What is Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome?

When you have an occasional hormonal imbalance, you can feel out of sorts and not like yourself. But, when your hormones aren’t functioning as they should for an extended period, and there’s no relief in sight, you may be suffering from Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome. Dr. Jerry Morris of The Private Practice in Southlake, Texas, specializes in treating a variety of hormonal conditions to keep you as healthy as possible at every stage of life.

When hormones are out of balance, you’re either over- or under-producing hormones you need to maintain many of your body’s functions. With prolonged hormonal imbalances, you increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and weight gain, among other things. If you don’t treat hormone imbalances, your health may decline further as you grow even more susceptible to such conditions as diabetes, high blood pressure, and sexual dysfunction.

The causes of Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome

The causes of Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome (HDS) have only recently been connected to the deficiencies. In many cases, if you are suffering from hormonal changes, the cause is attributed to the aging process, or your symptoms are misdiagnosed. The truth is, many adults suffer from hormonal deficiencies as the result of a post-traumatic brain injury (TBI).

If you were ever in a car accident, played a sport, or were in any other type of incident that gave you a head injury, such as a concussion, it could be contributing to your hormonal deficiencies. Even if the injury occurred several years ago — or back when you were a child — you may feel the effects well into adulthood. If that’s the case, you could be experiencing Hormonal Dysfunction Syndrome.

Additionally, numerous environmental factors such as toxins in the air and water, exposure to X-rays, and certain medications can all affect proper hormone function. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland are the parts of your brain responsible for hormone regulation and production. If they have difficulty communicating as a result of a TBI, you may suffer the symptoms of low testosterone, estrogen, or other hormone levels within your system.

The signs of Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome

Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome may cause a variety of symptoms that come on gradually or suddenly, including:

• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lower libido
• Mood swings
• Weight gain
• Muscle loss
• Anxiety
• Infertility

The signs of HDS are often similar to those hormonal changes brought on by age, pregnancy, or puberty. However, if you don’t fall into any of those categories, it may not ever occur to your health care provider to request a blood test that indicates hormonal deficiencies. Therefore, you may be prescribed medications to relieve symptoms, but the underlying cause — the hormone deficiency — never gets addressed.

When you don’t treat the hormone deficiency, you put yourself at risk for psychological and physical problems. Some of the physical concerns are an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and depression.

The treatment for Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome

For many women and men, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) effectively gets your hormones back in balance so you have more energy and feel better overall. Since there’s not a definitive test to determine which hormones are out of balance, a series of blood tests can help determine any deficiencies, which is typical with HDS, or overproduction, if that’s the case.

Blood tests can indicate thyroid, cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone levels, so if any of them present a higher or lower amount, you can receive the appropriate treatments, therapies, or supplements. It’s important to treat the underlying causes of your symptoms since your body needs these vital hormones for overall health and well-being. If your hormones are chronically out of balance, your quality of life often declines both physically and emotionally.

As a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Morris specializes in preventive medicine, so he understands that symptoms often mask other problems. He encourages people of all ages to seek evaluation for any noticeable hormonal changes so he can recommend the most effective treatment options before symptoms become chronic, as they often do with Hormone Dysfunction Syndrome.

If you suspect hormones are playing a part in your health concerns, or if you experienced a traumatic brain injury at some point, call or schedule a consultation with Dr. Morris using the online booking system. The sooner you get to the root of your health issues, the sooner you’ll be living a healthier, happier life.

Author

Medical Director Dr. Jerry W. Morris