Hormones are messenger substances of the body, for whose production certain cell associations are responsible. If the sensitive processes there get into an imbalance, this is called a hormone fluctuation. A temporary hormone fluctuation does not necessarily lead to hormone disorders in every case. However, this can be the case.
What are hormone imbalances?
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy and structure of the endocrine (hormone) system. Click to enlarge. The human body can be compared to a delicate regulatory circuit in which switching elements send signals to each other, regulate each other, and control each other. The most important hormone-producing instances are located in various places in the body, such as the adrenal cortex, the thyroid gland, the pancreas, or the hypothalamus, a part of our brain, and the pituitary gland, also a part of our brain. They adapt the organism to environmental influences, including stress or anxiety. They control our metabolism of fats or sugars, when we feel hungry and when we feel tired. Our bone growth and processes such as aging are also under the influence of hormones. It is therefore understandable that fluctuations in this control loop lead to highly sensitive reactions. Various sources speak of 30-43 vital hormones. Not all of them have been fully researched. If the body permanently produces too little or too much of only one of the most important hormones, this can already have noticeable effects on the body, depending on the cause. In the case of hypothyroidism, the entire metabolism can slow down, resulting in effects such as weight gain, fatigue and even depression.
Causes
There are hormonally diverse disorders of fat metabolism or fertility, moods, sleep patterns, or behavior. Causes can be a genetic predisposition, environmental influences, stress or organic diseases, as well as biochemical processes also influence our hormone regulation when taking medication, tumors or other organ-damaging influences. A disease of the kidneys can also affect the hormone-producing adrenal cortex, and a genetic defect can also limit the function of the pancreas or thyroid gland. A deficiency of the corpus luteum hormone progesterone can thwart the desire for a child in young women, and in women over 40, the reduced production of this hormone often leads to exhaustion and unwanted weight gain. From body temperature to intestinal motility to the oxygen content of our blood. Hormones determine a large part of our daily life and our well-being. This control loop is as complex as it is sensitive. If it temporarily gets out of balance, it may pass us by almost unnoticed. It of advantage to consciously pay attention to the connections between our lifestyle and our well-being.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
There are several signs that can indicate hormone imbalances. For example, some individuals suffer from cravings or sleep disturbances. Hormonal changes, such as those that occur during puberty or menopause, can cause chronic fatigue and weakness. Many individuals suffer from hair loss or skin irritations, which are often associated with a strong feeling of malaise. Mental changes can also occur. For example, mood swings and depression set in, especially in the case of prolonged hormonal disturbances. Many sufferers also experience hot flashes and night sweats. An excessive appetite can lead to weight gain, while a lack of appetite, which is also typical, manifests itself in weight loss. In addition, hormonal disorders can cause many other symptoms and complaints. Possible symptoms range from headaches to prolonged migraine attacks, gastrointestinal complaints and muscle pain. In women, hormonal disorders are often manifested by greatly prolonged cycles, weakened menstruation and other menstrual complaints. In addition, intermenstrual bleeding and breast pain may occur. Confusion and irritability are also among the typical symptoms of hormonal imbalance. In men, hormonal imbalance can manifest itself through erectile dysfunction. Infertility may be caused by a hormonal imbalance.The physical changes are often manifested by an increasing feeling of illness that does not appear to have an underlying cause.
Diagnosis and course
The diagnosis in hormonal disorders is usually passed through several stages. In most cases, hormonal fluctuations or even their pathogenic effects are difficult to assign to hormones by a layperson. Therefore, the patient usually goes first to his family doctor, who refers him to a specialist for hormonal disorders – an endocrinologist. The daily diagnostic work of an endocrinologist includes laboratory tests of blood samples as well as ultrasound scans and discussions with the patient about his or her circumstances. Factors such as weight gain or loss, sleep disturbances, restlessness, stress or depression give him initial clues to an accurate diagnosis and possible treatment options. The most common diagnoses include thyroid disorders and diabetes. Often a clinical picture includes several of these disorders, especially if the course of the disease has remained unnoticed for a long time and several organs are already affected in the interplay of the hormonal regulatory circuit. Thus, people with a disturbed sugar balance often suffer in parallel from listlessness alternating with hectic activity, stress, sleep disorders and obesity, and drink and exercise too little. Cause and effect are therefore equally interwoven. This must be specifically found out in the diagnosis.
Complications
Hormone disorders can cause a wide variety of complaints and complications in humans. As a rule, there are also major differences between male and female patients in this regard. With hormone disturbances it comes thereby primarily to a general ill feeling. The affected person feels tired and listless and usually no longer takes an active part in life. Furthermore, anxiety or inner restlessness may occur, and many patients also suffer from sleep disorders. There is stress and discomfort in various organs in the patient’s body. The quality of life is extremely limited by the hormone disorders and everyday life becomes more difficult for the affected person. Furthermore, there is also psychological stress, so that most of those affected also develop depression and other behavioral disorders. Since in most cases the treatment of the disorders is causal, complications may occur depending on the underlying disease. In most cases, however, surgical intervention is necessary to eliminate the disorders. If the hormone imbalance is the trigger of the tumor, it may have already spread to other regions of the body.
When should you go to the doctor?
If symptoms such as inner restlessness or mood swings are suddenly noticed, there may be an underlying hormone disorder. A visit to the doctor is indicated if the complaints persist over a longer period of time. Serious complaints such as depression or exhaustion should be clarified quickly in order to avoid complications. If the complaints occur during puberty, pregnancy or menopause, a doctor does not necessarily need to be consulted. In most cases, the hormone balance returns to normal on its own as soon as the physical and psychological changes have been completed. However, people who feel very unwell due to hormonal imbalances should still talk to a doctor. This is especially true if physical complaints occur. Tumor patients in remission should talk to the medical doctor in charge. It is possible that a recurrence has occurred or that there is another underlying condition that needs to be clarified. If the above-mentioned symptoms occur after taking medication, medical advice is also required. In addition to the family doctor, a specialist in internal medicine or a non-medical practitioner can be consulted. The medical emergency service can name measures for first aid.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment of hormonal fluctuations and disorders focuses primarily on restoring the hormonal balance of the affected person. This can only be done by taking into account his or her current life circumstances and possibilities. In some cases, balancing results can already be achieved by administering hormone preparations. Organic causes such as tumors or tissue injuries must be surgically repaired.In the case of psychological causes of hormonal disorders, the advice of a specialist in psychology or psychiatry is sought. Therapeutic treatment can also be applied in this area. Likewise, there are naturopathic approaches to cure hormonal disorders. Some disorders can be treated with complementary remedies. Teas, massages, medicinal herbs, infusions, hormone injections or tablets can be part of the healing plan, as well as the identification of possible stressors in talk therapy, a stay at a health resort, regular ultrasound diagnostics or a change in diet and drinking habits. Exercise therapy, neurological examinations in magnetic resonance imaging or an analysis of the body’s own proteins can also lead to a successful therapy plan. Some hormonal disorders may require lifelong treatment. For example, a person whose thyroid tissue is increasingly destroyed due to a hormonal autoimmune disorder must take thyroid hormones from the time of discovery, eat and drink very consciously, get sufficient exercise regularly, and check his or her blood count up to four times a year. Because hormonal processes usually have long-term effects, it can take several months to more than a year for the body to adjust to a hormonal preparation that has been added, until it has worked out the correct dosage with the endocrinologist and the body’s hormonal system can gradually adjust to normalize hormone levels.
Outlook and prognosis
Although hormones control and regulate many of the body’s vital processes and do so reliably most of the time, they are relatively susceptible to fluctuations. Hormone imbalances of this type can resolve spontaneously or take chronic courses and persist unchanged for years or decades. The prognosis always depends on the hormone affected as well as the cause of the hormone disorder. During puberty, for example, hormone fluctuations are relatively normal and usually harmless, as they settle down again on their own after a few years. Until they do, however, they can naturally result in unpleasant effects such as oily skin and acne, severe menstrual cramps in girls, or aggressive behavior in boys. Depending on how severe the effects of such a temporary hormone imbalance are, it may be decided to take countermeasures. However, they will settle down on their own with and without medical intervention. The situation is different when hormone imbalances result from physical triggers, such as disorders of the thyroid gland or the reproductive organs. Such hormone disturbances not only take a chronic course, but can have sensitive effects on health. Hormonal fluctuations of the sex hormones, for example, lead to infertility. If hormone replacement therapy is an option, it usually takes several weeks to months for the patient to become properly adjusted and for symptoms to improve within their individual capabilities.
Prevention
Of course, it is not possible to protect against tumors or hereditary hormone disorders. Hardly anyone is able to banish the environmental stressors of traffic noise, everyday work or general existential fears from their lives. However, there is a lot we can do to influence our lifestyle, which is beneficial to a healthy hormone balance. We can avoid too many stimulants such as intoxicants, sugar or concentrates. We can choose whether we exercise a lot, whether we are with people who are good for us and whether we are mindful of our emotional life. Because these factors already influence quite significantly a healthy metabolism and a functioning hormonal system.
Aftercare
The measures of an aftercare depend with hormone disturbances as a rule very strongly on the exact expression and the cause of the hormone disturbances, so that thereby no general course can be given. In general, the underlying disease must be treated first and foremost so that these disorders can be completely eliminated. The sooner a doctor is contacted, the better the further course of the disease will be. Furthermore, the underlying disease should be prevented, of course, so that the hormone disorders do not recur. The treatment can be carried out with the help of medication, whereby the affected person is dependent on regular intake and also on a correct dosage.In case of questions or uncertainties, always contact a doctor first. Even in the case of side effects or interactions, professional advice is the best means of alleviating the condition as quickly as possible. If the hormone disorders are caused by a tumor, it must be removed. Even after removal, regular examinations by a doctor are necessary to prevent the hormone disorders from recurring. In the process, the life expectancy of the affected person may possibly also be reduced or limited.
What you can do yourself
Hormone imbalances usually normalize on their own. If the imbalance in the hormone balance has psychological causes, the problems disappear as soon as the living conditions have improved again. Stress and similar triggers can often be remedied by even small changes in lifestyle. A change in diet, for example, is just as effective as regular exercise in the fresh air and a good night’s sleep. Missing hormones can be supplemented by appropriate preparations. Substances such as testosterone and progesterone are available as tablets and creams and can already counteract a slight hormone imbalance. In addition, some natural remedies such as maca root or coconut oil help. Vitamin D also influences hormone levels and can be released, for example, through diet and sunlight. If these measures show no effect, there may be a serious cause. In women, menopause may be imminent, and in men, a midlife crisis may be the underlying cause. Pregnancy or the use of a certain medication may also be the cause. Those affected cannot do much themselves and should therefore talk to a doctor. Especially if the hormone disorder is accompanied by discomfort, medical advice is indicated.
