Women do not use hormone therapy to reduce the symptoms of menopause. This therapy has effectively helped women to cope with menopause. Whether it is right for you or not depends on your health. So always consult with your doctor. But here are some facts that will provide you a more precise understanding of hormone therapy.
What do we mean by menopause?
In simple words, menopause occurs when women stop menstruating. This also means they can no longer bear children after menopause. When women get their menopause, they produce fewer female hormones that are estrogen and progesterone.
When women have menopause, this reduced level of hormones stops their menstrual bleeding, which removes the possibility of pregnancy. The worst effect of menopause is that a major fluctuation of hormones occurs in a woman’s body, which causes different side effects.
What do estrogen and progesterone do?
Both of them are hormones that are produced in their ovaries. Estrogen and Progesterone help to-
- Make the uterus thick so that it can hold a fertile egg.
- It also makes our bones stronger by using the calcium in your body.
- It maintains the cholesterol levels in our blood.
- It maintains vaginal health and hygiene.
- It also prevents osteoporosis
- It helps maintains blood pressure
- It helps us to sleep
- It controls our mood
What is hormone therapy?
As women approach menopause, they have some uncomfortable symptoms. Their uterus stops producing two essential hormones which are estrogen and progesterone. As a result, they suffer from side effects. Hormone therapy boosts the hormone levels in a woman’s body and relieves her from these side effects. Thus, the therapy helps women to deal with menopause.
But, taking the therapy is up to the person. You must consult with your doctor and consider your medical history before opting for this treatment. This therapy has different health benefits as well as risks involved. But, you will surely get an improved quality of life through hormone therapy.
Different types of hormone therapy you can choose
To understand if hormone therapy is good for you or not, first, you need to check different types of therapies. There are mainly two types of hormone therapies;
Estrogen therapy
In this therapy, you take estrogen alone. A lower dose of estrogen is always prescribed. You can take it as a patch or pill daily. It also is available in the form of a vaginal ring, cream, and spray. To reduce the side effects of menopause, you need to take a low amount of estrogen regularly. It also lowers the risk of osteoporosis.
Estrogen Progesterone therapy
This is also called a combined therapy. Here, you need to take both the hormones as suggested by the doctor.
What is the importance of the uterus in hormone therapy?
The uterus plays a great role in deciding which type of therapy is better for you. If there is a uterus, you must take progesterone along with estrogen. Taking estrogen alone will increase the risk of cancer. Before menopause, the cells of our uterus get shed.
After menopause, the shedding stops, and if we take more estrogen, there can be an overgrowth in the uterus cells, which may lead to cancer. Progesterone makes the cells of the uterus thinner, reducing the risk of cancer. On the other hand, if you have no uterus, you don’t need to take progesterone.
What are the benefits of hormone therapy for menopause?
Hormone therapy is mainly used to reduce menopausal symptoms. So, when you take this treatment, you will get rid of many things, which are;
Hot flashes
After menopause, hot flashes are very disturbing. Women feel sudden warmth, flushing, and swelling. This causes a lot of discomfort. When you take HR therapy, you can get rid of hot flashes.
Vaginal dryness
Another problematic result of menopause is vaginal dryness. It causes irritation, pain, and uneasiness. It also makes intercourse painful. Hormone therapy reduces vaginal dryness and provides you more comfort.
Skin problems
Female hormones keep our skin smooth, soft, and young. When those hormones are lacking in our body, we suffer from dry skin and itchiness. Opting for hormone therapy will fill the gaps and improve the condition of our skin.
Bone health
Menopause also weakens our bones and triggers osteoporosis. HR therapy will improve our bone health and reduce the risks.
Apart from these, HR therapy also proves our mood, reduces joint pain, and reduces the risk of diabetes.
Conclusion
These are some of the facts that you must know to make your decision. A significant number of women have used this therapy and are enjoying a healthier life. So, it is safe for women. But make sure you are visiting a certified doctor for the therapy. If you want to know more about this treatment, visit the best physician for more guidance.
