Hormone replacement therapy is one of the best possible treatments which are used for balancing progesterone and estrogen among women during their period of menopause. This is also called hormone therapy HT or MHT menopausal hormone therapy and it can help in relieving hot flashes, sweating or other symptoms of menopause. This treatment even decreases risk of osteoporosis.
There are some types of HRT which consist of both estrogen and progesterone; some just contain testosterone and some only estrogen. The concerns of this post will focus on the procedure of HRT and how it relieves symptoms among women during their time of menopause.
Few interesting facts on HRT
Let’s take a quick look at few interesting points on hormone replacement therapy:
- HRT is an impressive and powerful way of relieving some painful symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.
- HRT reduces the severity and the occurence of hot flashes and it also cures osteoporosis at the same time.
- Though past researches have suggested a correlation with cancer but this is yet to be investigated.
- HRT helps your skin look young but that doesn’t mean that it can successfully delay the common signs of aging.
- Anyone who is considering HRT should speak to a therapist who is completely aware of the patient’s medical background.
What makes HRT useful?
Estrogen and progesterone are vital hormones in the reproductive system of a woman. It is the hormone estrogen which triggers the egg release and the hormone called progesterone makes the womb ready for implantation of eggs. It is the body’s natural process that the egg supply diminishes with time and the total number of eggs also reduces along with the production of estrogen.
The increased risk of osteoporosis keeps increasing post menopause. Besides the natural process of aging, menopause can be cured by hysterectomy which is a surgery to remove the ovaries treatment of cancer. Smoking may even accelerate the process of menopause.
What are the impacts of menopause?
The change in levels of hormone can lead to heavy discomfort and can even lead to different risks to your health. You may suffer from the following:
- Thinning of bones
- Vaginal dryness
- Thinning of hair
- Urinary issues
- Night sweats and hot flashes
- Sleep issues
- Mood swings
- Reduced level of fertility
- Memory issues and difficulty in concentration
- Irregular periods
- Accumulation of abdominal fat and shrunk breasts
Does HRT lead to cancer?
HRT was mainly used for relieving menopause symptoms and protecting against cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. However, their benefits were questioned when it was published by Women’s Health Initiative in 2002 and 2003 that HRT can lead to ovarian, breast and endometrial cancer. Although this is still being investigated and there’s no hard proof about this correlation, yet there are many who have drifted away from HRT due to this study.
So, if you’re an aging woman who has had menopause, you can opt for HRT after careful consultation with your doctor. You may also check this official website to know more on the treatment procedures.
