Did you know that one in four women experiences debilitating menopausal symptoms? These symptoms can last up to 15 years and drastically change a woman’s life.
Many of these women are missing out on the number one treatment for a hormone imbalance: hormone replacement therapy.
To learn more about hormone replacement treatment and how it works in menopause, keep reading. It may be the key to helping you or someone you love.
What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is exactly what it sounds like: a treatment that helps replace hormones in the body. A hormone imbalance can cause a multitude of symptoms that may alter your quality of life.
In menopause, women experience a large drop in estrogen. With menopausal hormone therapy, also known as estrogen replacement therapy, women can experience menopause with fewer symptoms.
The replacement of estrogen can help the body slowly lower estrogen levels rather than allowing them to drop all at once.
If you’re interested in finding hormone replacement treatment, search “hormone replacement therapy near me.” If you live in Milwaukee and you want to learn more about your options, click here.
Hormone Replacement Benefits
Hormone replacement therapy during menopause can alter how the body responds to the drop in estrogen levels. In turn, you may be able to experience multiple benefits:
- Fewer hot flashes
- Fewer episodes of night sweats
- Better sleep
- Less vaginal dryness
- Less vaginal itching
- Less painful sexual intercourse
- Prevention of fractures
- Prevention of heart disease
- Prevention of dementia
With these benefits, you’ll enjoy a better quality of life.
While there are some side effects of hormone replacement therapy (nausea, bloating, headaches, and breast tenderness), the positives outweigh the negatives in most cases.
Hormone Replacement Risks
As with any treatment, hormone replacement therapy has a few risks to keep in mind, including the following:
- Endometrial cancer
- Blood clots (which may lead to heart attack, stroke, or other complications)
- Breast cancer
Even with these risks, hormone replacement therapy is still the most effective treatment for menopause. So, you shouldn’t let these risks scare you.
In fact, there are some protective factors to consider:
- Starting hormone replacement therapy early
- Taking a low dose of hormone replacement therapy
- Scheduling regular mammograms, pelvic exams, and other preventative tests
- Taking progesterone if you still have a uterus
- Considering alternative forms of hormone replacement therapy
To learn more about how hormone replacement therapy may affect you, you should talk to your primary physician. They can help you navigate your treatment course and mitigate risks.
Consider Hormone Replacement Treatment
Hormone replacement therapy can transform your life if you’re struggling with menopausal symptoms. You shouldn’t suffer in silence. Ask your physician about what hormone replacement treatment can do for you.
Even if you haven’t started menopause yet, you may benefit from starting treatment for a hormone imbalance now. It is especially helpful if you have a family history of debilitating menopausal symptoms.
To learn more about your health, check out the rest of our blog. We have more information about treatments and disease prevention there.
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