Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Right For You?

Hormone replacement therapy is often used to treat women who experience hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. If you are unsure whether you should get hormone replacement therapy, read on to see if you may be able to benefit from treatment.

If you have frequent hot flashes:

If you constantly have hot flashes and sweats that are impacting your day-to-day life, including disturbing your sleep, rest assured that hormone therapy is an effective FDA-approved treatment method. Talk to your doctor about any potential risks. However, studies have shown that the benefits far outweigh any potential negative effects for most women.

If you experience vaginal dryness or itching:

Another FDA-approved use for hormone replacement therapy: vaginal dryness and itching as a result of menopause is another good reason to seriously consider getting hormone replacement therapy. If you are experiencing vaginal menopause issues but not getting hot flashes, you should go with a vaginal treatment of estrogen. If you are experiencing both vaginal symptoms and hot flashes, you can use any form of hormone replacement therapy treatment, including oral or skin patch methods If you have both vaginal symptoms and hot flashes, sometimes your doctor may prescribe you both vaginal and oral forms of hormone therapy to be used concurrently. This is especially true if oral hormone therapy alone does not seem to improve the vaginal symptoms.

If you are at risk for osteoporosis:

Hormone replacement therapy may help you if you have a history of, or are at risk for, osteoporosis. In numerous studies, the bone density of women on hormone replacement therapy (along with those that had quit therapy) was analyzed and it was revealed that it aids in the prevention of decrease in bone density in women. Over the course of the studies, women receiving hormone replacement treatments saw a decrease in risk of hip fractures. While it is not recommended that osteoporosis be treated solely through hormone replacement therapy, it is a good supplemental prevention treatment method.

If you are considering hormone replacement therapy, be sure to consult with your doctor and go through all your options, especially if you are wary of any risks. There are numerous types of treatments available to you today. This includes natural hormone treatments such as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, which may suit you better than others. There are even several different forms of treatment such as oral tablets, skin patches, vaginal rings, gels, and nasal sprays. Work with your doctor to come up with a treatment plan tailored to your needs.