What You Need to Know About HRT

by | Oct 23, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy

All of us know that experiencing menopause symptoms is something that most women wouldn’t want. The good news is, because of the technology and advancements in medicine, there are ways on how to minimize the symptoms of menopause. One of the most common therapies available is the hormone replacement therapy.  

HRT is able to help balance the levels of progesterone and estrogen when a person is nearing the menopausal stage, although there are possible reasons why a doctor might recommend to the patient supplementary sex hormones.  

There are many benefits of HRT, and these include relieving the person from experiencing sweating, hot flashes, and other symptoms of menopause. What is also great about this therapy is that it also lowers the risk of osteoporosis.  

The therapy may use one hormone, estrogen, or two hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Other therapies may also use testosterone. 

What are the Uses of HRT? 

Menopause – just to make it sure, menopause is not an illness, but rather, a natural transition which every female will experience. Other females go through a menopausal stage without taking any treatment. However, other females may opt for having a treatment when the menopause symptoms can be distracting in their everyday activities. A person who is experiencing menopause ma experience the following: 

  • Urinary problems 
  • Thinning hair 
  • Hot lashes and night sweats 
  • Vaginal dryness 
  • Sleep problems 
  • Bone thinning 
  • Osteoporosis 

When the symptoms are distracting to the experiencer, she may undergo treatment and therapy to minimize the symptoms. There are also studies that have suggested that HRT can help in the following: 

  • Reducing the risk of heart attacks and heart failure 
  • Improving the functions of your muscles. 
  • Preventing skin aging (the therapy needs to be used properly and in moderation. 
  • Reducing the mortality among younger postmenopausal individuals 

Although there are many testimonies that prove the claims above, further research is still needed to be done in order to establish the claims above.  

There are also other uses of HRT. The doctor can prescribe this therapy when needed. There are different types and combinations of sex hormones that the doctor can use for the following: 

  • Prostate cancer 
  • Low blood testosterone levels 
  • Birth control 
  • A transition from the sex at birth 

The estrogen and progesterone levels can fluctuate throughout each month, which contributes to the menstrual cycle.  

The hormonal elves can also change throughout the person’s lifetime.  

The levels start to fall when women are in their 40s although they may still continue to experience menstruation for some time. At these ages, the periods may become less regular and other symptoms of menopause may start to appear such as hot flashes and mood changes. The woman at these ages can still become pregnant if she is still experiencing periods. This is called perimenopause which can last up to seven years. After this would be the menopause stage that begins after 12 months of the woman’s last period. This time, the woman can no longer bear children.  

Everyone experiences menopause differently, and if you want to undergo treatment and therapy, you need to consult the advice of professionals.