If you believe you’re experiencing menopause, you are probably seeking information on hormone treatments or hormone replacement therapy. Since there are over 50 types of hormone replacement therapy available, it’s important to consult with a hormone treatment center in order to determine the most effective regimen for you.
If you’ve had a menstrual period within the past year, it’s possible that you aren’t experiencing menopause yet. While there are several indicators that you are menopausal, not having a period for over a year is one of the hallmarks of this transition. There are some exceptions to this rule, however, such as if you’ve been ill and taking certain types of prescribed medicine, or if you are either pregnant or breast-feeding.
According to WebMD, some women may experience menopausal symptoms while others may not. You may, for example, be experiencing one or more of the following symptoms:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Painful intercourse
- Vaginal dryness
- Increased anxiety
- Increase irritability
When you work with the trained and experienced staff at a hormone treatment clinic, they will be able to determine if you need bio-identical estrogens to replace or balance your hormone levels. Since estrogen decreases when you’re menopausal, you may be prescribed bio-identical estrogens such as 17 beta-estradiol, estrone, and estriol.
Depending on the recommendations you receive, you may take a combination of estrogen and progesterone. When you are on a regimen of cyclical HRT, you would take estrogen every day and take progesterone from 12-to-14 days in order to mimic a regular menstrual cycle.
There are several welcome benefits of hormone replacement therapy. In addition to relieving the common symptoms associated with menopause and aging, hormone replacement therapy can also address potential health issues associated with hysterectomies.
According to Women’s Health Concern, hormone replacement therapy can also be beneficial for osteoporosis prevention. It is considered to be the “treatment of choice” for women, particularly when they begin taking it under the age of 60 and also experienced menopause prematurely.
Women’s Health Concern also stresses the importance of being re-assessed by a doctor on an annual basis. In some cases, a re-assessment may be recommended more often. Hormone replacement therapy may be recommended for long-term use in order to improve a woman’s quality of life.
If you’re considering hormone treatments to alleviate the symptoms of menopause or for another health reason, it’s important to become informed on the risks as well as the benefits. As previously stated, hormone replacement therapy can make a difference in a woman’s life quality.
Since Americans in general are living longer, active lives, quality of life is essential. By 2050,for example, the number of Americans that are 56 and older is expected to increase 20%, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Hormone treatments can assist both women and men by replacing the hormones that are reduced with the natural process of aging.
