What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT is a form of medical treatment that uses hormones that are designed to mimic the structure and function of natural human hormones when the body’s own hormone levels are low or unbalanced.
Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers that help coordinate different functions in your body by carrying messages through your blood to your skin, muscles, organs, and other tissues. When most people think about hormones, they think about sexual function, however, almost every cell in the human body has receptors for hormones so they are essential to many functions including temperature control, sleep, metabolism, bone and muscle growth, cognition, and cardiovascular health.
While hormone imbalance can occur at any point in life, you can expect a decrease in sex hormone production (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) as you get older. For women, these symptoms often start anywhere from the mid-30s to early 40s with perimenopause and closer to 50 for menopausal symptoms.
As these hormones decline, you may find yourself struggling with disruptive symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain, and fatigue. These symptoms can take a toll on your physical and emotional well-being. But you don’t need to suffer.
Advanced PainCare and BioHealth Institute provides hormone replacement therapy in Pennsylvannia to help alleviate the symptoms of peri- and post-menopause along with other hormone imbalances-
What Are the Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
Whether your hormone balance is related to thyroid dysfunction, perimenopause, menopause, or another hormone imbalance such as PCOS or adrenal fatigue the symptoms of hormonal imbalance are very similar. If you have the symptoms below, you may find relief with hormone replacement therapy in Pennsylvania:
- Low libido
- Hot flashes
- Weight gain
- Mood swings
- Poor sleep
- Vaginal dryness
- Fatigue
- Anxiety/depression
- Night sweats
- Joint pain/muscle aches
- Hair loss or thinning
- Dry skin/nails
What Are the Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy in Pennsylvania?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is the most effective treatment option for women suffering from hormonal imbalance. Bioidentical hormones are derived from plants and, because they mimic the structure of natural human hormones, they are safer and more effective than synthetic hormones. The body’s hormone receptors recognize bioidentical hormones since they are close replicas of our natural hormones, allowing patients to achieve hormone balance and relieving many of those hard-to-explain ailments. Benefits of hormone replacement therapy in Pennsylvania include:
- Increased energy levels
- Improved sleep
- Better Mood and Sense of Well-being
- Relief from hot flashes and night sweats
- Weight Loss
- Increased Libido and improved sexual function
- Relief from vaginal dryness and urinary symptoms
- Improved muscle aches and pains
- Prevention of bone loss
- Improved cholesterol levels
Hormones are involved in regulating metabolism, sleep, and temperature so the drastically fluctuating levels during perimenopause and menopause often leave women with frustrating and hard-to-explain symptoms that many people blame on aging.
Am I a Candidate for Hormone Therapy?
The team at Advanced PainCare and BioHealth Institute determines if you’re a candidate for hormone therapy by meeting with you to discuss your symptoms and review your medical history. They will then measure your current hormone levels through diagnostic blood testing. From there, we’ll determine if you’re a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy in Pennsylvania. Depending on your symptoms and blood testing results, the team at Advanced PainCare and BioHealth Institute will develop a comprehensive and personalized course of treatment to alleviate the symptoms that are affecting you.
What Happens During Hormone Therapy?
Advanced PainCare and BioHealth Institute always uses bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Depending on the patient’s needs, hormones can be replaced via topical creams or via implantation of a time-released “pellet” that gradually releases hormones into the bloodstream. We use Pellecome® pellets. Just like other forms of BHRT, the pellets are naturally based and nearly identical to the hormones produced by the human body. Pellets are about the size of a grain of rice and are inserted in the office during a simple, in-office procedure. Following insertion, the pellet is metabolized by the body, allowing the steady release of hormones over the next 3-6 months. This allows for a more natural dosing of hormones, similar to how the body would under normal function. Pellets allow you to have the convenience of consistent dosing without having to deal with the mess of a daily cream or worrying about a patch sticking to your skin.
If you are tired of suffering from the symptoms of hormone imbalance, call Advanced PainCare and BioHealth Institute or schedule an appointment online today.