5 Things You Should Know About Hrt

Women who are going through menopause are commonly prescribed hormone replacement to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause, which include hot flashes, panic attacks and night sweats. Hormone replacement therapy can be very effective in taming the side effects of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy can provide a lot of benefits, but is not totally without risks. Read on for five things that you should know about hormone replacement therapy.

Hormone replacement therapy is used to replace hormones that are naturally produced by the ovaries. Symptoms including headaches and night sweats are commonly experienced when the ovaries cease hormone production. These are not by any means all of the effects which are caused by menopause, but are a few of the most common which HRT can provide some relief from. After taking the replacement hormones for a month or so, many women report some relief from the symptoms of menopause.

Hormone replacement therapy can be prescribed in several different forms. Doctors can assist women in determining which hormone replacement therapies are best for her particular set of menopause symptoms. Replacement hormones can be had in the form of "bioidentical" hormones, which are naturally produced by plants or as synthetic hormones created through chemical processes. Replacement hormones can be found in pill form, as creams, gels and injections, even transdermal patches! Many women find that one form works better for them than another.

Hormone replacement therapy has risks and side effects. The majority of doctors are of the opinion that healthy women can tolerate hormone therapy for a period of up to five years at low dosages without suffering any significant risks or side effects. There are, however, some risks. Some studies suggest that HRT increases a woman's risks of breast, uterine or endometrial cancer, heart disease and blood clot formation. Women who have a history of these cancers will usually be encouraged to not take these hormones. There are also some side effects which may show up in the short term, including dizziness, headaches, hair growth and nausea.

There are health benefits from taking HRT. There are benefits as well as risks for menopausal women in taking HRT. Hormones can alleviate the symptoms of menopause experienced by many women and also may have some effects in reducing the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis and some degenerative eye diseases. The benefits of HRT are many and should also be well understood by women.

Taking HRT is not a must for menopause. Not every woman going through menopause opts for hormone replacement therapy. Menopause, after all, is a natural process which is part of aging. A lot of women simply deal with menopause without any sort of medications. Regular exercise, a good diet, vitamins and other supplements and just keeping your stress level down can all be good for keeping the effects of menopause to a minimum. Menopausal women should remember to get regular checkups as well. Doctors may sometimes recommend herbal remedies in conjunction with other methods to reduce the severity of menopause symptoms.

Health is only one of the four pillars to a rewarding life.