Topical BHRT Q&A

Topical hormone replacement therapy is a medication that contains female hormones. You can take this medication to help replace estrogen that your body has stopped making due to menopause. Topical Hormone Therapy is often used to help treat common menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, and vaginal discomfort.

Topical hormone replacement therapy uses low-dose vaginal preparations of estrogen, these come in a cream, tablet or ring form which minimizes the level of estrogen that is being absorbed into the body. Use to this low-dose form of vaginal preparations it is usually only used to treat vaginal and urinary symptoms of menopause.

Typically, if you have not had your uterus removed, your doctor will prescribe some form of estrogen along with progesterone or progestin. This is due to estrogen being taken along will not balance out the progesterone.

There are plenty of benefits that come with topical hormone replacement therapy, they include:

• Estrogen therapy offers the most effective treatment for relief of menopausal hot flashes and night sweats
• Estrogen offers the ease of vaginal symptoms due to menopause, including dryness, itching, burning and discomfort with intercourse.
• Estrogen helps by protecting against bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Particularly if you cannot tolerate or if you aren’t benefiting from other treatment options for the disease.
• If you’ve had your ovaries surgically removed before the age of 45, if you have stopped having your period before the age of 45, or you have lost normal function of your ovaries before the age of 40, your body has been previously exposed to less estrogen than other women who are experiencing menopause. Estrogen therapy is able to decrease your risk of certain health conditions like osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, dementia and mood swings.

To determine if topical hormone replacement therapy is right for you, speak to one of our medical providers today. They can go over the benefits it could have for you and your health, depending on your history and any medical tests available to review, or they may offer a different treatment solution.

Many postmenopausal women experience genitourinary syndrome; however, very few seek out treatment options. Whether it be from embarrassment, or resigning themselves to living with these symptoms. Just know, you are not alone, many women deal with symptoms of vaginal atrophy which is the thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls due to the body offering less estrogen.

A few symptoms you may be experiencing if you are dealing with genitourinary syndrome include:

• Vaginal dryness
• Vaginal burning
• Vaginal discharge
• Genital itching
• Burning with urination
• Urgency when urinating
• Frequent urination
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Urinary incontinence
• Light bleeding after sex
• Discomfort during sex
• Decreased vaginal lubrication during sex
• Shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal

It is important to visit one of our specialist doctors if you are living with any of the above symptoms. We are able to provide a proper diagnosis and get you the treatment you need to live a much happier symptom free life.

Anyone who may be dealing with the above symptoms should look into topical hormone replacement therapy. Each individual that will be recommended for a hormone replacement therapy type will be on a case-by-case basis, as it will depend much on the symptoms they are experiencing, the severity of their symptoms, and what method they wish to take to help with hormone levels. If you are interested in how topical hormone replacement therapy can benefit you and your symptoms of hormone loss, contact us today. We will provide the most up-to-date information possible about the therapy, and how it may affect you personally depending on your health, and many other facts.

Interested in our services? Contact us today! For more information call us today or book an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you. We serve patients from Arcadia CA, Glendale CA, Monrovia CA, Pasadena CA, Los Angeles CA, Burbank CA, and surrounding areas.