How To Tell For Sure If You Have A Hormone Imbalance
There are times when you may experience symptoms which seem to suggest that you have a hormone imbalance. But then again, the same symptoms could be due to other causes. Some may even be due to infections. Those include sexually transmitted ones, which would possibly be best addressed at a private STI clinic London center. Therefore making sense of the whole situation becomes so hard. And this ultimately leads to a question of if there is a reliable way to tell whether one has a hormone imbalance. That is the question we will be focusing on in this article.
Understanding the role of hormones in our bodies
Hormones are internally secreted chemical compounds. They control most of our bodily functions. Many things, ranging from mood to sexual function and metabolism are under the control of hormones. To put it simply, almost all aspects of our well-being are under the control of one or another hormone. Here, it is important to appreciate that there are more than 50 hormones circulating in our bodies. And while they are collected under the endocrine system, the specific organs that secrete them are scattered. So the hormone-secreting organs are in various parts of the body.
What may make you think that you have a hormone imbalance is probably a major change you have seen or felt in your body. This could be anything from unexplained loss (or gain) of weight to a change in moods and onto something like sexual dysfunction. What complicates the matter is the fact that the symptoms you are seeing could also be due to other causes. Take something like feeling chronically fatigued. This can indeed be due to a problem with the thyroid hormones. But it can also be due to other factors such as low iron levels in the body, anemia, vitamin D deficiency, and so on. It can also be due to diabetes, in which case the cause would be hormonal, but different from what you thought initially.
Ultimately, the key thing to understand is that there are over 50 hormones flowing through your body. Then you need to appreciate that these hormones play a key role in your well-being. And when there are imbalances in them, the end result can indeed manifest as loss of well-being in one way or other.
Which sorts of things can lead to hormonal imbalances?
Firstly, we have to define a hormonal imbalance as a situation where you end up with too much or too little of a given hormone.
Now the things that can lead to hormonal imbalances include:
- Advances in age
- Stress
- Genetic (family history) factors
- Other health problems, including those that affect the various organs where hormones are secreted
- Improper sleep
- Problems with gut health
Which is the best way to tell if your symptoms are due to hormone imbalance?
Usually, if you want to know for sure if your symptoms are due to hormone imbalance, you need to undergo blood testing. But there are many different tests, which check for different hormonal imbalances. Therefore the doctor has to have a chat with you, and perhaps examine you, to figure out which hormone test to order. It is also worth noting that some tests may only be viably done at specific points in time. Take a case where there is concern about a woman’s levels of specific sex hormones. Those may only be tested at particular points within a monthly cycle.
It is also worth noting that a person may be having many different health problems that are due to a variety of hormonal imbalances. Therefore having one particular hormonal imbalance doesn’t preclude others. On another note, some of the symptoms that one is experiencing may indeed be due to hormone imbalances. Therefore there is a complex network that the doctor has to work through. But that is necessary in figuring out the best way forward while dealing with hormonal imbalances.
What is the way forward if indeed you are found with a hormone imbalance?
The way forward in addressing the hormonal imbalance will usually vary from case to case. It largely depends on the specific hormone that is causing the problem. Sometimes, there may be medications that can help: for instance in cases of certain thyroid hormone disorders. At other times, you may get direct supplementation of the hormone if you have too little of it (as is sometimes the case with testosterone).
More complicated cases of hormonal imbalances are best addressed by specialist doctors.
What common health conditions may arise due to hormone imbalances?
One very common (and rather serious) health condition that is due to a hormone imbalance is type 2 diabetes. It is easy to forget that at its core, type 2 diabetes is due problems with the hormone known as insulin. Therefore it is a hormonal problem, and it seems to be the commonest. It is also one that leads to some of the severest complications in the long run.
It is also hormone imbalances that tend to lead to conditions like PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome).
On another note, hormone imbalances are known to cause infertility.
It is also possible for one to end up having obesity on account of hormonal imbalances.
Thyroid disease is yet another condition that often arises as a result of hormone imbalances.
Clearly then, the hormone imbalances can lead to major health conditions. And those can greatly compromise our wellbeing. Actually, some of the conditions that are brought about by hormone imbalances can be life-threatening in the long run.
Which doctor can help with issues related to hormone imbalances?
Usually, the best place to start if you feel that you may have a hormone imbalance is by seeing an experienced GP. The GP will assess you carefully, to figure out whether your problems may be rooted in hormone imbalances. If they turn out to be caused by simple hormone imbalances, the GP may initiate the necessary treatment immediately. But if the underlying hormonal imbalance issues seem to be too complex, the GP may give you a referral to a specialist. The relevant specialist in this case is usually the one we refer to as a consultant endocrinologist.
Are you in need of private STI clinic London services? Our London GP Clinic offers those STI services, as well as treatment for conditions caused by hormonal imbalances.
