Hormone imbalance treatment for menopause symptoms can vary depending on your symptoms and how severe they are. One common treatment option is hormone replacement therapy, which replaces the natural hormones that your body no longer makes during menopause as well as during some medical conditions that can cause hormone imbalance. This therapy can help with hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, vaginal dryness and pain, mood swings and more—but it’s not the only available treatment option. Read on to learn more about menopause and hormone treatments, including those that don’t involve taking hormones of any kind!
The Stages of Menopause
As perimenopause approaches, a woman’s hormone levels start to fluctuate. The two main hormones affected are estrogen and progesterone. Because these fluctuations often cause physical symptoms that vary from person to person, the severity of each symptom can also vary greatly. Hot flashes are one common symptom in perimenopause treatment. These uncomfortable hot flashes usually happen without warning due to the lowered levels of estrogen that accompany menopause. Lowered testosterone levels may also be a factor. Since there is no cure for menopause itself, perimenopause treatments may be used as alternative treatments for this period.
The Link Between Menopause and Hormones
When women go through perimenopause or menopause, they may experience a decrease in estrogen levels. This can result in symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. If you are experiencing these symptoms or want to prevent them from starting, there are many treatments available that can be used to combat the symptoms with hormone therapy.
The Benefits of Hormone Treatment
HRT medications are a type of treatment that is common among women experiencing menopause. These medications help to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, anxiety, fatigue and other symptoms associated with menopause.
A major benefit of taking hormone therapy is that it can help to slow bone loss by preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Another benefit is that it can lower the risk for heart disease by helping to control cholesterol levels. Women’s health specialists recommend this type of treatment for any woman who is between 45-55 years old and has had at least one child.
The Risks of Hormone Treatment
It’s important to remember that hormone treatment does have side effects. They vary from woman to woman but can include weight gain or loss, swelling or bloating of the extremities, acne flare-ups or skin dryness. Sometimes these side effects may be worth it for the relief they provide for hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause.
The Bottom Line
Bioidentical HRT and natural treatments such as vitex, acupuncture, and progesterone are some options for perimenopause treatment. These treatments can help reduce the effects of hot flashes, headaches, and mood swings that may accompany menopause. If you have endometriosis, they may also be beneficial in controlling your pain.
