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Hormone Imbalance Symptoms

Posted on 16. Mar, 2009 by .

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The study of hormone imbalance symptoms is called endocrinology; this branch of medicine is the study of the endocrine system which is responsible for hormone production. Hormones are naturally occurring chemicals that are used by the body to send messages from cell to cell, only very small amounts of hormones are needed to control cell functions and slight imbalances can cause hormone imbalance symptoms. There are two main ways in which hormones are released through the body: endocrine and exocrine. Endocrine hormones are released right into the bloodstream and exocrine hormone are first secreted into a duct prior to release into the bloodstream or moving from cell to cell. With exocrine hormones this cell to cell activity is called paracrine signaling which is simply a signal from a cell that the body needs to produce and move some hormones to a specific cell.

Hormone Imbalance Symptoms Related to Menopause:

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats
  • Insomnia
  • Mood swings
  • Memory loss
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Loss of libido
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Unwanted facial hair
  • Thinning hair
  • Creepy crawly skin sensation
  • Tinnitus (ear rinning)

Hormones have many different functions in the body including:

  • Growth (too much or too little)
  • Mood swing
  • Metabolic regulation
  • Regulating sexual activity
  • Helps prepare the body for the fight or flight response
  • Prepares the body for major life changes such as pregnancy, puberty and menopause
  •  Activation or suppression of apoptosis (apoptosis is known as the death cell – this process allows for cell changes and death in multicellular organisms)
  • Controls fertility levels
  • Responsible for hunger cravings
  • Hormones may also stimulate other hormones performing different functions in the body

Natural Causes of Hormone Imbalance Symptoms:

  • Puberty
  • Pregnancy
  • Menopause

Although these life changing events may result in hormone imbalance symptoms, for the most part these types of hormone imbalances are considered completely normal and require no medical treatment. This varies with medical condtions that cause hormone imbalce problems that may require medical treatment and may cause potentially serious health problems.

Medical Conditions That Cause Hormone Imbalance Symptoms:

  • Addison’s disease
  • Mineralocorticoid deficiency
  • Cushing’s syndrome
  • Conn’s syndrome
  • Pheochromocytoma
  • Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  • Adrenocortical carcinoma
  • Diabetes
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Hypothyroidism
  • glucagonoma
  • goitre
  • thyroiditis
  • thryroid cancer
  • parathyroid gland disorders
  • osteoporosis
  • Paget’s disease of bone
  • Rickets
  • Hypopituitarism
  • Pituitary tumors
  • Sexual development disorders
  • Hypogonadism
  • Gender disorders
  • Puberty disorders
  • Fertiltity disorders
  • Menstrual disorders
  • Multiple endocrine neoplasia
  • Carcinoid syndrome
  • Autoimmune polyendocrine syndromes
  • Incidentaloma

Many of these diseases and conditions have subclasses. For example, there are several different types of diabetes and there are several different types of parathyroid gland disorders. There is a wide range of potential health problems and hormone imbalance symptoms associated with endocrine diseases and disorders. Unlike hormone imbalance symptoms caused by natural life phases, these medical conditions will most likely require medical treatment.

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