Hormone therapy is a medical treatment that consists of giving a person additional hormones, which can help balance their own hormones or change the composition of hormones in their body. While many people automatically think of hormone therapy as it relates to women, men can also receive treatments such as testosterone therapy. This can be done as a treatment to restore lost hormones due to illness, to help relieve symptoms, and to help slow the growth of some cancers and other diseases. These hormones are often taken in shot, pill, patch, or cream form. There are several reasons why people may undergo hormone therapy:
Hormonal Imbalances
Hormone therapy may be prescribed to correct imbalances in hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and thyroid hormone. Insulin is also a hormone that is sometimes given in shot form for diabetic people who are unable to make enough of their own insulin. Just like any medicine, hormone therapy can produce uncomfortable or dangerous side effects.
Menopausal Symptoms
Hormone therapy can help reduce hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopausal symptoms in women. Female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are given to help replace those that are unbalanced or lost during perimenopause and menopause. Not only can hormone replacement therapy help reduce some of the uncomfortable and painful symptoms of menopause, but it can also help prevent some of the more dangerous changes that occur after menopause, such as fragile bones.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a hormonal disorder that affects women and can cause irregular periods, acne, and weight gain. Hormone therapy can help regulate menstrual cycles and reduce symptoms. For this disease, the goal of therapy is to help reduce suffering and relieve symptoms, so treatments are not the same for everyone. Some women might need therapy to help reduce period pain or treat infertility while others might be focused on treatment to help maintain a healthy weight and regulate periods.
Hypogonadism
This condition occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough testosterone. In children, this can result in delayed puberty. In adults, it can cause infertility, loss of sex drive, loss of bone mass, and depression. Hormone therapy can help increase testosterone levels. In children, a few months of hormone therapy is sometimes sufficient to trigger puberty. In adults, the therapy might be longer-lasting. Severe hypogonadism can cause symptoms similar to menopause in women.
Infertility
Hormone therapy may be used to help stimulate ovulation in women who are having trouble getting pregnant. Other hormones can also help treat infertility in other ways, such as helping to create a thick uterine lining, which is necessary for maintaining a pregnancy. These hormones can be synthetic or human, and they are administered in different ways and at different times depending on the needs of the patient.
Breast Cancer
Some types of breast cancer can be treated with the help of hormone therapy. Not all breast cancers can be treated this way, but for the ones that can, the therapy is a supplement to help support other cancer treatments. Hormone therapy may be used to reduce the risk of breast cancer returning or to slow its growth. It is usually done to shrink the tumor before surgery, or after surgery to help prevent cancer from reappearing.
Prostate Cancer
Hormone therapy may be used to reduce the level of testosterone in the body, which can slow the growth of prostate cancer cells. It is more typically used when surgery or radiation aren’t options, or in cases where cancer has returned after surgery or radiation. It can also be used before or along with radiation.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus. Hormone therapy can help reduce pain and other symptoms such as heavy or irregular periods. Many times, hormone therapy takes the form of birth control pills although there are other options as well.
Uterine Fibroids
These noncancerous tumors can cause heavy periods, abdominal pain, and infertility. Hormone therapy can help shrink fibroids and reduce symptoms. Sometimes, as with endometriosis, birth control medication is used to provide hormones. Other times, different hormones, non-hormonal medications, or surgery are used.
Reduce the Risk of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become weaker and break more easily. It is most common in women after they start experiencing a drop in their estrogen levels during and after menopause. Hormone therapy can help increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women.
Acne
For many people, acne is caused by hormone changes, especially in teens and women. While there are many less-invasive ways to help reduce the occurrence and severity of acne, for some people with severe acne, hormone therapy can also be considered. Occasionally, hormone therapy can worsen acne, especially when it’s primarily being used to treat other concerns such as menopause symptoms.
Conclusion
For people, especially women, who are suffering from diseases caused by irregular or unbalanced hormones, hormone replacement therapy seems an obvious choice. For other diseases, hormone therapy is not a cure or replacement, but rather a way to help manage the symptoms of an illness. Finally, hormone therapy can be used to shrink hormone-reactive cancer tissues as a support for other, more invasive cancer treatments. No matter why you need hormone therapy, it’s important to stay in close contact with your doctor and understand all of the potential risks and benefits of each treatment.
