Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is an artificial treatment for menopause symptoms that has been a viable alternative to many of the natural alternatives that exist. Menopause symptoms are a natural result of falling estrogen levels in a woman's body. As women approach a later stage of life their ability to produce estrogen is severely impeded. An imbalance of estrogen can lead to a flurry of menopause symptoms including: Depression, restless nights, vaginal dryness and changes in odor. Hormone replacement therapy is well equipped to help with the imbalance of estrogen in women's bodies. It functions by introducing artificial hormones into the body and excels at easing some of the harsher effects of menopause symptoms.
Alternatives to Hormone replacement therapy
Osteoporosis is a degenerative bone condition that affects all people as they approach a later stage of life. It is the minute gradual thinning of bone density in human bodies at sometimes a fractional rate of 0.1% per year. Such a loss of bone density over many years can cause fractures, which are extremely dangerous. HRT has been found to be capable of easing the loss of bone density in menopausal women.
HRT and Osteoporosis
Lifestyle changes: Many of the menopausal symptoms can sometimes be averted or eased by subtle lifestyle changes and it is these changes that many doctors will prescribe in the event of menopause symptoms manifesting. Hormone replacement therapy is often seen as the invasive final option for women who are seeking relief from symptoms such as night sweats, insomnia, hair loss and mood swings.
Natural remedies: Women suffering from menopause symptoms often turn to phytoestrogenic herbs for relief. Such herbs work in a similar way to HRT but without some of the harsher side effects. Herbs such as ginseng and black cohosh function by introducing plant-like estrogen into the body. Such a function can sometimes have dramatic results on menopausal women. Non-estrogenic herbs carry out a similar function but do so without any of the harmful side effects. Despite their increasing popularity phytoestrogenic herbs are not considered to be as useful in combating menopause symptoms as hormone replacement therapy.
Positives of Hormone replacement therapy
- Estrogen is important to the body and is capable of providing the body with calcium and maintaining the health of bones.
- Hormone replacement therapy steadies healthy cholesterol levels and helps to keep the vagina healthy.
- Replenishes estrogen in order to ease menopause symptoms.
- Prevents osteoporosis.
- Cuts down the risk of endometrial cancer.
Negatives of hormone replacement therapy
- Hormone replacement therapy has been known to increase the chance of contracting breast cancer.
- Can lead to complication with blood clots.
Treatments for hormonal imbalance
Hormone replacement therapy is seen as the efficient method of dealing with the issue of menopause symptoms, but the treatment does confer with it a degree of risk. The change in the natural balance of the body's chemicals can cause dangerous symptoms but introducing artificial chemicals through hormone replacement therapy in order to correct such a deficiency can also cause complications.
Hormone replacement therapy is used by many menopausal women across the world to treat their menopause symptoms. Studies have found however that hormone therapy comes with a flurry of side effects which can be dangerous to women's health. Because of this it is advised that women consider all of the alternatives to hormone replacement therapy before they consider the invasive treatment of hormone replacement therapy.
Click on the following link to read more about Treatments for hormone replacement therapy. What are their function? How should you deal with low estrogen production? and much more.
Sources: Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopause.