Hormone Balancing Therapy Q & A
What are hormones?
Hormones are natural chemical substances produced by the body that are essential for all life processes, they act like messengers in the body. Hormones are made in highly specialized tissues called endocrine glands, and are then released in tiny quantities into the bloodstream. Each gland produces specific hormones to carry out certain functions in the body such as ovaries for reproduction. These hormones are stored in the glands until they receive a message from the pituitary gland in the brain to say how much of each hormone is needed at various times of the day at each location in the body. This message triggers the release of hormones into the bloodstream and they are transported to a specific organ or tissue to perform a specific function. Once they reach their destination, hormones pass through the walls of blood vessels and go on the surface of target cells to bind themselves to hormone receptors. As they complete the binding, hormones trigger a chain of reactions that result in beneficial hormone effects such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, mood balance, stress resistance, digestion, inflammation reduction, and more. Estrogen, cortisol, insulin, oxytocin, progesterone, and testosterone are all examples of hormones.
What happens when hormones are out of balance?
Is hormone replacement therapy the only answer to imbalance issues?
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Other Symptoms Of Hormone Imbalance
The hormone imbalances listed above are just the most common imbalances for men and women. There are countless other hormone imbalances which may be caused by poor diet, exercise, obesity, or simply genetics. If you suffer from the symptoms listed below, then you may have some type of hormone imbalance:
Sweating: Hot flashes, night sweats, and high internal temperatures, for example.
Digestion Problems: Gassiness, bloating, and slow digestion are all common hormone problems.
Cravings: Constantly craving certain foods or activities could be a sign of a hormone imbalance.
Insomnia and Poor Sleep Patterns: Physical stress often leads to cortisol imbalances, which can lead to sleep problems.
Anxiety, Irritability, and Depression: Getting angry over little problems? It could be a hormone imbalance.
Fatigue: Do you constantly feel tired or sluggish mentally and physically?
Low Libido: A low sex drive for both men and women could be a sign of hormone imbalance.
Loss of Muscle Mass and Weight Gain: If you havent changed your diet or exercise habits, but have found yourself gaining weight and losing muscle, it could be a hormone problem.
Once again, a doctor can perform tests to check different levels of hormones within your body. In some cases, the above symptoms are unrelated to hormones, and you may be suffering from other health problems. Talk to a doctor to make sure.
Things Every Hormone Doctor Wants You To Know
Ah, hormones. Such an easy scapegoat. And for good reason: They can be responsible for everything from mysterious weight gain to hair loss to crazy hunger. When things get a little out of control in that department, an endocrinologist might be able to help you.
But before you make an appointment, read on to find out what they think you should know.Simply put, “we’re hormone doctors,” says Marilyn Tan, MD, an endocrinologist at Stanford Health Care. “The three most common diagnoses we make are thyroid problems, diabetes, and osteoporosis,” she says. Other common conditions they treat: menopause, hypertension, and infertility. And while endocrinology might be a specialty in itself, these docs sub-specialize. Some may focus on weight loss, others on thyroid abnormalities, some on diabetes or reproductive health. That means you should see the one that fits your health issue to get the most targeted treatment.
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Your endocrinologist is likely to feel around the front of your neck to check for a nodule or lump, which could be indicative of an undiagnosed thyroid condition or potentially thyroid cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there were nearly 62,500 new cases of thyroid cancer in 2015. You can also perform this check on yourself .
They want to hear about your hot flashes.hot flashes during menopauseJAMA Internal Medicine
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Understand Hormonal Changes Through Every Stage Of Life
In every stage of life, a woman faces the possibility of some sort of hormone imbalance. A gynecologist or obstetrician is an expert in the hormones that impact womens health issues specifically. As such, they understand the hormonal changes a woman goes through at every age and what hormone abnormalities look like. They also know how to treat hormone problems, so that patients can live life comfortably and achieve life goals, such as having children, without problems.
They Provide Plenty Of Individualized Attention
One of the greatest benefits of seeking top-of-the-line medical care is individual attention. Ask your potential hormone doctor how much time they typically spend with a patient during consultation and follow-up appointments. Then, consider if thats enough time to truly understand your medical background, symptoms, concerns, and questions.
Youre an individual with unique needs that deserves personalized solutions. Understanding those needs, evaluating your treatment options, and monitoring your progress are all essential components of caring for your healthand they take time. By prioritizing doctors who offer plenty of time and individualized attention, youre making sure that your concerns will be heard.
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Endocrinology At Tufts Medical Center Community Care
Tufts Medical Center Community Care is a multispecialty medical group in north suburban Boston that includes a team of highly experienced endocrinologists. Working hand in hand with primary care physicians and other specialists within our expansive physician network, our endocrinologists provide comprehensive, lifelong care to patients with a wide array of hormone disorders. Furthermore, our convenient locations and better-than-average appointment availability make it simple to find the right endocrinologist close to home.
As a clinical affiliate of Tufts Medical Center and a part of MelroseWakefield Healthcare, our practice is equipped with the resources and expertise necessary to provide world-class care to our patients. One such example is our diabetes self-management program, which is certified by the American Diabetes Association and gives patients access to well-rounded treatment, supportive care and education.
Contact Tufts Medical Center Community Care today to learn more about our approach to endocrinology or referral process. One of our professionals will be happy to direct you to the best physician for your needs and answer any questions you may have.
Patient Portal
myTuftsMed is our new online patient portal that provides you with access to your medical information in one place. MyTuftsMed can be accessed online or from your mobile device providing a convenient way to manage your health care needs from wherever you are.
With myTuftsMed, you can:
What Type Of Diseases Does An Endocrinologist Treat
An endocrinologist treats diseases due to the imbalance of hormones in the body. Endocrine diseases may be either due to an increase or decrease in the production or secretion of hormones.
The most common diseases treated by an endocrinologist include:
- Diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2
- Certain cancers of the endocrine glands
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Learn The Signs Of Hormonal Problems
Gynecologists and obstetricians can also educate you on what hormone problems look like in terms of symptoms. Many women ignore symptoms of hormone imbalances purely due to lack of knowledge. Irritability and moodiness may be blamed on stress, lack of sex drive may be blamed on relationship problems, and hot flashes may be blamed on lack of air conditioning in the room. A womens health doctor can educate you on the signs of hormone problems, so you can recognize them and seek medical attention when necessary.
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Why Would Someone See An Endocrinologist
You would be referred to an endocrinologist by your family doctor, or you can visit him/her on your own if you have the following signs:
- You are a diabetic and
- Your high blood sugar level has not been controlled by your doctors treatment
- Your doctor does not have experience in treating diabetes
- You are on many insulin shots or on an insulin pump
- You have developed complications of diabetes
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What Should I Do If I Am Taking Hrt
If youre taking HRT, do not panic. Visit your doctor before making any changes to your therapy. He or she will consider your menopausal symptoms and your risk for developing certain diseases. Your doctor will give you advice about the pros and cons of continuing HRT. Some of your options may include stopping treatment altogether, taking a lower dose of medicine, or switching to another type of treatment.
Bring Your Supplements And Medications
Having a list of supplements and medications on hand, or bringing them to your visit, will help your doctor know what treatments youre currently taking. Knowing the length of time that you have taken them, the dose, and frequency is important information for your hormone doctor.
Knowing the prior medications that youve tried is also beneficial especially if youve been on birth control or hormone replacement therapy in the past. This includes any oral medications, injections, intrauterine devices , and/or creams containing synthetic or bioidentical hormones.
Additionally, write down your drug allergies and any side effects that you experienced from past or current medications and supplements.
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Hormones Are Critical To Ones Health
WHAT IS HORMONE IMBALANCE?
he intricacies of the human chemistry are remarkable. It corrects its imbalances constantly by down-regulating or up-regulating the production of its messengers to face the demand of the body. We, of course do not control our internal hormone productions and are often not aware of the imbalances it encompasses. Some imbalances are transient and go unnoticed others are cyclical and we may notice mild to moderate symptoms. When the imbalances persist however, the symptoms become more obvious and can increase in severity.
Our sex hormones for example which include testosterone, DHEA, estrogen and progesteronefluctuate tremendously throughout our lives. Today, we understand the cycles of these hormones and the various symptoms they create under normal circumstances like puberty, andropause and menopause.
For some of us however, these transitional times could become quite challenging and cause more pronounced and debilitating symptoms. Hormonal changes do happen naturally but are highly susceptible to environmental and genetic factors.
The culprit of hormonal imbalances:
- Inadequate intake of key nutrients
- Food sensitivities
We can safely say that Hormonal imbalances are more prevalent today. The odds also play against us as the culprit list increases and causes more and more symptoms to occur.
SYMPTOMS OF HORMONE IMBALANCE
You do not have to endure your natural changes.
HORMONE IMBALANCE TREATMENTS
1/ Bio-identical replacement therapy
What Kind Of Doctor Prescribes Hormone Replacement Therapy
Many people ask, What kind of doctor prescribes Hormone Replacement Therapy ? The answer is somewhat general in that almost any kind of doctor can prescribe HRT. There are Gynecologists, Urologists, Internists, and even Family Practice doctors that prescribe HRT. However, that is not the most important thing that a patient should consider when choosing a doctor for HRT.
The most important thing is that the doctor specializes in HRT and has built their practice around it. In other words, you want a doctor that does HRT all day, every day. You want your doctor to have plenty of experience with HRT. Some doctors have HRT added to their practice in the form of pellet therapy. Pellet therapy is not a fit for all patients.
The second most important thing is that the doctor uses Bio-Identical hormones in their replacement therapy. Most doctors are trained to use synthetic hormones like Premarin that is made from pregnant horse urine. You want to make sure that your doctor is using hormones that are the same molecular structure as the hormones your body made when you were younger .
Hormones by Design treats women and men with bio-identical hormone replacement. We have locations in San Antonio, Boerne, and Waco, Texas. Visit our website at www.hormonesbydesign.com.
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Richmond Hill Ontario Thyroid Doctors Find Thyroid Doctors In Ontario
York Region Ontario Thyroid Doctors Locator can help you discover a medical provider who specializes in treating thyroid disorders with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy . Your thyroid plays a vital role in your overall wellness by secreting hormones and then transmitting them to other areas in the body through the bloodstream.
When you have too much or too little of the thyroid hormone, it can cause significant issues in your life. Common thyroid imbalance issues for people include unexplained weight gain or loss, low energy or hyperactivity, consistently feeling too hot or too cold, constipation or diarrhea, and depression or manic feelings. As you can see, both variations are extremes that fall outside the range of normal. Since the thyroid controls every cell in your body, you could potentially suffer from dozens of symptoms when its not in proper balance.
Rather than wait for more symptoms to develop, we encourage you to find a Thyroid Specialist who offers Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. If youve been to several doctors and still dont feel better, finding someone who truly understands how the thyroid functions will come as a welcome relief.
Get Thyroid Treatment Online
If you have symptoms of an endocrine disorder an affordable and convenient place to start is with a primary care physician at PlushCare.
The doctor will work with you to determine the best medication for you to take and will check on you to ensure the care plan is working. If needed, you will be referred to a specialist such as an endocrinologist.
Common medications our doctors prescribe for endocrine disorders are:
You can book an appointment here, or download the free PlushCare mobile app. The average appointment lasts just 15 minutes and 97% of conditions are successfully treated on the first visit.
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Who Is An Endocrinologist
An endocrinologist is a specialist doctor who treats imbalances of hormones or the endocrine system of the body. An endocrinologist is trained for almost two to three years in endocrinology after completing four years of medical schooling and three years of post-graduation in internal medicine.
Hormones are secreted by the endocrine glands of the body. Different hormones have different actions. Each hormone acts on a specific body part. They help in the growth and development of the body and regulate various bodily functions. Some hormones help in your growth and development, some help in regulating your blood pressure and temperature, and others help a woman to conceive or become pregnant.
Hormones play an indirect yet crucial role in your
Endocrinology is a branch of the medical field that deals with diseases related to hormones and the glands that secrete them . The glands that secrete the hormones include:
Five Reasons To See An Endocrinologist
Although many people cant define exactly what an endocrinologist is or does, that professional may be the perfect doctor to treat the many symptoms and problems caused by hormonal imbalances.
Endocrinologists specialize in glands and the hormones they produce which affect important processes that control metabolism, blood pressure, cholesterol, hunger, thirst, body temperature and more. Hormone imbalances can impact your daily life, but an endocrinologist can help you manage the imbalances to improve your quality of life.
An endocrinologist can treat you for a variety of conditions, including the following:
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Finding A Hormone Doctor Doesnt Need To Be Complicated
Finding the right doctor and receiving the correct hormone treatment can vastly improve your quality of life and overall well-being. The information included in this article can be used to help guide your decision, and take some of the guesswork out of finding a new hormone doctor.
Blending complementary and conventional therapies gives you access to a wider array of treatment options, so feel free to shop around for multiple providers. Additionally, keep an eye out for any red flags that we discussed, and always trust your judgment when looking for any kind of healthcare practitioner.
If youre currently looking for a hormone doctor, our functional medicine providers have experience in treating many different types of hormone disorders and imbalances. Reach out to our clinic at the Ruscio Institute for Functional Medicine to schedule an appointment and begin your healing journey today.
The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our patients and audience. If youre interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you.
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