What Is Hormonal Imbalance?

What Is Hormonal Imbalance?

Hormones are vital for health. An imbalance of hormones leads to signs indicating something is wrong within the body. Luckily, most hormonal imbalance related conditions can be treated.

In some cases, hormonal imbalances may be temporary while others are chronic (long-term). Certain types of imbalances require treatment while others may be managed as they do not negatively affect quality of life.w

Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance

• Weight gain
• Fatigue
• Hump of fat between the shoulders
• Muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
• Unexplained and sometimes sudden weight loss
• Muscle weakness
• Increased sensitivity to cold or heat
• Constipation or more frequent bowel movements
• Frequent urination
• Pain, stiffness, or swelling in your joints
• Increased or decreased heart rate
• Depression
• Increased hunger
• Thinning hair or fine, brittle hair
• Sweating
• Increased thirst
• Decreased sex drive
• Blurred vision
• Nervousness, anxiety, or irritability
• Infertility
• Purple or pink stretch marks
• Dry skin
• Puffy face
• Rounded face

Causes of a Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance can occur due to many causes. These may differ depending on glands or hormones affected. Common causes of hormonal imbalance include the following:

• Hormone therapy
• Medications
• Pituitary tumors
• Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy
• Tumors (both cancerous and benign)
• Stress
• Conditions such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, diabetes insipidus, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypogonadism, hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules, Cushing syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and thyroiditis
• Eating disorders
• Injury or trauma
• Addison’s disease

Other Causes:

• Menopause
• Hormone medications (birth control pills)
• Premature menopause
• PCOS
• Breastfeeding
• Pregnancy

Diagnosing Hormonal Imbalances

The doctor will prescribe a physical exam. You need to describe your symptoms and the timeline along which these occurred. Additionally, the doctor needs to know about the medications, vitamins, and supplements you’ve been taking.

Depending on the symptoms, doctor may suggest any one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

Blood Test – A sample of your blood will be sent to a lab for testing thyroid and estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol levels. This test helps in detecting most hormones in the blood.

Pelvic Exam – The test is prescribed to perform a Pap smear in women to feel for unusual lumps, tumors, or cysts. The doctor checks scrotum in men for any lumps or abnormalities.

Ultrasound – The test uses sound waves to have a look inside body. It will give a clear image of testicles, uterus, ovaries, thyroid, or pituitary gland.

At-home Tests – These testing kits can be easily used for diagnosing hormonal imbalance. The kits are available for a variety of conditions. For instance, home testing kits can test menopause measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in urine and indicate if menopause has started. A healthcare professional’s confirmation may be necessary. Separate kits are also available for measure cortisol levels, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones (progesterone and testosterone) by using saliva or blood from the fingertip. Some may require a urine sample. These kits need to be sent to lab for confirming diagnosis.

Additional Tests – Other tests prescribed for diagnosing hormonal imbalance include MRI, Biopsy, X-ray, thyroid scan, and sperm count test.

Treatment Options for Hormonal Imbalance

The accurate treatment option depends on the cause. Some of the most common options include the following mentioned below:

Estrogen Therapy – The therapy is recommended for menopausal women to treat symptoms such as hot flashes, chills, night sweats, mood changes, weight gain and slowed metabolism, thinning of hair, dry skin, loss of breast fullness etc.

Vaginal Estrogen – The treatment helps manage symptoms such as vaginal dryness or pain during sex.

Hormonal Birth Control – These regulate menstrual cycles. The most common types of hormonal birth control prescribed include birth control shot, birth control pill, vaginal ring, intrauterine device (IUD), and birth control patch.

Anti-androgen Medications – Androgens (male sex hormones) are present in individuals of all genders. High androgen levels can cause serious symptoms such as hair loss, acne, facial hair growth, and acne. Anti-androgen medications block these effects of androgens.

Testosterone Therapy – These supplements are prescribed to reduce the symptoms of low testosterone such as severe hair loss, reduced sex drive, shrinking testicles, loss of armpit and pubic hair, erectile dysfunction, and hot flashes.

Thyroid Hormone Therapy – The medicine is prescribed for treating hypothyroidism. It is available in the form of synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, Unithroid) tablets that help balance hormone levels.

Metformin – The type 2 diabetes medication is helpful in treating PCOS symptoms. Although not approved by the FDA for treating PCOS, the medicine is known to reduce androgen levels and boost ovulation.

Flibanserin (Addyi) and bremelanotide (Vyleesi) – Addyi and Vyleesi are the only medications that are FDA-approved for the treatment of low sexual desire in premenopausal people. Addyi is a pill, and Vyleesi is a elf-administered injectable medication.

These drugs may come with some serious side effects, such as severe nausea and changes in blood pressure. Talk with your doctor to see if either one could be right for you.

Eflornithine (Vaniqa) – This prescription cream is designed specifically for excessive facial hair. Applied topically to the skin, it helps slow new hair growth, but it does not get rid of existing hair.

Natural Remedies and Supplements – These supplements are used for treating menopause and hormonal imbalance. However, only a few of them have scientific evidence. Comprising of plant-derived hormones, these supplements are also referred to as “bioidentical” hormones due to chemical resemblance to natural hormones of the body.

Yoga is also known to ease symptoms of hormonal imbalance. It is proven to improve overall strength, flexibility, and balance. It may also help with weight loss to regulate hormones.

Lifestyle Changes – Certain lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight, eating a well-balanced diet, and stress management can help treat hormonal imbalance.

Complications of Hormonal Imbalance

Hormone imbalances in the body are associated with a number of chronic health conditions. If left untreated, it can increase risk for several serious medical conditions such as:

• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• Diabetes insipidus
• Goiter
• Hypo/hyperthyroidism
• High blood pressure
• PCOS
• Unable to get pregnant/difficult pregnancy
• High cholesterol
• Sleep apnea
• Depression and anxiety
• Osteoporosis
• Kidney damage
• Breast cancer
• Neuropathy
• Sexual dysfunction
• Heart disease
• Infertility
• Obesity
• Endometrial cancer
• Loss of muscle mass
• Urinary incontinence

To Sum Up

Hormones control major processes of human body. Imbalance of hormones can cause varied symptoms and complications. Hence, it is important to seek treatment without delay. Consult your doctor the moment you observe any changes in your body or energy levels. This will help in treating hormonal imbalance early before the complications become severe.