Hormone therapy can provide life-changing relief from symptoms caused by hormone imbalance or deficiency. As we age or go through major life stages, our hormone levels fluctuate, often leaving us feeling off. Getting your hormones rebalanced through professional care can renew your sense of wellbeing and help you live life to the fullest.
At Hormone Harmony Clinic in Seattle, our experienced medical team provides customized hormone therapy to help patients restore their optimal hormonal balance. We offer cutting-edge hormone treatments to help people struggling with symptoms like fatigue, mood disorders, sexual dysfunction, and more. Our goal is to give you the tools to take charge of your health.
Keep reading to learn all about how hormone therapy works and how it may be able to help you feel your best.
Hormone therapy regulates hormones using medications to reach normal levels in your body. It can take the form of replacing hormones your body no longer makes enough of, or adjusting the levels of hormones that are out of balance.
Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol regulate many vital processes in the body and brain. When your hormonal balance is disrupted, you may experience:
The goal of hormone therapy is to get your hormone levels back into their optimum ranges so you can feel healthy and energetic again.
Some key candidates for hormone therapy include:
As women approach menopause, their estrogen and progesterone levels decline. This can lead to severe hot flashes, vaginal dryness, chronic fatigue, mood swings, and interrupted sleep.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can provide huge relief by replacing the hormones their bodies no longer make enough of. Treatment often consists of a combination of estrogen and progesterone to balance these two key hormones.
Testosterone helps regulate muscle mass, fat distribution, energy, sex drive, and more in men. Low testosterone, or low T, is a common cause of fatigue, weight gain, irritability, weak erections, and loss of interest in sex.
Testosterone therapy can restore optimal testosterone levels so men can regain their vitality. Treatment is provided through gels, injections, implants, or other delivery methods.
Thyroid hormones regulate your metabolism. An underactive thyroid leads to hypothyroidism, causing unexplained weight gain, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, and more. An overactive thyroid causes hyperthyroidism, leading to anxiety, sweating, rapid heart rate, and unintentional weight loss.
Adjusting thyroid hormone levels through medications can resolve these bothersome symptoms.
Illnesses like cancer and medical procedures like hysterectomy can affect hormone production. Bioidentical hormone therapy may help people recovering from these conditions regain strength and resilience.
Some people simply feel like their best selves when their hormone levels are balanced at the higher end of normal ranges. Anti-aging hormone therapy can help optimize energy, body composition, sex drive, mood, sleep, and more as we age.
The types of hormone therapy prescribed depend on your lab results, symptoms, medical history, and treatment goals. Options may include:
Hormone therapy can have surprising benefits beyond transitioning gender. For example, small doses of testosterone can boost bone density and sexual function in menopausal cisgender women. Estrogen patches are also sometimes prescribed to cisgender men to help prevent osteoporosis and heart disease as they age.
There are multiple delivery methods for hormone therapy:
The right delivery method for you depends on the types of hormones prescribed, your preferences, and convenience. Your provider will help determine the optimal route.
Your journey with hormone therapy starts with an in-depth consultation at our clinic. We take time to listen and understand your symptoms, health history, and goals.
We will:
Our goal is to get to the root causes of your hormone imbalance, not just treat general symptoms. We put together a holistic plan to help you finally feel like yourself again.
Comprehensive lab testing is crucial for evaluating hormone levels before starting therapy. We use leading diagnostic labs in the Seattle area to analyze:
Getting baseline bloodwork done gives us an objective reference point for developing your treatment plan. We'll repeat testing throughout your therapy to ensure your hormones are being properly regulated into ideal ranges.
The benefits of hormone therapy are wide-ranging and life-changing for many patients:
For menopausal women, balancing estrogen and progesterone can provide immense relief from hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, bladder issues, sleep disruptions, and mood instability. HRT helps women regain their vitality during this transition.
Optimal hormone levels enhance your metabolic processes, allowing you to have greater energy throughout the day. Higher testosterone especially helps increase muscle strength and endurance.
Balancing key hormones has a profoundly positive influence on your brain chemistry and mood. Many patients report feeling less anxious, irritable, and depressed after starting therapy.
The right hormone balance helps you maintain a lean physique as you age. Added testosterone builds muscle mass in both men and women. Estrogen and progesterone help women maintain a more favorable fat distribution.
Declining hormone levels commonly lead to low libido and sexual dysfunction. Restoring testosterone, estrogen, and other sex hormones brings back a satisfying sex drive and performance ability.
Optimal estrogen in women enhances collagen production for better skin elasticity. Added testosterone thickens hair. Regulated thyroid hormone prevents hair loss. Overall hormonal balance supports bone density.
Balancing hormones like cortisol, melatonin, estrogen, and testosterone can greatly improve your ability to fall and stay asleep. This leaves you feeling genuinely rested.
With customized hormone therapy, you can target the symptoms most negatively impacting your life, whether it's hot flashes, low libido, fatigue, or another concern. Our experts tailor treatment to your needs.
While hormone therapy provides immense benefits, optimizing your lifestyle maximizes your results:
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits provides the ideal internal environment for your hormone therapy to work its magic. Our experts can provide customized recommendations to help you thrive.
Seattle's climate is relatively mild throughout the year, making any season conducive to starting hormone therapy. However, it is ideal to avoid initiating treatment during periods of extreme heat or cold, as fluctuating outdoor temperatures could make evaluating your treatment response more difficult.
The late spring, summer, and early fall months are great times to embark upon therapy, when Seattle's weather is at its most pleasant and temperatures are unlikely to spike up or down significantly from day to day. This provides a stable external environment, allowing your care team to better optimize and assess your hormone levels.
Of course, we understand the desire for prompt relief. We treat patients year-round and work closely with you to ensure you get the best results, no matter the season. The keys are close follow-up and communication with your provider.
Don't let Seattle's seasons deter you from seeking help for your hormone-related symptoms. Contact Hormone Harmony Clinic today to get started on your path to better health, all year long.
Seattle offers wonderful amenities, services, and activities to help support you during your hormone therapy:
Convenient lab locations to get your hormone bloodwork drawn:
Places to decompress and reduce stress:
Gyms and studios to stay active:
Nutritious meal options:
Surrounding yourself with people and places that nourish you during treatment helps ensure your hormone optimization journey is a success. Seattle offers abundant resources to support overall wellness.
We hope this guide gave you a helpful overview of hormone therapy—what it is, who it can help, and how it works. Most importantly, restoring balance to your essential hormones helps you experience life with a renewed sense of vigor, focus, calm, and joy.
If you're struggling with symptoms that may be related to hormonal imbalance, we encourage you to seek an evaluation from a provider experienced in hormone therapy. The expert team at Hormone Harmony Clinic is passionate about guiding people through this transformative process using the latest testing, treatments, and customized protocols.
Don't allow hormone issues to disrupt your life any longer. You deserve to look and feel your best at any age or stage. Take charge of your health by exploring hormone optimization—it could be the most rewarding step you take all year!
