Hormonal Imbalance Doctor Q&A

Hormones are the body’s messaging system that uses different chemicals to tell organs and tissues what to do. Produced by the body’s endocrine glands, our hormones control the major processes of the body, like the male and female reproductive system, and how fast or slow our metabolism functions. These chemicals play a vital role in a person’s overall health, and when too much, or too little of a specific hormone are being produced, they become imbalanced, and even small changes can affect the entire body.

Testosterone is a hormone that plays a crucial role in male development, and when testosterone levels begin to decrease, due to a slowdown in production, which naturally occurs with age, a variety of symptoms can develop, including:

• Gynecomastia – Development of breast tissue
• Breast tenderness
• Erectile dysfunction
• Decrease in body hair growth
• Loss of muscle mass
• Osteoporosis – Loss of bone mass
• Decreased focus and difficulty concentrating
• Hot flashes

The female hormonal system undergoes natural changes during different stages of life, like when entering puberty, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and menopause. The most common hormonal imbalance in females of reproductive age is called polycystic ovary syndrome.

Some of the common symptoms of female hormonal imbalance include:

• Heavy, irregular, frequent, missed, or stopped periods
• Excessive hair growth on the chin, face, and other parts of the body
• Face, chest, and upper back acne
• Skin darkening (neck creases, groin, under breasts)
• Skin tags
• Vaginal dryness
• Vaginal atrophy
• Night sweats
• Headache

Hormone levels, in both males and females, naturally fluctuate throughout life for very specific reasons, or because of the natural aging process. There are other causes of hormonal imbalance which depend on which glands or hormones are affected.

Some of the common causes of a hormonal imbalance are:

• Hormone therapy
• Prescription or OTC medications
• Chemotherapy or other cancer treatments
• Cancerous or benign tumors
• Tumor of the pituitary gland
• Eating disorders
• Trauma or injury
• Chronic stress and anxiety

What is actually causing a hormonal balance will dictate what treatment options are available. For men, the most common treatment for an imbalance in testosterone is testosterone therapy. For women, some of the most common hormonal imbalances, their symptoms, and corresponding treatments include:

Estrogen therapy – low dose estrogen can help with the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause and hot flashes.
Anti-androgen medications – male sex hormones in both men and women; high levels in women cause facial hair growth, hair loss and acne.
Testosterone therapy – reduces symptoms of low testosterone in men, stimulates the start of puberty in adolescents.
Thyroid hormone therapy – for hyperthyroidism, synthetic thyroid hormone restores hormone levels
Metformin – type 2 diabetes medication used to treat PCOS symptoms in women, may help to lower androgen levels.

At Optimal Balance Center, our highly trained and compassionate wellness professionals specialize in bringing your hormones back into balance. We take great pride in providing a wide range of highly effective therapies to help both men and women with hormonal imbalances. Call us for more information or to request an appointment today! We are conveniently located at 701 FM 685, Ste 125 Pflugerville, TX 78660. We Serve Patients from Pflugerville TX, Austin TX, Round Rock TX, Hutto TX, Georgetown TX, Cedar Park TX, Taylor TX and Manor TX.