Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Advisable?

Hot blazes, state of mind swings, rest issues and numerous different side effects are frequently connected with menopause. Chemical supplanting( hormone replacement) treatment with estrogen and progestin alleviates extreme side effects. However, it can likewise increment disease risk.

And What Are The Other Risks Of Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Toward the end of the 1990s, the principal studies showed that ladies who got chemical substitution treatment had an expanded gamble of bosom malignant growth. This was particularly valid for the individuals who took chemical trade treatment for quite a while, even after menopause. These investigations before long showed that the gamble of bosom malignant growth increments with the number of years that a lady has been taking chemical arrangements.

Generally speaking, bosom disease risk has been the best concentrated to date. It increases when estrogen is taken alone and when consolidated treatment with progesterone is utilized.

Furthermore, taking the chemicals expands the gamble of ovarian disease and malignant endometrial growth, assuming you utilize estrogen planning alone. Notwithstanding, the treatment additionally broadens the risk of coronary illness, apoplexy and stroke. The gamble for ladies is most noteworthy when they take tablets. Chemicals that are consumed through a fix on the skin are safer.

Up to this point, there are no unequivocal admonitions for creams and gels containing chemicals that assist against drying out of the mucous layers in the genital region. It’s anything but an issue for a couple of ladies during and after menopause. Assuming the mucous layer is excessively dry, it can lead to wounds and contaminations, for instance, cystitis or vaginal issues during sex without much of a stretch. The chemical containing creams make a nearby difference. Consequently, the gamble for this type of chemical treatment is low.

Do Hormones Have Benefits?

One benefit is quite clear: estrogen administration relieves hot flashes almost immediately. And studies show that hot flashes, in particular, are the most distressing symptom of menopause for many women: they bring so many other problems such as sleeping problems, cardiovascular problems, and you don’t feel good overall. Hormone replacement therapy reduces these problems in a very sustainable way. 

This is why experts today are no longer fundamentally opposed to hormone therapy during menopause. If there is simply no other option in the short term and the hormones are discontinued as soon as possible, women can decide whether they are ready but at a slightly higher risk. The intake can then last for a few months, not for years. At the latest, when you are at an age when menopause should generally be over, you should check whether the problems are still there after stopping the preparations. 

The situation is very different for women who, for various reasons, go through menopause far too early, such as an illness. For them, the administration of estrogens and progestins is a recognized way of achieving an almost average hormone level and thus avoiding the consequences of premature menopause, for example, bone health. However, as they approach the age at which menopause would generally begin, they should gradually reduce treatment and stop altogether.

Are There Alternatives To Hormone Treatment?

For women with dry vagina problems, there are low-dose, hormone-containing creams and gels for the vaginal area that are less risky. A lot of research has been done on other alternatives, but with little proven success so far. Alternatively, there are, for example, the so-called phytohormones (editor’s note: this refers to plant hormones, for instance, from soya or flaxseed), whose effectiveness has not yet been sufficiently proven. This also applies to preparations made from black cohosh (Cimicifuga), which is often included in this group for simplicity. Some data suggest that mitigating effects are possible. 

But there are also studies and summary reviews that state their impact is tiny. This may come as a disappointment to many women looking for a plant-based alternative. Experts also point out that, at least theoretically, it cannot be ruled out that very effective phytoestrogens also increase the risk of breast cancer. However, the discussion on this is not yet over. The other significant alternatives studied in studies are acupuncture, yoga, exercise, and dietary changes, such as a diet high in plant products and soy. Although these options also help to feel better overall, unfortunately, they do not do much to combat the main problem of hot flashes. Many women say that relaxation exercises have helped them the most.

A group of women must not undergo hormone replacement therapy under any circumstances: patients after hormone-dependent breast cancer. However, these women in particular often suffer particularly severely from hot flashes. Drugs that have other areas of application may be suitable for them. They reduce hot flashes and profuse sweating, at least to some extent. These prescription drugs are an alternative for women who suffer greatly but cannot take hormones, although they can have their side effects. However, creams containing hormones are almost always permitted in the case of pronounced mucosal problems in the intimate area since only very few hormones get into the body here.

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