Hormones have to be one of the most misunderstood parts of human anatomy. This is partly due to their nature and also how our culture talks about them. Because estrogen and testosterone play such a big part in reproduction and puberty, they often serve as a stand-in for all hormones.
Hormones are about far more than sexual differences and reproductive anatomy. Hormones play a key role is keeping your body functioning properly; they have a hand in almost every major function of your everyday life. It stands to reason then, that when hormones get out of balance, it can lead to serious consequences. Learning about the impacts of a hormone imbalance can help you identify if you’re dealing with its symptoms.
Do you think you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance? Come see us at Enrich Family Practice. Maria Cole, APRN, FNP-C, Kelly Wegner, APRN, FNP-C, and the rest of our team will work with you to help diagnose an imbalance and create a custom treatment plan. We’ll help you get back to feeling normal in no time.
Hormones are important for regulating most major bodily processes, so it’s easy to see how a hormone imbalance could disrupt your daily life. Hormones are essential for controlling:
Hormones extend well past those you may typically associate as being important. Adrenaline, insulin, melatonin, and serotonin are all hormones that regulate major important bodily functions.
Men and women are equally susceptible to imbalances in insulin, steroids, growth hormones, and adrenaline. Women may see imbalances in estrogen and progesterone impact them, while men are more likely to experience issues with testosterone levels.
Hormone levels do not remain constant throughout your life. For instance, men naturally make less testosterone after hitting a peak around 30. Small imbalances and fluctuations occur all the time, often without any symptoms.
Imbalances may also be caused by an issue with your endocrine glands. These glands are specialized cells that produce, store, and release hormones into the blood. There are several endocrine glands throughout the body, and they control a large portion of your hormones. If a disease or illness is impacting all or some of these glands, you’ll likely feel the effects.
Hormone levels can also change with your lifestyle. If you believe you’re suffering from an imbalance, it may be helpful to analyze your diet, exercise routine, drinking habits, smoking, weight, and stress levels.
Your symptoms will really depend on which glands and hormones are part of the imbalance. However, there are some common symptoms:
As you can see, many symptoms may mirror illnesses like the flu. If you’ve been treated for a sickness but don’t improve, it may be time to look into an imbalance.
Treatment options, much like symptoms, differ greatly. At Enrich Family Practice, we’re BioTE® hormone replacement specialists. Designed to treat testosterone imbalances, BioTE has shown positive results in both men and women.
Men see decreased body fat, increased focus, reduced joint pain, improved sex drive, and an improvement in overall well-being. In women, BioTE can reduce the dreaded symptoms of menopause, like headaches, poor sleep, vaginal dryness, and urinary incontinence.
If you think you’re suffering from a hormone imbalance, don’t wait to see treatment. Come see us at Enrich Family Practice. Call or message our Odessa office today.
