Hormone therapy is a treatment for the symptoms that can develop when your body isn’t producing enough of a hormone such as estrogen or testosterone. The symptoms can be uncomfortable, and our chiropractors and the team at Valley Spinal Care in Downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, can make sure you take the optimal amount to reduce symptoms without causing side effects. Schedule an appointment by calling Valley Spinal Care or booking an appointment online today.
Hormone Therapy Q&A
What is hormone therapy for men?
Hormone therapy for men, also called low testosterone therapy, is a treatment that can improve your health and well-being if you have low levels of the hormone testosterone. Many men experience low testosterone, especially after age 30, when hormone production naturally slows down. While it’s a normal part of the aging process, it can lead to physical side effects.
The symptoms of low testosterone are ambiguous, so you need hormone testing and possibly other tests to identify low testosterone as their cause. Hormone therapy for men can help you manage symptoms like:
- Weight gain
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Chronic back pain
- Decreased body hair
- High cholesterol
- Low sex drive
- Reduced sperm production
- Reduced muscle mass
- Loss of bone density with an increased risk of fractures
Some other factors of your health besides aging can contribute to lower levels of testosterone. Your hormone levels can fluctuate because of testicular cancer treatment, obesity, infections, hormone disorders, or chronic kidney disease.
What is hormone therapy for women?
Hormone therapy for women involves the hormones estrogen and progesterone instead of testosterone. Your hormone therapy might involve taking estrogen alone or estrogen with progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone.
Menopause, the time in middle age when you stop ovulating and getting periods, comes with many hormone fluctuations. Symptoms typically appear during a stage called perimenopause. If you experience menopause symptoms, they might include:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Discomfort during sex
- Dry skin
- Insomnia
- Mood changes
- Urinary urgency
Hormone therapy doesn’t stop menopause from happening, but taking your hormones according to your provider’s instructions can alleviate many of the symptoms that are particularly uncomfortable or inconvenient.
How do I take my replacement hormones?
There are a few different ways to take hormones, no matter which type you need. You can talk to the team at Valley Spinal Care about each of your options and choose the one that makes the most sense according to your preferences. Intramuscular injections for testosterone are a popular option, as are skin patches and gels.
A newer way of taking hormones is with hormone pellets. Your provider inserts pellets under your skin on your buttocks, where they release hormones steadily into your bloodstream over time.
If you want to learn more about hormone therapy and its benefits, call Valley Spinal Care or book an appointment online today.
