Hormone Replacement Therapy is a common approach to deal with a number of health issues. Certain hormones or combinations of them are prescribed by doctors in the form of pills or even gels to treat the specific conditions. To get the best hormone replacement therapy Scottsdale, you need to be sure that you are under the supervision of some competent specialist.
When is Hormone Replacement Therapy used?
- Menopause – It is a transition for a woman from one stage of her life when she could reproduce to the next. It is not always that a woman would need any sort of treatment during this transition. However, she might have certain discomforts which are needed to be taken care of. There are symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, osteoporosis, urinary problems, hair thinning, sleep disorders, mood swings, irregular periods and even difficulties with memory and focus. These are primarily caused because of the lack of oestrogen production in the female’s body. Hormonal Replacement Therapy is widely used to treat such symptoms because it replaces the oestrogen that the female’s body does not produce after menopause.
- Birth control – Hormone therapy is widely used in contraception. They come in various forms like pills, intrauterine device (IUD),, vaginal rings, injections and skin patches. The expert in hormone replacement therapy Scottsdale would be able to suggest the most suitable option for a particular person. These forms contain either only progestin or both oestrogen and progestin.
- Sex transition – Hormone replacement therapy has a key role to play in the transition from the sex one is born with. For instance, in feminizing hormone therapy, one would be given certain hormonal medication to restrict the actions of the male hormone testosterone. At the same time to reduce the production of testosterone and to induce the secondary feminine sex characteristics, one would also be given oestrogen. This treatment can be done by itself or in combination with feminising surgery. The doctor would be able to guide the person on how to go about the whole process.
- Prostate cancer – The treatment of prostate cancer with hormone therapy aims to stop testosterone from being produced or reaching the prostate cancer cells. These cells mostly depend on testosterone to help their growth. A successful hormone therapy would make the cancer cells die or at least grow slowly. This process is also referred as androgen deprivation therapy.
- Low levels of testosterone – Hormone replacement is also used to treat people with extremely low levels of testosterone. This condition can be problematic to the performance of regular body functions. This can lead to reduced muscle mass and a low sex drive. To treat this condition testosterone is prescribed in the form of pills to be consumed, or gels and patches to be applied to the skin or in the form of injections.
Conclusion:
Hormone replacement therapy has many benefits but research has shown that there are many risks as well if not taken properly. It is extremely important that you do not try to purchase such medicines over the counter without any proper prescription. A doctor would be the best judge to weigh the risks and give you the necessary medication accordingly.
