Did you know a wide range of symptoms such as weight gain or loss, fatigue, excessive hair growth, sweating, etc. happen due to hormonal imbalance? An endocrine condition occurs when a hormone or several hormone levels get too low or too high in the body, which affects its respective functions. It can lead to many diseases, but hormonal imbalance is treatable. Learn all the available treatment options for hormonal imbalance in this article to prevent these symptoms and live a good life.

Treatment options available

There are many treatment options available for treating hormonal imbalances depending on the cause. Treatment options can vary for each person for treating their hormonal imbalance.

Treatment options for females

Here are the most common treatment options for female hormonal imbalances:

1. Estrogen therapy:

This treatment option is used to treat menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, etc. During estrogen therapy, doctors give a low dose of artificial estrogen hormone in the form of pill, patch or cream, vaginal ring, gel, or spray to reduce your menopause symptoms and prevent osteoporosis.

It also has side effects as well which include – endometrial cancer, increased risk of blood clots, stroke, etc. That’s why you should discuss the risks and benefits first of this hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with the doctor.

2. Vaginal estrogen:

This treatment is used when you experience vaginal dryness or pain during sex, you can use estrogen in the form of a cream, tablet, or ring directly applied to vaginal tissues to reduce these symptoms. This therapy can eliminate many risks linked with systemic estrogen, or estrogen travels from the bloodstream to the right organ.

3. Hormonal birth control:

These medications are used to prevent pregnancy. It contains artificial forms of estrogen and progesterone to regulate your menstrual cycles. It comes in the form of pills, patches, shots, vaginal rings, and intrauterine devices (IUD). Besides managing menstrual cycles, some birth control can improve acne and reduce extra hair on the face and body. However, too much use of birth control can cause certain side effects such as headaches, nausea, high blood pressure, etc. so, use them with caution after discussing with your doctor.

4. Anti-androgen medications:

These medications are used to block male sex hormones in people of all genders, especially women who experience symptoms such as severe acne, facial hair growth, or hair loss. If you have high androgen levels, then these medications can block the effects of androgens.

5. Clomiphene and letrozole:

These medications are used to stimulate ovulation in women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) who are trying to become pregnant. It is also given along with infertility injections of gonadotropins to increase the chances of pregnancy.

6. Eflornithine:

This cream is prescribed to slow the growth of excessive facial hair in women. When you apply this cream to your skin, it slows new hair growth but doesn’t get rid of existing hair.

7. Flibanserin and bremelanotide:

These medications are used to treat low sexual desire in premenopausal people. Flibanserin is a pill while bremelanotide is an injectable medication. These drugs also have some serious side effects such as severe nausea and abnormal blood pressure. So, before taking them, discuss their benefits and risks with your doctor to know which one is right for you.

8. Assisted reproductive technology:

Technologies such as In vitro fertilization (IVF) are used to help people who suffer from PCOS complications and want to become pregnant.

Treatment options for males

These treatment options are used for male hormonal imbalances:

• Testosterone therapy:

This therapy is used when you are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone. Usually, these symptoms occur in adolescents who experience delayed or stunted puberty, which can stimulate their puberty. But it can be used for anyone with low testosterone.

During this therapy, the doctor gives a small dose of artificial testosterone in the form of injections, patches, or gel.

Common treatment options for hormonal imbalances

These treatment options are common in all genders and include:

• Thyroid hormone therapy: This hormonal therapy is used to treat hypothyroidism and relieve its symptoms. The most common thyroid hormone therapy medications are levothyroxine, Synthroid, and unithroid.
• Metformin: This medication is used to treat diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels. For some people, it is also used to treat PCOS symptoms by lowering androgen levels and encouraging ovulation. However, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not recommend treating PCOS with metformin. So, you should discuss this medicine with your healthcare provider.

Natural remedies

Here are some natural remedies that are also used to manage the symptoms of hormonal imbalances. However, clinical studies do not approve any natural remedies to treat hormonal imbalances and their causes. But you can use them along with your treatment for better symptom management.

Supplements

Natural supplements such as black cohosh, dong quai, red clover, and primrose oil can reduce hot flashes caused by menopause. Similarly, ginseng can be used to manage irritability, anxiousness, and sleep disturbances caused by menopause. However, before using natural or herbal treatment, a person should ask their doctor to ensure safety and avoid interaction side effects with medications.

Lifestyle changes

These lifestyle changes can reduce your symptoms of hormonal imbalances:

• Maintain a good body weight.
• Eat a well-balanced nutritious diet.
• Maintain good personal hygiene by cleaning the oily body parts such as the face, neck, back, and chest.
• Use over-the-counter washes, rinses, and medicated creams or gels to reduce symptoms such as acne, hot flashes caused by weather, or eating spicy, or hot foods and drinks.
• Manage your stress with stress-relieving techniques such as yoga, deep breathing, and mindful meditation.
• Reduce your sugary foods and refined carbohydrates.
• Replace your non-stick pans with ceramic pans.
• Use glass containers for storing heated food and drinks.
• Avoid using cleaning products that contain toxic chemicals, such as bleach.
• Buy pesticides or chemical-free fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid microwave foods and drinks in plastic containers.

These are the available treatment options for hormonal imbalances. The main goal of hormonal treatment is to treat the cause. If the cause is not curable, then with medication and natural remedies your symptoms are managed. However, if you experience side effects with any medication or natural remedies you can tell your doctor so that they can replace it with an alternative.

If you are experiencing hormonal imbalance, then come to our endocrinology clinic in Brooklyn. We have many endocrinologists who can treat your condition and give tips on how to manage it to live a good life. Call us on +1-347-384-5690 and get answers to all your queries. Log on to  www.doralhw.org or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212 to book an appointment with our endocrinologist to get the best treatment.