Hormone Replacement For Women Specialist

Why do women need hormone replacement?

Many of the hormones in the body perform the same function in both men and women; for example, adrenaline prepares your body for “fight or flight” when you’re under stress or in a dangerous situation.

However, certain hormonal conditions are more likely to affect women, and the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone are responsible for menstruation and menopause, which can be problematic for some women.

What are hormones, and what is their function?

Hormones are chemicals manufactured by the endocrine glands around your body. These chemicals act as messengers relaying information from the brain to your body. Hormones are a potent force, regulating primary functions such as:

• Physical growth
• Physical and mental development
• Male and female sex characteristics
• Libido (sex drive)
• Reproduction
• Metabolism

When they’re present at the correct levels, hormones play a vital part in keeping you happy and healthy, but any imbalance can have severe effects on your well-being.

What are the symptoms of hormone imbalance in women?

There are two principal conditions for which women may require hormone replacement therapy:

Menopause

Hormone levels decrease naturally with age, but women experience a significant disruption in their hormone levels at the midpoint of their lives when they go through menopause.

Menopause is the end point of a woman’s reproductive stage of life, triggered by a slowing down and eventual cessation in the production of estrogen and progesterone.

Thyroid dysfunction

Although men are affected by thyroid dysfunction, it’s far more common in women. The thyroid gland can sometimes produce either too much (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism) thyroid hormone.

Each condition presents with different symptoms, but both can have a devastating effect on health and well-being, and if left untreated can be life-threatening.

How does hormone replacement help?

Hormone replacement helps by restoring levels of specific hormones to their optimum level. For example, if you’re experiencing problems as a result of menopause, taking estrogen can reduce and reverse some symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes.

If you have hypothyroidism, where your thyroid is producing insufficient hormones, replacing it by taking oral thyroxin medication makes a dramatic difference, restoring you to full health when your thyroid levels are back to normal.

The first stage is an accurate diagnosis and assessment, which your team at Vitality Center of Charlotte provides for you. They take blood samples to check current levels of hormones, then create a custom plan to restore hormone levels and minimize the effects of any imbalance.

Call the clinic today to arrange an appointment, or book using the online tool.