While menopause is natural, its symptoms can be very uncomfortable. Hormone replacement therapy is proven to help some women manage the most painful symptoms that often accompany the 12 months following a woman’s final period. That can make it easier to transition through this life stage with more comfort. To understand more, let’s look at the many benefits and some notable drawbacks below.
Hormone Replacement Therapy: What Is It?
HRT, or hormone replacement therapy, is a menopause treatment that increases progesterone and estrogen levels in the body. One of the most significant benefits of hormone therapy is its alleviation of intimate dryness, hot flashes, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
How to Tell If You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy
Menopause is a natural and inevitable transition, and every woman’s experience is different. While some may notice few signs, others experience prolonged, painful, and life-altering symptoms. If you notice these signs, you may be a candidate for HRT:
- Intimate dryness
- Hot flashes
- Painful intercourse
- Low libido
- Insomnia
- Mood swings and irritability
- Night sweats
If you’re experiencing these symptoms and your menstrual cycle has become sporadic, you may be in perimenopause. To check if you are in this life stage and ways to cope, including whether hormone therapy is right for you, see your doctor.
Hormone Therapy Types
The two types of hormone replacement therapy are estrogen-only and combination. If you haven’t had a hysterectomy, your physician may suggest combination (estrogen and progesterone) therapy because it reduces the risk of uterine cancer. Women who have had hysterectomies do not need additional progesterone and can get all the benefits and few of the dangers by receiving estrogen-only HRT.
Women may receive hormone therapy in one of two ways:
- Systemic HRT is taken as a patch, injection, or pill. It sends hormones directly to the tissues and organs requiring them, and it treats systemic symptoms like intimate dryness, hot flashes, and mood swings.
- Local HRT is a ring, suppository, or cream used on certain areas of the body. It doesn’t go into the bloodstream; instead, it promotes intimate lubrication and rebuilds the vaginal lining.
Localized HRT has fewer risks, but it is less effective at treating systemic symptoms. Ask a doctor which type of hormone replacement therapy is right for you.
Related Read: Empowering Women through Obstetrics and Gynecology
Hormone Therapy Benefits
Hormone replacement therapy offers many benefits and plays a key role in managing menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, intimate dryness, depression, and low libido. HRT alleviates discomfort and helps many menopausal women live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
HRT Risks
Hormone replacement therapy is right for some healthy women 60 and under and within a decade of menopause. There are some risks, including:
- Blood clots can develop in the lungs and legs, which may increase stroke risk.
- Risk of endometrial cancer in some women.
- A higher breast cancer risk in women receiving combination hormone replacement therapy for five years or more. The risk decreases after treatment is discontinued.
When receiving HRT, it’s important to stay updated on mammograms, pelvic exams, and check-ups. Your doctor will likely begin by prescribing you the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible timeframe to see the results for your body.
Talk to Your Doctor About HRT
Consulting your doctor about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy will help you better understand it and choose the option that’s best for your health. Experts in improving women’s health can guide you toward what’s best for your body and answer your questions.
What are your thoughts on hormone replacement therapy for managing menopause symptoms? Have you or someone you know gone through HRT, and if so, what was the experience like?
Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels (Canva Free).
Great post. Thanks for the information.
Thanks Chantel for appreciating this one!