Experiencing Menopause? Your Guide To Bioidentical Hormone Replacement

If you have just begun entering menopause, then you may have begun experiencing several symptoms as your ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone hormones. While every woman is unique and some experience more menopause symptoms than others, just a few of the most common menopause symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and more frequent urination. 

While there are a variety of treatments for menopause symptoms, a popular treatment option is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. This type of therapy offers many benefits that can be obtained by few other menopause treatments. 

Read on to learn more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, including its benefits and much more. 

Hormone Replacement Therapy Benefits 

Hormone replacement therapy provides your body with small amounts of the hormones that it used to create abundantly before you entered menopause. While it may not relieve all menopause symptoms, it can help reduce or eliminate the following menopause symptoms: 

• Hot flashes. Hot flashes can feel both uncomfortable and embarrassing, especially if it causes profuse sweating and/or occurs several times a day for long periods of time. 
• Vaginal dryness. This menopause symptom can lead to intercourse feeling downright uncomfortable and can even lead to the development of frequent painful urinary tract infections. 
• Bone loss. Lack of estrogen production during menopause can lead to loss of bone density and even the development of osteoporosis, which can then lead to bones fracturing much more easily than when they were denser. 

Why Bioidentical Hormones?

There are two main types of hormones that can be used during hormone replacement therapy: synthetic hormones and bioidentical hormones. 

Synthetic hormones differ in molecular structure from the hormones your body naturally created in abundance before you entered menopause. For this reason, your body cannot utilize these hormones instantly but instead must convert them before they can perform the tasks that natural hormones once did. These hormones are lab-created.

Bioidentical hormones, on the other hand, have the exact same molecular structure of the estrogen and progesterone hormones a younger woman's body naturally creates. For this reason, your body can utilize them instantly with no conversion process needed. These hormones are usually derived from plants. For these reasons, many women prefer taking bioidentical hormones. 

Other Hormone Therapy Options

Aside from the choice between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, another option you may have when seeking hormone replacement therapy is whether you would prefer systemic hormone replacement or low-dose vaginal hormone therapy. While systemic hormone therapy treats many menopause symptoms, low-dose vaginal hormone therapy typically eases only the vaginal dryness and frequent urge to urinate that menopause can cause. 

If you have just begun experiencing the symptoms of menopause, then consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy services, such as Southern Integrative & Environmental Medical, to help ease menopause hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and bone loss.