Carriage House Medical of Gresham, OR

BioIdentical Hormone Therapy

Start on your road to wellness

Carriage House Medical of Gresham, OR

BioIdentical Hormone Therapy

Start on your road to wellness

What is BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE THERAPY?

Both men and women experience fluctuations in hormone levels as they age. The many symptoms caused by oscillating hormone levels can be alleviated through bioidentical hormone therapy. Bioidentical hormones are made in a laboratory, often from components found in plants, to match the exact structures produced by the human body. At Carriage House Medicine, we only use bioidentical hormones – never synthetic hormones. If you are on the east side and interested in learning whether bioidentical hormone therapy treatment could be right for you, contact us at Carriage House Medicine today to schedule an appointment.

 

Understanding Hormone Imbalance

Hormones are the body’s messengers, orchestrating a symphony of essential functions from metabolism to mood regulation. However, factors such as aging, stress, and lifestyle choices can disrupt this delicate hormonal harmony. The result? A cascade of symptoms that can affect everything from energy levels to emotional well-being.

For years, traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the go-to solution. However, it came with drawbacks, primarily the use of synthetic hormones that didn’t quite mimic the body’s natural hormones, often causing side effects and health concerns.

Bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT) offers a refreshing alternative. Unlike synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones are derived from natural sources and are structurally identical to the hormones produced by our bodies. This fundamental similarity allows BHRT to work in harmony with the body’s natural processes.

Balancing Act: The Benefits of BHRT

  • Hormonal Harmony: BHRT is a precise and individualized approach to hormone optimization. It starts with comprehensive testing to identify specific hormonal imbalances. Based on these results, a personalized treatment plan is crafted to address your unique needs.
  • Reduced Symptoms: Whether you’re struggling with menopausal symptoms, adrenal fatigue, thyroid issues, or hormonal imbalances, BHRT can bring welcome relief. It alleviates symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, allowing you to regain your quality of life.
  • Enhanced Vitality: Hormonal imbalances can zap your energy and vitality. BHRT can help you regain your zest for life, boosting energy levels, mental clarity, and overall well-being.
  • Bone Health: Hormonal imbalances can contribute to bone density loss. BHRT helps maintain bone health by optimizing hormone levels, reducing the risk of conditions like osteoporosis.
  • Heart Health: Hormones play a crucial role in cardiovascular health. BHRT can contribute to better heart health by supporting healthy cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease.
  • Mood and Cognitive Function: Hormone imbalances can impact mood and cognitive function. BHRT can provide relief from mood swings, anxiety, and memory issues, allowing you to enjoy improved emotional well-being.
  • Libido and Sexual Function: Hormonal changes can affect sexual desire and function. BHRT can reignite the spark in your intimate life by restoring hormonal balance.

Bioidentical hormone therapy represents a remarkable opportunity to reclaim your vitality and well-being. It’s a holistic approach that aligns with the body’s natural processes, offering relief from hormonal imbalances and symptoms while promoting optimal health. Unlock the transformative power of bioidentical hormone therapy and embark on a journey toward hormonal harmony and well-being.

Bioidentical hormone therapy and women’s health

PERIMENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE

Female hormone production deteriorates as a woman transitions into menopause. This transition can begin as early as age thirty-five and often lasts for several years, starting with perimenopause and ends after twelve months of amenorrhea. During this time a women’s menstrual cycle becomes irregular and fertility diminishes.

Menopause is a natural, gradual process during which a woman’s ovaries begin to produce lower levels of estrogen and progesterone, and her supply of eggs becomes depleted. Declining hormone levels due to menopause can cause a variety of symptoms including chronic fatigue, a diminished sense of wellbeing, and loss of libido – just to name a few. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy enables women to restore their natural hormone levels, combating these symptoms and improving overall feelings of wellness.

Menopause transition begins several years before menopause, during which time the ovary’s estrogen production declines. Many women will experience these biological changes differently, with symptoms including:

  • Irregular menstrual periods
  • Hot flashes
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Irregular ovulation
  • Lower sex drive
  • Insomnia
  • Night sweats
  • Hair loss
  • Mood swings
  • Depression
  • Weight gain
  • Dry skin
  • Breast tenderness
  • Fatigue
  • Urine leakage
  • Urinary urgency
  • Heart palpitations
  • Forgetfulness
  • Osteoporosis risk
  • Changing cholesterol levels

While natural menopause is a condition that every woman will experience when she reaches middle age, this process causes a combination of several or all of the below symptoms:

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Mood swings
  • Sudden tears
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Loss of libido
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Heart palpitations
  • Muscle stiffness or aches
  • Insomnia
  • Urinary urgency
  • Cold flashes
  • Clammy skin
  • Fatigue
  • Weight gain
  • Dry skin
  • Thinning hair
  • Loss of breast fullness
  • Osteoporosis risk
  • Cardiovascular disease

BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH

Typically, we begin perimenopause or menopause treatment by testing and evaluating an individual’s hormone levels. Once the proper bioidentical hormone treatment is decided upon, we work with patients to create a healthy lifestyle and diet that works for them. This wholistic approach to health and wellbeing is what you can expect from Carriage House Medicine.

Aging is difficult enough without having to suffer through the symptoms caused by declining hormone levels. Carriage House Medicine is here to support your transition and provide naturopathic health care to promote your excellent health.

Bioidentical hormone therapy and men’s health

Andropause

Testosterone levels decrease naturally in men as part of the aging process. This hormone loss is called andropause, testosterone deficiency, androgen decline in the aging male (ADAM), late onset hypogonadism (LOH) or, more colloquially, male menopause or “manopause.”

While some men experience symptoms of this decline in hormones as an expected part of the natural aging process, others experience untenable emotional and biological symptoms. This period of testosterone loss most commonly begins at age forty, with testosterone levels dropping at 1% a year. Men may feel the effects of this hormone reduction immediately, or may begin to notice symptoms after a few years of hormone decline, between the ages of forty-five through fifty-five.

While the age at which andropause occurs is often around the same age at which menopause occurs for women, this hormone imbalance is different from that experienced by women. Namely, the testosterone deficiency is gradual, as opposed to the steep hormone decline experienced by women. However, andropause can dramatically affect a man’s sex drive, energy level, feelings of wellness, and mood. Recent medical research shows that replenishing low testosterone provides significant improvement in symptoms caused by andropause.

 

Most classic indications of “maleness” come from the testosterone naturally produced by a man’s body. When this hormone declines, a man’s underlying notion of his own masculinity can be challenged. Andropause causes a combination (or all) of the symptoms below:

  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Decreased libido
  • Infertility
  • Muscle loss
  • Heart palpitations
  • Shrunken testes
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep problems
  • Memory loss
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Aches and pains
  • Breast enlargement
  • Digestive difficulties
  • Sweating and flushing
  • Cholesterol imbalance
  • Sugar imbalance
  • Excessive sweating
  • Prostate enlargement
  • Tinnitus
  • Osteoporosis
  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Hair loss
  • Urinary difficulties
  • Bladder weakness
  • Skin dryness
  • Weight gain
  • Anemia

BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES FOR MEN’S HEALTH

There is no need to suffer through a decline in testosterone. At Carriage House Medicine, we can administer a blood test to diagnose this issue, evaluate the results, and determine the right balance of bioidentical hormones necessary to correct the imbalance. Testosterone replacement therapy is a simple, yet effective, treatment of andropause.

Call to schedule an appointment today

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Carriage House Medicine Serves Gresham, Troutdale, Boring, Sandy, and Surrounding Areas