Signs You May Be Suffering From A Hormone Imbalance

Hormones are important, as they regulate many body functions and processes, including appetite and metabolism, sleep cycles, reproductive cycles and sexual function, body temperature and mood. Here are some common signs you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance.

What Causes Hormonal Imbalance?

When there is too much or too little of a particular hormone in our bloodstream, we can suffer from a hormone imbalance. For women hormonal imbalances are more common during puberty, pregnancy, and menstruation. Even if the imbalances are small, they can cause side effects in your body.

Hormones regulate most major body functions and processes. They regulate our metabolism and appetite, our heart rate, sleep cycle, growth and development, mood and stress level, body temperature, plus reproductive cycles and sexual functions.

While some hormones fluctuate throughout your lifetime and may just be due to aging, your signs of hormonal imbalance will depend on what hormones or glands aren’t working properly.

South Bay OBGYN can help you determine the answer.

Typical Signs of Hormonal Imbalance In Women

Symptoms associated with the most common causes of hormonal imbalance include the following:

• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Problems sleeping
• Excessive sweating
• Very dry skin and rashes
• Irritability and anxiety
• Long term fatigue
• Increased thirst
• Changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar
• Decreased sex drive
• Infertility

Women suffering with hormonal imbalance have many of the above symptoms, but they also have some additional signs like heavy, irregular, or painful periods, hot flashes, breast tenderness, acne before and during menstruation, hair growth on the face, neck, back, or chest, skin tags, deepening voice, clitoral enlargement, and darkening of the skin along neck creases, in the groin area, and under breasts.

Treatments For Hormonal Imbalance

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is used commonly to balance hormones in women after menopause. It is used for a certain period of time before being discontinued.

Bioidentical hormones are another way to balance out hormones. They are man made hormones similar to those in our bodies like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. They are advertised as being safer and more natural than conventional HRT.

At this time, medical societies and researchers state that the risks and benefits of conventional and bioidentical hormones should be considered equal. Talk with South Bay OBGYN about their use if you are having symptoms.