Menopause is, for many women, a time of freedom. There’s no longer a risk of an unexpected pregnancy, and your months aren’t interrupted by days of menstrual side effects.
However, others have a tougher time with menopause symptoms, to the point that aspects of everyday life become difficult to deal with. That’s why the team at Health Solutions in Tinley Park, Rockford, and Olympia Fields, Illinois, and Munster, Indiana, provides women’s health solutions like hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
As with any medical treatment, it’s prudent to have concerns about the safety of HRT. There’s plenty of misinformation floating around, much of it connected with a largely debunked study from over 20 years ago.
To set the record straight, let’s examine the latest research on HRT so you have reliable information upon which to base your healthcare choices. Here’s what you need to know.
Menopause is primarily caused by the loss of estrogen production in a woman’s body. Estrogen isn’t simply a hormone governing sex and reproduction; it has effects throughout your body.
When low estrogen levels upset your hormone balance, you’re open to a wide range of related symptoms, including:
HRT reduces the severity of menopause symptoms by replacing naturally formed estrogen with bioidentical synthetic supplements. Contemporary HRT matches a patient’s needs with custom-formulated hormone blends to generate maximum benefits with a minimal risk of side effects.
Data from a large Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study was released, with a focus on potential increases in breast cancer and heart attack risks associated with HRT. Later analysis revealed that these conclusions were largely misinterpreted.
The primary flaw was one of clinical practice, looking at HRT use for women who had been in menopause for 10 years or more. In fact, HRT is typically prescribed much earlier, during the first few years of menopause or even during perimenopause, with use generally discontinued between two and five years.
Contemporary data shows that, while risks of breast cancer and heart attacks may be higher among older menopausal women, HRT far outweighs risks when used in early menopause. As well as easing the severity of day-to-day menopause symptoms, HRT reduces the risk of other postmenopausal health risks like coronary disease, dementia, and osteoporosis.
Today, the North American Menopause Society recommends that HRT is safe and effective for treating the diverse symptoms of menopause when administered at an appropriate age and using an individual approach to dosages. HRT fast tracks relief for menopause symptoms that significantly detract from overall quality of a woman’s life.
Contact Health Solutions at the nearest of our four locations to learn more about safe, effective, and personalized HRT therapy. Call or click to book your appointment today.
