body to regain the lost sex hormones and relieve symptoms of menopause. It has many reasons other than the inadequate levels of sex hormones to be prescribed by a doctor.
Menopause and the sex hormones
Throughout the year, amounts of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate in the women. It is different during the menstrual cycle. These change throughout the women’s lifetime. The following are a few periods in your life where the change in the levels of estrogen and progesterone is significant.
Perimenopause in women
It is a time in a woman’s life when she enters her 40s. The levels of estrogen and progesterone will start to fall then. This may cause irregular periods, hot flashes,, or other symptoms of menopause. But the menstruation cycle will not completely stop until a few more years. These few more years are calculated to be 7-14 years.
Early menopause in women
There are a few cases where women experience early menopause. The women who have had surgical removal of ovaries or uterus, certain types of cancer, genetic factors, diseases, etc., might be a victim to early menopause. The doctors recommend Hormone Replacement therapy in such cases frequently as it helps to relieve the symptoms of menopause.
Menopause in women
Menopause is a condition that appears a year after the woman’s last period. The periods completely during this and the woman cannot get pregnant without any medical assistance. You may feel hot flashes, mood swings, and other symptoms of menopause. After the menopause, it is considered that hormone replacement therapy can be useful.
Types of hormone replacement therapy
There are a number of ways of getting hormone replacement therapy. Each one of them has a different ratio and combinations of hormones. It is chosen to depend upon the symptoms in women. The following are a few most common types of hormone replacement therapy:
Local estrogen
It is available in several forms such as vaginal rings, creams, or tablets that can help with a number of menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness and irritation.
Estrogen-only HRT
It is usually recommended after the removal of ovaries or uterus in women. It’s a case of early menopause most probably. In such cases, progesterone is not required.
Sequential HRT or Cyclical HRT
This type of hormone replacement therapy is recommended when a woman experiences the symptoms of menopause before the menopause. The dosage is to be taken with conformity with the menstruation cycle.
Continuous HRT
It is most probably prescribed by a doctor after the menopause. It is given as a combination of estrogen and progesterone.
Harbor compounding pharmacy provides you a large range of hormone replacement therapy options. It provides compounded hormones in all forms. You can visit the harbor compounding pharmacy online to get more details.
Uses of hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy can be used to treat a number of conditions. The dosage and combination of the hormones depend upon the type of condition and its treatment. The following are the menopausal conditions that can be treated through hormone replacement therapy:
- vaginal dryness
- hot flashes
- night sweats
- sleep problems
- bone problems e.g., osteoporosis
- urinary problems
- thinning of hair
- mood swings
- irregular periods
Other conditions that can be treated by hormone replacement therapy are:
- Prevents skin problems
- Prevents heart risk
- Improves the function of muscles
- Prevents osteoporosis
- Prevents loss of teeth
- Lowers risk of cancers
- Lowers risk of diabetes
Not only these, but HRT has the following uses too:
- Birth control
- Improves joint pains
- To treat low levels of testosterone
- Gender change
- Prevents mortality in women
Side-effects of HRT
Hormone replacement therapy is known to treat a number of conditions yet it has a number of side-effects too. The side-effects of hormone replacement therapy may depend on the type of treatment being given to a woman. The following are a few side-effects of hormone replacement therapy:
- Bloating
- Skin issues e.g., acne
- Digestion problems
- Headache e.g., migraine
- Tenderness and swelling in breasts
- Swelling in other parts of the body
- Pain in the lower back or lower abdomen
- Leg cramps
- Nausea
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Depression
- Gallbladder problems
- Heart risks
- Increased risk of stroke
There are several other side-effects of hormone replacement therapy. If you notice any of them, you are advised to reach a doctor right away. The doctor will decide whether the medications need to be replaced or the dosage needs to be adjusted.
Those of you, who have had a history of a number of conditions such as high blood pressure, uncontrolled hypertension, stroke, high level of triglycerides in the body, blood clots or thrombosis, etc., must not use hormone replacement therapy before asking a doctor.
Summery
Hormone replacement therapy is a treatment that is used to treat a wide range of health issues including menopausal symptoms. The type of treatment depends upon the type of problem. However, hormone replacement therapy may not be an appropriate solution to all such problems for everyone. You need to take your doctor’s recommendation by describing your symptoms and issues openly in detail. This will certainly help the doctor to make a suitable decision for you.