Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a medical treatment given to women to replace the declining estrogen and progesterone levels common with the onset of menopause. The therapy is used to help alleviate bothersome menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Signs You May Benefit from Hormone Replacement Therapy
Menopause is a normal transition in a woman’s life, and every woman will have their own unique experience. While one woman may notice their periods stop with minimal physical changes, another may experience prolonged symptoms that are uncomfortable. When your menopause symptoms start to impact your mental and physical health, making everyday life and tasks difficult or distressing, hormone replacement therapy may be an option. Signs you may benefit from hormone replacement therapy include:
- Hot flashes
- Vaginal dryness
- Low sex-drive
- Painful sex
- Sleeping problems
- Extreme mood changes and irritability
Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Estrogen-only hormone therapy and combination hormone therapy (estrogen and progesterone) are the two main types of hormone replacement therapy. There are two ways a woman can receive hormone replacement therapy — systemically or locally:
- Systemic hormone therapy is mainly taken in a pill, injection, or patch. It works by releasing hormones into the bloodstream and reaching the organs and tissues that need them. This type of therapy can help with systemic symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood changes.
- Local hormone therapy is a cream, ring, or suppository used on a localized area and doesn’t get into the bloodstream. It’s mainly used to help women suffering from vaginal dryness due to the loss of estrogen by rebuilding the vaginal lining and promoting lubrication. Fewer risks are associated with localized hormone therapy, but it does not help prevent or alleviate systemic symptoms like hot flashes.
What is Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Unlike traditional hormone therapy, which uses lab-created synthetic hormones, natural hormone therapy, also known as bioidentical hormone therapy, uses plant-derived hormones. These hormones are then altered in a lab to have the same molecular structure as the hormones your body used to produce before menopause.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Benefits
Hormone replacement therapy can be very beneficial and plays an important role in managing menopause symptoms during the menopause transition. Hormone replacement therapy may help alleviate the following symptoms:
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Reduced sex drive
How To Get Help
ReVital offers free consultations where you can speak to one of our clinicians about ReVital’s Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. At ReVital, we can conduct simple blood tests to evaluate the levels of these hormones in your system and prescribe supplements or therapies to treat and control the majority of hormonal imbalances. We also encourage that you connect with your regular doctor about any changes in your health and moods. Talking to your doctor and discussing the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy can help you understand your options and what’s best for you and your health.