Hormonal Imbalance

Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers - Produced in the endocrine glands, these powerful chemicals travel around your bloodstream telling tissues and organs what to do. They help control many of your body’s major processes, including metabolism and reproduction.

Think of hormones like a cake recipe. Too much or too little of any one ingredient affects the final product.While some hormone levels fluctuate throughout your lifetime and may just be the result of natural aging, other changes occur when your endocrine glands get the recipe wrong.

Signs or symptoms of a hormonal imbalance

Your hormones play an integral role in your overall health. As a result, there’s a broad range of signs or symptoms that could signal a hormonal imbalance. Your signs or symptoms will depend on which hormones or glands aren’t working properly.

Common hormonal conditions affecting both men and women could cause any of the following signs or symptoms:

• weight gain
• a hump of fat between the shoulders
• unexplained, and sometimes sudden, weight loss
• fatigue
• muscle weakness

Signs or symptoms in females

In females of reproductive age, the most common hormonal imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Your normal hormonal cycle also changes naturally during these stages:

• puberty
• pregnancy
• breastfeeding
• menopause

Causes of a hormonal imbalance

There are many possible causes of a hormonal imbalance. Causes differ depending on which hormones or glands are affected. Common causes of hormonal imbalance include:

• hormone therapy
• medications
• cancer treatments such as chemotherapy 
• tumors, whether cancerous or benign 
• pituitary tumors

Tests and diagnosis

There’s no single test available for doctors to diagnose a hormonal imbalance. Begin by making an appointment with your doctor for a physical exam. Be prepared to describe your symptoms and the timeline along which they’ve occurred. Bring a list of all medications, vitamins, and supplements you’re currently taking.

Blood test: Your doctor will send a sample of your blood to a lab for testing. Most hormones can be detected in the blood. A doctor can request a blood test to check your thyroid and your levels of estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.Pelvic exam: If you’re female, your doctor may perform a Pap smear to feel for any unusual lumps, cysts, or tumors.

Ultrasound: An ultrasound machine uses sound waves to look inside your body. Doctors may request an ultrasound to get images of the uterus, ovaries, testicles, thyroid, or pituitary gland.

Additional tests: Sometimes more advanced tests are required. These can include:

• biopsy
• MRI
• X-ray
• thyroid scan
• sperm count test

At-home tests

If you’re experiencing symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, you may also consider using a home testing kit. They’re available for a variety of conditions. Home testing kits for menopause measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in your urine. FSH levels increase when you enter menopause.

Journal of Women’s Health and Reproductive Medicine is an interdisciplinary journal that explores clinical, medical, social and economic aspects of female reproductive health and medication worldwide.

Authors can submit manuscript as an e-mail attachment to the Editorial Office at https://www.imedpub.com/submissions/womens-health-reproductive-medicine.html

Media Contact
John Kimberly
Associate Managing Editor
Journal of Women’s Health and Reproductive Medicine
Email: womenshealth@emedscholar.com