Depending on the hormone, the ideal treatment method may vary. However, most hormones have multiple methods that can be used to improve your levels of that hormone. There are several common methods that are often used when applying hormone replacement therapy.
Oral pills are the most common method of hormone treatment. Pills are the most common because they’re cheaper than other methods and easier to use. However, pills may cause some side effects and often do not offer as potent of a treatment as other forms. Some side effects of pills used for hormone replacement therapy are headaches and nausea, due to your body having a poor reaction to hormones being delivered through the digestive system. Generally, these problems will fade after time, but some women do not respond well to pills at all.
Other less intrusive options include ones that are applied directly to the skin – creams, gels and patches. These options can be applied quickly, and work well for women who do not respond well to taking pills, or those who want to avoid the initial unpleasantness often involved with taking hormone pills. Creams and gels are simply applied at regular intervals, and a patch is kept on the skin for a certain amount of time. Rashes and irritation are side effects associated with these methods.
Injections are another option. Injections do not need to be administered as often as pills or skin-applied options. Injections are highly potent options, giving your body enough of a hormone that quickly levels out after the injection is given, letting your body quickly rebalance hormones with much higher quantities than it naturally produces. Many people are afraid of needles and shots, but injections are among the safest and most convenient methods of treating hormone imbalance. Because they can be measured precisely and delivered directly, your can be sure of exactly how much of a substance is being applied, without worrying that the digestive system or skin will filter out some of the hormones you are trying to give your body.
A final option is pellet implanting. Pellet implanting is the process of inserting hormone pellets into a specially-made incision, and needs to be done by a medical professional. These incisions are opened, filled, and then closed, allowing your body access to necessary hormones. This method requires seeing your doctor about two to four times a year, and tends to work much faster and much more efficiently than other options. Some people who saw no results through other hormone replacement treatments did manage to see significant improvement through pellet implantation.