6 Signs you may have Hormone Imbalance and what to do

Your body is made up of chemical messengers that transmit messages to other parts of your body. These messengers include neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, pheromones, and hormones.  Hormones are chemical messengers produced in the endocrine system. Like other chemical transmitters, they send messages to various parts of the body, telling organs and tissues what to do.

Your hormone levels often vary during various life stages, especially during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. They can also be affected by lifestyle and some medical conditions. They can also be affected by lifestyle and some medical conditions such as pudendal nerve neuralgia and many more.

A variation in your hormone levels is often called a hormone imbalance. Hormone imbalance is associated with many symptoms, many of which can cause you discomfort or pain. Therefore, it is essential that you keep your eyes out for hormone imbalance symptoms and get them checked out by a doctor.

Here are some symptoms to watch out for. Before we go into that, let’s look at what hormone imbalance is.

What is Hormone Imbalance?

Hormone imbalance occurs when excess or inadequate hormone is in the bloodstream. Due to the important roles they play in the body; even a little hormonal imbalance can result in side effects throughout the body.

Causes of Hormone Imbalance

You don’t just wake up one way to discover that your hormone levels have dropped drastically or increased abnormally. Some factors are responsible for hormone imbalance, and they include:

• Medication
• Eating disorders
• Cancer treatments like chemotherapy
• Tumors, whether cancerous or benign
• Stress
• Pituitary tumors
• Hormone therapy
• Injury or trauma

Causes associated with women

Hormonal imbalance occurs in both genders. However, many of the causes of this condition in women are linked to reproductive hormones. Common causes of hormone imbalance in women are:

• PCOS
• Breastfeeding
• Pregnancy
• Primary ovarian insufficiency, often regarded as premature menopause
• Menopause
• Hormone drugs like birth control pills

Signs of Hormone Imbalance

1.Irregular Periods

Most women experience their periods every 21 to 35 days. If yours fail to come around the same time each month, if you skip a few months, it might indicate that some hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are in excess or inadequate. The reason for such issue may be perimenopause—the transition period before menopause— if you are in your 40s or early 50s.

However, irregular periods aren’t always associated with hormone imbalance. Sometimes, it can indicate health issues like endometriosis, premature ovarian insufficiency, etc. Ensure you talk to your doctor.

2.A drop in libido

Low sex drive can result from many factors, including medications, medical diseases, sexual problems, lifestyle habits, fatigue, and hormone imbalance. When your estrogen levels plummet, your urge for sex follows suit. The drop in your estrogen levels can also result in vaginal dryness, making sexual intercourse painful and unbearable. Consult with a women’s health professional on what to do.

3.Belly issues

Do you experience belly problems like diarrhea, nausea, or stomach pain? If you do, it may be a result of hormone imbalance.

Your guts are lined with small cells that react to estrogen and progesterone. When there is a spike or a drop in these hormones, it may affect how you digest food.

That is why nausea, stomach pain, bloating, and diarrhea can become severe before and during menstruation. To determine the cause of your belly issues, you may want to visit a medical center for tests and diagnosis. Ensure you go for one where you can conduct hormone test with fast results, so you can get a quick diagnosis and begin treatment ASAP. Your doctor will guide you afterward.

4.Sleep issues

Are you having sleep issues? Do you find it hard to sleep for 6 hours straight? If you aren’t getting enough sleep as you ought to, there may be something wrong with your hormone levels.

When hormone levels drop during your menstrual cycle, you may find it difficult to sleep. Poor estrogen levels can result in hot flashes and night sweats, both of which can make it hard to get enough shut-eye.

5.Severe Acne

No one likes acne due to its effects on our skin. However, if you have low levels of hormones, you may have to deal with stubborn acne that may refuse to clear up.

Excess androgens often cause acne associated with hormone imbalance. These androgens can stress your oil glands, which sets the stage for a potential acne breakout. That’s not all!

They can also affect the skin cells in and around your hair follicles, and when they do, they end up blocking your pores and causing acne.

6.Dry Skin

A rapid drop or rise in hormone levels can leave you with dry skin. This can occur during menopause when your skin naturally starts to thin and struggles to retain much moisture as it used to.

If you are experiencing dry skin, there are several remedies to try out. These remedies include using humidifiers, washing your face at least twice daily, moisturizing your skin, using allergen-free moisturizing soaps, etc. Alternatively, you can consider contacting a dermatologist for help.

Conclusion

The strange fatigue, sweating, frequent urination, depression, increased hunger and thirst you experience may be as a result of hormonal imbalance. Conducting a hormone test will ensure that you keep track of your hormone levels. Tests can be conducted in a hospital or with the help of an at-home kit.