Your endocrine system is complex and involved in most of your biological processes. Your sleep cycles, hair growth, digestion, heart rate, metabolism, and even the speed your body ages are all controlled in part or whole by the hormones of your endocrine system.
When those hormones are out of balance, unexpected problems can occur.
Neil Spiegel, DO, and Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, at Osteopathic Center for Healing see patients every week who have hormone imbalances but don’t know it.
By carefully considering your issues, performing a thorough physical exam, and ordering diagnostic tests and blood tests, we can accurately recognize, diagnose, and treat hormone imbalances.
Some symptoms of a hormonal imbalance are not related to aging. For example, some hormone imbalances can cause excessive sweating, which isn’t exactly something most people associate with getting older.
Many symptoms, though, are easy to miss because they seem like things that just happen when you get older. For example, you may expect to experience decreased sexual function with age, but that is a often a symptom of a hormone imbalance in both men and women.
Other common symptoms include:
Although there are many types of hormone imbalances — you have more than 50 hormones — three are usually responsible for symptoms that look like aging.
For women, menopause can disrupt the balance of estrogen and progesterone and follicle-stimulating hormone. In men, a similar experience called andropause can bring about a significant decrease in testosterone. For men and women, thyroid issues may mimic aging.
You might think that once we identify a problem with your hormones, the next step is taking medication or supplements.
While that may be a part of your treatment plan, our focus is on helping you achieve optimal health. Often, lifestyle factors play into hormonal imbalances, so our first suggestion may have to do with your habits.
Proper nutrition is essential for overall health, including in keeping your hormones balanced. Your bloodwork may reveal specific nutritional deficits, and we’re happy to help you understand whether you need to change your diet and to make suggestions to help you do so.
Exercise, too, is crucial for good health, and especially so when it comes to hormonal health. Regular exercise improves mood, helps you maintain a healthy weight, and lowers your stress levels. If you don’t already have an exercise routine, we can help you figure out where to start.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have benefits for you as well. We suggest HRT on a case-by-case basis. Many factors that can affect our recommendations.
If you’re experiencing symptoms that are new, uncomfortable, or seem like aging, schedule an appointment with us at Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland. We can help you understand what’s happening and develop a plan for going forward with balance.
