How to Tell if You Have a Hormone Imbalance

If you've been struggling with symptoms like irritability, bloating, weight changes, or mood swings and can't get to the root cause, it may be time to check for a hormone imbalance. Anyone can experience hormone imbalances, but symptoms differ for men and women; this article focuses on female hormones. We'll look at why hormones are important to female health, how to tell if you might have a hormone imbalance, and what you can do about it.

What Are Hormones?

Hormones are chemical "messengers" produced by glands in the endocrine system. They play a vital role in your overall health, signaling to your tissues and organs what to do and when.

It's natural for a woman's hormone levels to fluctuate during the month (e.g. close to your period) and throughout different seasons of life (e.g. around puberty, pregnancy, or menopause). However, prolonged hormone imbalances can cause other symptoms, and it's usually the symptoms we notice first.

What Is a Hormone Imbalance?

Hormones travel around the body through our bloodstream. A hormone imbalance occurs when there is too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream. For females, this could result in the following symptoms.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance

• mood swings
• constipation or diarrhea
• irregular menstrual cycle
• infertility
• pain in the abdomen or the back during menstruation
• low sex drive (libido)
• insomnia
• unexplained weight gain or weight loss
• excessive hair growth
• rashes on the skin¹

Of course, many of these symptoms could have causes other than hormone imbalance. But it's still important to contact your physician if you are experiencing one or more unusual symptoms like these.

How Schneck Integrative Medicine Can Help

The providers at Schneck Integrative Medicine have helped many women restore balance to their hormone levels. We believe successfully treating hormone imbalances requires a holistic approach; that's why we incorporate age-old healing techniques with state-of-the-art modern medicine to help women feel their best.

Long before medicine as we know it began, people relied on herbs, acupuncture, dietary supplements, massage, and the healing power of the mind. For us, the most important thing is getting to the root cause of your health issue, rather than simply addressing symptoms with medications.

Hormone imbalances have various causes, from medical diseases to weak glands to lifestyle habits. We'll do our best to help you understand your unique situation and guide you toward holistic solutions that support your hormone balance and overall health goals.