Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms and Treatment: Hormones are chemical messengers secreted by your body in order to maintain the proper functioning of your body. These chemicals travel in your body to the target tissues and organs and stimulate them to start their function. There are many organs in your body which secrete hormones.
When there is a Hormonal Imbalance it means that your body either has a deficiency of a hormone or that there is an excess of hormones. Some of these hormone levels change throughout the life of a person and are considered perfectly normal. However when your endocrine system is unable to produce a certain type of hormone or produces defective hormone then this is considered as a medical condition and needs immediate treatment.
Hormonal Imbalance can have many side effects on your body and can even lead to dysfunction of many organs. There are many causes which can lead to a Hormonal Imbalance in a person. Generally, Hormonal Imbalance can be treated with medications and lifestyle modifications.
Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal Imbalance occurs when your body is unable to produce enough quantities of hormones, when your body produces excessive quantities of a hormone or when your body produces defected hormones. This condition can lead to various noticeable symptoms in the patients which include disturbances in metabolism, homeostasis, growth and development of the patient. These hormonal imbalances can be acute or chronic and can require medical treatment.
Chronic Hormonal Imbalance can lead to the onset of many complications in the patients such as Diabetes, High blood pressure, infertility, acne and thyroid diseases. Hormonal Imbalance can be cured with the proper medications and lifestyle changes however some cases may require surgical interventions. The article given below will cover all the details regarding Hormonal Imbalance, its symptoms, its causes, diagnosis, treatment and preventive measures.
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance
There are many symptoms which can be attributed to Hormonal Imbalance. Hormones can affect your whole body hence the symptoms can appear anywhere in your body. Common symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance which appear in all genders are given below.
- Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Excessive sweating
- Muscle and joint pain
- Swelling in your joints
- Increased sensitivity to hot and cold
- Increased hunger
- Increased urination
- Infertility
- Excessive hair fall
- Depression, anxiety and irritability
- Dry skin and a puffy face
- Blurry vision
- Hormonal acne
- Diabetes
Hormonal Imbalance in people who were assigned male at birth- This Hormonal Imbalance occurs due to a deficiency of Testosterone in your body.
- Gynecomastia which is a condition in which the breast tissue of males develops
- Erectile dysfunction
- Loss of muscle mass and bone mass
- Decreased beard and hair growth
Hormonal Imbalance in people who were assigned female at birth- This Hormonal Imbalance occurs due to a condition affecting your ovaries known as Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This can lead to the following symptoms.
- Heavy and irregular periods
- Excessive hair growth on the face and other parts of the body
- Excessive hair loss
- Night sweats and hot flashes
- Headaches
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Vaginal dryness and atrophy
- Acne on the face
Causes of Hormonal Imbalance
There are many reasons which can affect the production of your hormones. Some of the common causes of Hormonal Imbalance are listed below.
- Tumours- Excessive cell growth in the cells of your endocrine organs can lead to Hormonal Imbalances. They can either lead to excessive hormone production or a deficiency of the hormones.
- Adenomas- Adenomas are benign tumours which do not produce any hormones. However there are some cases in which the adenomas can produce some hormones. In these cases they can lead to an excess amount of hormones in the body.
- Damage during surgery- This is the most common cause of Hypoparathyroidism. This can occur due to accidental damage of the parathyroid glands during a neck or thyroid surgery.
- Restriction in blood flow- If your endocrine organs do not receive adequate blood supply then it can lead to a decrease in the production of hormones. The affected organ can even undergo necrosis if the blood supply is not restored in time.
- Bacterial or viral infection- Hormonal Imbalance can also occur after a bacterial or viral infection. If the bacteria or virus invades the endocrine organ then it can lead to an infection in the organ thus increasing or decreasing the production of the hormones.
- Chemotherapy- Hormone production can be affected by long term Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can damage the endocrine organs leading to a decrease in the production of hormones.
- Traumatic Brain Injury- Most of the hormones and their production is controlled by your Hypothalamus and Pituitary gland. If these organs are damaged during any kind of brain injury then it can lead to a dysfunction in these organs and thus affect the production of the hormones.
- Autoimmune conditions- In many cases, autoimmune diseases can lead to damage of the endocrine organs. This can lead to a decrease in the production of the hormones. These autoimmune conditions can include Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, Addison’s disease and Type 1 Diabetes.
Diagnosis of Hormonal Imbalance
The condition can be diagnosed by a set of diagnostic tests and the medical history of the patient. Your doctor will conduct the following tests in order to diagnose your condition.
- Physical Examination- A physical exam is the first step in the diagnosis of Hormonal Imbalance. Your doctor will ask you questions about your medical history, your symptoms, how often you experience symptoms, what aggravates your symptoms, what calms your symptoms, have you recently gained or lost weight and what kind of medications you are taking.
- Blood Test- Then they will run a blood test on you to check the levels of hormones in your blood. This will check the levels of thyroid hormones, oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol.
- Pelvic Exam- Your doctor will also conduct a pelvic exam in order to check for any lumps and abnormalities in the uterus of females and testicles of males.
- Ultrasound- Ultrasound imaging is used to take a look at the internal structures of your body such as your uterus, ovaries, testicles and pituitary gland.
- Thyroid scan- A thyroid scan is conducted to check the structure of the Thyroid glands in order to look for any abnormalities and tumours in your thyroid gland.
- Urine tests- Urine tests are conducted to look for the presence of hormones in your urine and to check their levels. This test is mostly conducted to look for the presence of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH).
Treatment of Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal Imbalance can be treated through various medications. These medications work by increasing the amount of hormones in your bloodstream. The following medications are used most commonly for the treatment of Hormonal Imbalance.
- Birth Control- Hormonal birth control can be used to treat Hormonal Imbalance. These medications include oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones can help in the regulation of menstrual cycles.
- Vaginal Oestrogen- Hormonal Imbalance can lead to vaginal dryness. This symptom can be treated with oestrogen creams which are applied on the vagina of the patient. Oestrogen tablets can also be used in the treatment of Vaginal dryness.
- Hormone therapy- These medications are used during menopause to treat the symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats.
- Eflornithine- This medication is used to slow down the growth of facial hair in women caused by Hormonal Imbalance.
- Anti-androgen medications- These medications are used to block the expression of male sex hormones in women. This can prevent facial hair and acne.
- Clomiphene and letrozole- Hormonal Imbalance caused by PCOS can be treated with these medications. These medications stimulate ovulation and treat infertility.
- Testosterone medications- Testosterone medications are available in gels and patches which help in the reduction of hypogonadism and stunted puberty.
- Thyroid hormone therapy- If your body is not producing enough Thyroid hormones then your doctor may prescribe synthetic thyroid hormones to fulfil the needs of your body.
Prevention of Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal Imbalance can be prevented by various lifestyle modifications. You can try the following methods to keep your hormones in check.
- Maintain a healthy weight- You should maintain a healthy body weight so that your body does not lack any muscle mass and strength.
- Eat a balanced diet- You should eat a healthy diet in order to provide the essential nutrients to your body to fulfil its needs. This will prevent any kind of deficiencies in your body.
- Exercise regularly- Exercising regularly can boost your overall health and allow your body to maintain its strength. This will also promote the production of certain hormones in your body.
- Manage stress effectively- Hormonal Imbalance can be caused by excessive stress. You can start yoga or meditation in order to control your stress.
- Get enough sleep- Enough sleep is essential for good health and the recovery of your body. You should get at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep.
- Quit smoking and drinking- You should quit smoking and drinking as soon as possible as prolonged exposure to any of these can lead to an adverse effect on your body.
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FAQs Related to Hormonal Imbalance
Hormonal Imbalance occurs when your body is unable to produce enough quantities of hormones, when your body produces excessive quantities of a hormone or when your body produces defected hormones. This condition can lead to various noticeable symptoms in the patients which include disturbances in metabolism, homeostasis, growth and development of the patient.
Hormonal Imbalance can produce various symptoms in the patient. These can include infertility, uncontrolled weight loss and gain, mental health disorders, fatigue, excessive hair fall, increased urination, blurry vision and hormonal acne.
Hormonal Imbalance can occur due to ageing as your endocrine organs start degenerating after you reach a certain age.