Facts About Hormone Therapy
- Hormone replacement therapy is made of estrogen and progesterone treatments.
- Estrogen hormone is the most effective and safe medication treatment for menopause symptoms.
- Estrogen can help reduce a few menopause symptoms including insomnia, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and hot and cold flashes.
- Using estrogen without adding progesterone can increase the risk of uterine cancer also known as cancer of the uterus lining.
What Is Menopause In Women?
Menopause happens in a woman’s life right after the menstruation ends and when she is no longer able to have kids. As soon as a woman develops menopause her body will start to produce less female hormones as well as less estrogen. After a woman experiences menopause the lower levels of hormones that cause monthly periods and pregnancy will gradually eliminate. Developing menopause also can cause uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes. Hot flashes are a sudden sensation of feeling really hot or warm and are also often followed by excessive sweating. Some women with menopause can also experience other symptoms such as vaginal dryness or depression and mood swings. While a lot of women won’t experience many symptoms during the stages of menopause, other women can endure mild to severe symptoms.
What Is Estrogen Hormone Therapy?
The estrogen hormone comes in a few different forms such as pills, patches, or a gel. Estrogen is one of the most effective hormone therapies to help with hot flashes. Because estrogen therapy by itself can cause uterine cancer, the progesterone hormone is made so it can be combined with estrogen to eliminate the risk of uterine cancer. The term progesterone and estrogen therapy also refer to a combination of both estrogen and progestin hormones combined together and are given to women who still have a uterus. This method is known as combination hormone replacement therapy. All forms of hormone therapies are FDA approved and are safe for women who are experiencing menopause.
Risks And Side Effects Of Hormone Therapy In Women
Many women can and will experience some side effects while doing hormone therapy: the side effects can be either minor or serious. The minor side effects are by far more common than serious side effects. Some side effects might be:
- Migraines
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Breast pain
It is still unsure which side effects come from the estrogen hormone. If the side effects keep recurring for at least a few months, your doctor will most likely alter either the estrogen hormone or the progestin hormone.
Who Should Take Hormone Therapy?
- Women who are experiencing hot flashes can consider Hormone Therapy Utah, especially if the hot flashes are happening at night and are disturbing sleep. Estrogen hormone, which is a short-term treatment, is the most effective hormone to help with hot flashes, and the benefit of taking estrogen short-term can outweigh the potential risks for many women.
- Women who are experiencing itching or vaginal dryness can also consider taking hormone replacement therapy. Estrogen can be used in a pill form, a skin patch form as well as a gel form. Women who are only experiencing vaginal dryness but no hot flashes should pick the vaginal gel form of estrogen. If a woman is experiencing both then both oral and vaginal forms of estrogen therapy will be given to her.