Hormonal failure in women: symptoms, causes, treatment

The amount of hormones and their proper interaction significantly affect the health status of women. Hormonal failure is a phenomenon characterized by insufficient production of female sex hormones.

Such a violation can lead to the development of various diseases of the female reproductive system, and along with malfunctions in the functioning of the immune system, inflammatory processes and sexually transmitted infections, provoke many serious conditions:

• irregular menstrual cycle;
• the formation of polyps;
• polycystic;
• uterine fibroids;
• hyperplasia.

To avoid this, it is extremely important to undergo regular examinations by a gynecologist, since many pathologies of the reproductive system develop without any clinical manifestations - pain, bleeding and other symptoms.

In this article, we will understand the causes of hormonal failure in women, consider the main symptoms that cannot be ignored, as well as effective methods of treating this phenomenon.

Causes of hormonal failure

There are many provocative factors due to which a woman can change the level of sex hormones. First of all, this is due to the relationship of the hormonal background with the functioning of the neuroendocrine regulation of the central nervous system located in the brain, as well as with the proper functioning of the endocrine system.

Given this point, the reasons that can cause a change in the hormonal background are classified as follows:

1. The reasons that were formed as a result of violations in the functioning of central regulation.
2. The reasons that are provoked by pathologies of the endocrine system. Violations in its activities are caused by the appearance of various neoplasms, infectious diseases, inflammations and other conditions.

So, we can distinguish the following causes of hormonal imbalance:

1. Genetics. Congenital malformations of the hormonal system are a rather complex problem that is difficult to correct. Usually the main reason for unrest is primary amenorrhea (a phenomenon in which girls older than 16 years are completely absent menstruation).
2. Endocrine diseases (disorders in the functioning of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland, pancreas).
3. Taking oral contraceptives. Such drugs contain hormones, for this reason there is a violation that manifests itself in the early stages of overweight.
4. Colds, acute rotoviral and respiratory diseases. It is proved that such diseases, if they occur very often, can lead to the formation of problems with the hormonal background.
5. Improper nutrition. If a woman sits on strict diets, practices strict abstinence from food, the body begins to suffer from a lack of necessary elements, due to which some hormones are produced.
6. Various diseases, including asthma, uterine fibroids, migraines, polycystic ovaries.
7. Surgery during which the treatment of internal female genital organs is performed.
8. Nervous overstrain, neurosis, stressful and depressive state - all this has a negative effect on the level of hormones in the body of a woman.
9. Overweight.The presence of a large number of extra pounds increases the risk of hormonal failure in a woman.

In addition to these factors, an imbalance in the level of hormones can cause physiological conditions such as:

• puberty, bearing a child;
• childbirth;
• lactation;
• menopause

But in most cases, the body independently restores the normal level of hormones.

Symptoms of hormonal failure

The clinical manifestations of hormonal imbalance will be directly related to the woman's age and physiological state. For example, if in adolescent girls there is a slowdown in the development of secondary sexual characteristics, in mature women, the main manifestations are focused on menstruation and the ability to conceive a child. This means that the signs of hormonal failure are different, but the most pronounced symptoms that directly indicate the presence of such a problem are the following:

1. An unstable menstrual cycle. Constant delays, or the absence of critical days for some time.
2. Weight gain. There is a sharp set of extra pounds, fat deposits are quickly formed, and this process is not affected by nutrition. Even if a woman exhausts herself with strict diets, restricts herself in food, she still gets fat due to hormonal disorders.
3. Decrease in sexual desire. It happens that with problems with hormones a woman loses interest in sex, and her libido decreases.
4. Often changing mood, irritation, nervousness. The woman constantly has mood swings, but to a large extent, she almost always has a bad mood. Anger appears, aggressiveness towards others, a pessimistic mood, frequent depressive states - all this often manifests itself in a change in hormone levels.
5. Hair loss. Often, one of the signs of a change in hormone levels in women is hair loss of varying degrees of intensity.
6. Sleep disturbances, fatigue, weakness. A woman begins to sleep poorly at night, suffers from constant fatigue and drowsiness. Even a good rest does not improve the condition.

For hormonal disorders, other symptoms are also characteristic, however, they already basically have an individual character. Among these clinical manifestations, one can distinguish the formation of wrinkles, the appearance of cysts in the mammary glands, dryness in the vagina and so on.

Therapy of this phenomenon will be selected depending on the results of diagnostic measures. As a rule, to eliminate the symptoms of hormonal failure, the patient is prescribed medications that include the same hormones, whose production in the female body is insufficient or completely absent.

Symptoms of hormonal failure in girls during puberty

1. An unstable or completely absent menstrual cycle after the girl is 16 years old.
2. The lack of hair in the armpits and pubic or vice versa increased body hair.
3. Underdevelopment of the mammary glands.
4. Severe thinness, impossibility of normal fat deposition, disproportionality of limbs.

Symptoms of hormonal failure in women of reproductive age

• Persistent menstruation.
• Reproductive problems (miscarriages, inability to conceive, fading pregnancy).
• The appearance of dysfunctional bleeding from the uterine cavity.

Symptoms of hormonal failure during menopause and menopause

1. Depressed state, apathy for a long time, weakened concentration of attention.
2. Sleep disturbances (as a rule, during this period a woman wakes up around five in the morning - at this time hormone production decreases).
3. Signs characteristic of premenstrual syndrome.Basically, when menopause occurs, a few days before the onset of menstruation, a woman has painful sensations in the chest, an aggravation of the digestive system, and also severe migraines.

Possible consequences

Hormonal disorders cause malfunctions in the functioning of the whole organism, therefore, it is necessary to identify the cause of this phenomenon in a timely manner in order to prevent the risk of serious complications, which include the following:

• inability to conceive a child;
• obesity;
• skeletal disease with a decrease in bone density (osteoporosis);
• gynecological diseases of various nature;
• violation of the functioning of the reproductive system;
• the appearance of benign and malignant neoplasms;
• high risk of heart attack and stroke.

It should be noted that the violation of the internal organs, as well as most of the pathologies that are caused by hormonal failure, are difficult to correct. However, if you identify the cause, you can understand how to deal with the problem, respectively, to quickly normalize the level of hormones.

Diagnostics

The choice of diagnostic measures will depend on the clinical manifestations, as well as the results of the gynecological examination. Typically, the following methods are used for diagnosis:

• Laboratory blood tests for hormone levels.
• Ultrasound examination of the uterus and appendages, as well as the thyroid gland.
• Visual examination of the uterine cavity by hysteroscopy methods.
• Laparoscopy.

Treatment methods

Therapy for this disorder is prescribed after the examination is completed, while the detected causes that triggered the hormonal failure will be taken into account. Therapeutic measures should be aimed primarily at eliminating precisely these causes.

Drug therapy
If the problem is accompanied by instability of the menstrual cycle, the following medicines can be prescribed to a woman:

1. Hormonal drugs whose action is aimed at restoring the level of hormones. Since all such drugs have many side effects, and the reception must be carried out for a long time, it is in no case possible to engage in independent selection of the medicine. The doctor is obliged, when prescribing a remedy, to determine the possible risk of negative phenomena in each specific situation. Usually, single-phase or two-phase oral contraceptives are prescribed.
2. Vitamin complexes, which must necessarily include calcium, vitamins E and A. These elements contribute to improving the condition of hair and nail plates, normalizing the amount of estrogen and progesterone.
3. Drugs that regulate the menstrual cycle (Cyclodinone, Mastodinon).
4. Medicines that relieve the unpleasant symptoms characteristic of menopause (climadinone).

Surgical intervention
Operations are performed only if there is evidence in situations where the use of drugs was not effective.

Folk remedies
Many people prefer instead of visiting a doctor to treat using traditional medicine recipes. It should be understood that such measures are allowed only as an addition to the main treatment prescribed by the doctor.

Medicinal plants can be used to eliminate specific signs of a hormonal disorder and use them for a short time.

Effective remedies for hormonal failure in women:

1. Black cumin oil. Helps normalize hormone levels, has been successfully used in the treatment of infertility, both women and men. Take the product should be on a dessert spoon. Before meals - to enhance the therapeutic effect, after meals - should be used by women who have difficulty digesting oil on an empty stomach.Oil is allowed to be combined with hormone-containing drugs. But it’s important not to take them at the same time. The interval between doses should be at least three hours.
2. Sage. Helps in the treatment of hormonal failure with a lack of estrogen hormones due to the high amount of plant hormones that have an estrogen-like effect contained in the product. This plant is widely used to eliminate many problems that are associated with a lack of hormones - the inability to conceive and bear a child, the absence of ovulation, endometrial disease. The infusion of sage, which is used for this purpose, is prepared as follows: chop the dried leaves, 1 tsp. pour raw materials with boiling water and insist in a warm place for 15 minutes, strain through cheesecloth. Use the drug before meals 50 ml 3 times a day. No need to drink at night.
3. Flaxseeds. They are a champion among folk remedies for the content of plant estrogens. A plant contains much more of these elements than soy, usually used to adjust hormone levels. Flaxseed oil and seeds incorporate lignin, a natural hormone that has estrogen-like properties and has a positive effect on a woman’s body. It should be consumed in 2 tablespoons. flax seeds 2 times a day with a glass of water. After only a few days, the symptoms of hormonal failure will decrease, irritability, insomnia will disappear, and after 2 weeks of use, the greatest result will be felt.
4. Beetroot juice. The use of juices brings a tangible effect in normalizing hormone levels. This is due not only to the fact that juices from fruits and vegetables have natural hormones in their composition, but also because they contain a large amount of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. The greatest benefit in the treatment of hormonal disruptions is beetroot juice, but you need to drink it with caution, taking into account the fact that in unlimited quantities it can provoke the occurrence of discomfort in the stomach, as well as fluctuations in blood pressure. Introducing beet juice into the diet is necessary gradually. At first, a maximum of one day you can drink 250 ml of the drink. It is recommended to dilute it with water or juice from carrots in a ratio of 1: 1.

Prevention

Preventive measures against hormonal failure include the following:

• maintaining a healthy lifestyle;
• refusal of alcohol, cigarettes and other bad habits;
• balanced diet;
• good rest;
• gynecological examination at least once a year;
• attentive attitude to one’s own health, control of the menstrual cycle;
• stress avoidance.

If you follow all these recommendations, you can never find out about problems such as hormonal failure and its consequences.

Video: hormone restoration