Hormone replacement therapy, better known as postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy or menopause hormone replacement therapy, is a method of hormone treatment used to relieve symptoms associated with women approaching menopause, including hot flashes, depression and mood disorders. Menopause is a natural part of aging that occurs when a woman's reproductive functions are interrupted by the natural wear and tear of aging. During menopause, a woman's estrogen and progesterone production are halting, causing a wide array of symptoms that can include night sweats, vaginal dryness and itching, vaginal dryness and burning, hair loss, osteoporosis and other bone's problems, mood disturbances such as anxiety and depression, and susceptibility to infections. Some of these symptoms can be relieved with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy while others require different methods such as hormone replacement inhalation, tablet intake, or injection. Each woman's individual reaction to HRT will vary, and it's best to discuss your symptoms with your doctor to find the most effective hormonal therapy for you.
Since the dangers of HRT are becoming more widely known, health organizations such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have taken the time to create guidelines for postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy use. These guidelines are meant to help you learn about the risks and benefits of this type of treatment so you can make an informed decision about the use of HRT for your menopausal symptoms. It is important to note that there are risks associated with all medical treatments and HRT falls under that category. It is important to talk to your doctor, and if necessary take him/her into consideration when choosing a method of treatment. While there are risks associated with hormone replacement therapy and menopausal conditions overall, the following are the most common risks:
Breast Cancer - The one risk associated with hormone replacement therapy that is known and understood by everyone is that it increases the chance of developing breast cancer. This is due to the fact that HRT contains both estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen alone has been proven to increase the risk of breast cancer by forty percent while progesterone alone increases the risk by thirty percent. While the evidence surrounding the two is still unclear, many women are strongly encouraged to speak with their doctor before beginning any type of hormone replacement therapy including HRT. Another risk of estrogen alone is that it can reduce the effectiveness of medications used in the fight against breast cancer. However, the evidence surrounding the relationship between estrogen and breast cancer is not strong and progesterone has not been proven to be harmful to those who are currently diagnosed with breast cancer.
Surgical Extraction - Another serious health initiative, many women consider is the surgical removal of the uterus. Although most of us think of a hysterectomy when we hear the words "endometriosis," a hysterectomy actually removes only the lining of the uterus. The lining is not removed because the uterus is the place where all of a woman's eggs are produced during her lifetime. Women who do not ovulate have the possibility of developing endometriosis and should consider alternatives to chemical methods of menopause like hormone replacement therapy. Surgical extraction may cause side effects such as pelvic pain, infection, and scarring.
Menopause - A woman's body will produce less estrogen as she ages. By supplementing her estrogen levels with synthetic hormones, a woman has the opportunity to avoid some of the complications associated with menopause such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Some women choose to use oral medications that are inserted into their vagina as well. However, these oral medications are not a substitute for hormone replacement therapy. Nor do they replace the loss of bodily hormones with progesterone and estrogen. Apart from hormone replacement therapy, you can also learn about holistic weight loss and its merits on this page.
Menopause can be scary, but the symptoms it causes are treatable. If you are currently menopausal and experiencing any of the above symptoms, speak with your doctor about alternative options to hormone therapy such as hormone replacement therapy. You may want to explore all of your treatment options before you make the choice for surgery. There are many other options, such as natural remedies and prescription supplements. You may be able to find relief without having to undergo invasive procedures such as removal of your womb or taking estrogen alone. Talk to your doctor today about other treatment options. Read more details related to this topic on this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy.