Hormone replacement therapy is used by women seeking relief from some of the symptoms of perimenopause, which is the time leading up to the cessation of menstruation. Debate continues as to the veracity of pharmaceutical claims regarding the effectiveness and safety of hormone replacement therapy, according to Adriane Fugh-Berman, associate professor in the Department of Physiology at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Claims that hormone therapy can prevent dementia, Parkinson's disease and wrinkles have not been proven. Other benefits of hormone replacement therapy have been more clearly established.
Relief of Hot Flashes
It's a common experience for perimenopausal women: a feeling of pressure in the head, followed by a warmth that spreads through the upper body and face, accompanied by blotchy red skin and sweating. These symptoms, collectively known as hot flashes, have long been the bane of women approaching menopause.
MayoClinic.com explains that estrogen is the most effective form of hormone therapy used in treating hot flashes, but in instances when a woman can't tolerate estrogen, progesterone may be prescribed as an alternative.
Relief of Mood Swings
Everyone experiences the occasional bad mood, but for the perimenopausal woman these emotional upheavals may be extreme, with crying jags and episodes of unbearable crabbiness. The National Women's Health Information Center explains that those who opt for hormone replacement may experience relief from these mood swings and a welcome return to emotional stability.
Increased Lubrication
As naturally occurring hormone levels change during perimenopause, a woman may experience a decline in natural lubrication, which leads to vaginal dryness. Hormone therapy may be helpful in remedying parched privates in conjunction with other symptoms. If vaginal dryness is the sole symptom of perimenopause that a woman is experiencing, then an estrogen product applied directly to the vagina may be more appropriate
Treatment of Comorbid Conditions
The hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings characteristic of perimenopause are distressing enough to prompt some women to seek medical help, but hormone replacement therapy may have other benefits in treating conditions that can exist at the same time as perimenopausal discomfort. According to the "Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners," some conditions such as osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer may also benefit when a perimenopausal woman undergoes hormone replacement therapy.
References
- "Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners"; Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy in Postmenopausal Women; R. Canderelli et al.; December 2007
- MedlinePlus: Hormone Therapy
- EurekAlert!: Ghostwritten Articles Overstate Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy and Downplay Harms
- Mayo Clinic: Hot Flashes: Treatment and Drugs
- The National Women's Health Information Center: Office on Women's Health: Menopause and Menopause Treatments
