Hormone Replacement Therapy
By: Tsou JinyeuTotal Views: 188, Word Count: 723,
Hormone replacement therapy or hormone therapy involves the medications to artificially boost hormone levels. It is the medical treatment for surgical menopause, perimenopause, hormonal imbalance and some times for postmenopause. This treatment may prevent or minimize the discomfort caused by diminished circulating estrogen and progesterone hormones. The main types of hormones involved are estrogens, progesterone and testosterone.
Need of Hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy provides you with the hormones your ovaries stop making. Ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone during menstrual cycle. The ovaries also make androgen and testosterone. You may experience hot flashes, irregular periods, vaginal dryness and other related problems.
When you are nearing menopause or are suffering from surgical menopause, there is sudden decrease in hormone level. This may cause severe symptoms and some serious health problems.
Hormone replacement therapy is prescribed to help you with the menopausal symptoms. It also has other benefits like preventing bone loss and other things. You should consult your doctor and decide if you require Hormone replacement therapy.
Benefits of Hormone replacement therapy
- Hormone replacement therapy is the most extensively researched medical treatments and it is widely used by doctors.
- It has been extensively used in the treatment of menopause and controlling menopause symptoms
- It reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis and cancer of colon and rectum
Risks and side effects of Hormone replacement therapy
- There are many side effects of Hormone replacement therapy. Trials are being done to determine the extent of risks involved. Comparisons are also being made with bio identical hormone replacement therapy with HRT
- Hormone replacement therapy may raise the chance of breast cancer by increasing breast density making mammograms more difficult to interpret
- Slightly increased risk of ovarian cancer , endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer and stroke
- Increased risk of blood clots associated with oral estrogen
- Risk of gallbladder disease
- Nausea, bloating and fluid retention
- Affects mood and causes mood swings
- Monthly bleeding, spotting may occur
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy
There is a different type of HRT as switching to bio-identical hormones. You can use transdermal products instead of oral pills. You may even try a different regime and reduce or eliminate side effects and work on them
Bio-identical hormones are very similar to natural hormones chemically. It is also called as natural hormone replacement therapy
When to avoid Hormone replacement therapy
- Vaginal bleeding
- History of breast cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Liver disease
- Blood clots in veins, lungs
- Blood clots during pregnancy
- Taking oral pills for birth control
- Cardiovascular diseases
Hormones used in HRT
- Hormone replacement therapy includes estrogens and progesterone.
- Estrogen replacement therapy means taking some form of estrogen alone. But, this may cause endometrial cancer
- This is only for women who have had a hysterectomy
- Progesterone is taken to counter the effects of estrogen on the uterus.
- Progesterone and estrogen are present in birth control pills and this combination is more beneficial
Hormone replacement therapy is used to treat hormone imbalance, menopause symptoms, perimenopause and postmenopause. This article on Hormone replacement therapy informs you about Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and Hormone replacement therapy for men.
About the Author
Dr Tsou Jinyeu is a well known gynecologist and has been in this field since 1995. His special interests are – genetic and birth defects, high risk obstetrics, lupus in pregnancy, premature labour, premature delivery, triplets and ultrasound diagnosis. He is graduated from the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine. Nowdays he is working as a medical doctor at Elmhurst Loyola Center for Health.
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