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Signs and symptoms of hormonal failure in women and men

What is a hormonal imbalance

Hormonal failure is dysfunction due to pathology of the endocrine and neuroregulation systems, for both women and men. All the processes occurring in the body, largely dependent on hormonal status.

In women, this failure becomes the cause of various diseases of the reproductive system and in combination with impaired immunity, inflammation and genital infections raises a number of serious problems: menstrual disorders, uterine fibroids, endometrial hyperplasia, polyps , and polycystic ovaries. It is very important to conduct regular gynecological examination, because the number of female genital diseases are asymptomatic, without pain, bleeding and other clinical manifestations.

What you need to know about women's hormones? Complex processes in the female body manage estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are responsible for puberty and start of menstruation in adolescence, growth of the Breasts and the hair and adjustment of reproductive age.

Hormonal level changes after a woman gets pregnant: a new hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin. The woman, preparing to become a mother increases the amount of estrogen and progesterone, and by about the fourth month, the placenta begins to maintain pregnancy due to its own hormones.

The following hormonal jump occurs after birth, and the biological functions of the body return to normal. Now the main task of female hormones is providing breast milk for feeding the baby.

Thus, before the onset of menopause, when the ovaries cease to produce an egg and produce estrogen, the hormone levels in the body can change.

But if in the past the failure in the hormonal sphere marked pathological endocrine glands only in women, but now the concept has spread to the male population. It was found that they have abnormal endocrine system also leads to violations. And the fact that the sexual system in men and women is not the same, does not negate the similarity of symptoms caused by abnormalities in the hormonal field.

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Causes of hormonal failure in women and men

Factors contributing to hormonal issues in men and women, there are many. Primarily this is due to the dependence of hormonal status on the neuroendocrine regulation of the CNS that occurs in the brain and proper functioning of the endocrine glands, which are located on the periphery.

In this regard, factors that contribute to hormonal disorders, it is possible to differentiate two large groups:

  1. Cause, caused by disorders in the functioning of the Central regulation.

  2. The causes provoked by the pathological processes occurring in the peripheral glands. Their failures can be caused by tumors, infections, inflammatory processes, etc.

So, let's check all the possible causes of hormonal failure:

  • The system of neuroendocrine regulation, also known as the hypothalamic-pituitary system, may begin to not work properly in the resultdestruction of organic origin. These include severe brain injury and skull, encephalitis, cancers. In addition, to cause failures in the functioning of this system have internal and external causes. For example, it may be exhaustion, chronic fatigue syndrome, etc.;

  • These do not affect the function of the reproduction glands, like the adrenal or thyroid gland, is able to exert a direct influence on the hormonal background of a person;

  • Due to the fact that hormonal metabolism occurs in the liver, and the withdrawal of metabolites is via the kidney, disorders in their functioning can also be causes of failure.
  • It is impossible to exclude the factor of heredity. It plays an important role in the development of hormonal imbalance, especially those changes that occur during menopause and after it;
  • Congenital pathology of the systems that are responsible for hormone production, also represent a separate reason for the imbalance. The first time you show such pathology is usually a delay of pubertal or her absence;
  • Most often, failures in hormonal sphere occur during periods of physiological change. Among the most important stages of puberty and a similar extinction. Women, unlike men, have more multiple sexual storms of births and, in some cases, abortion.

Symptoms of hormonal failure

Symptoms of hormonal failure in young girls 14-16 years may be the absence of menstruation or its irregularity. At this time, the cycle should already be installed, but if not, there is a possibility of an insufficient production or absence of estrogen and progesterone in the body. Anxiety symptoms are excessive hair growth of the body and underdevelopment of the mammary glands. Often women with insufficient levels of sex hormones in the blood there is a high growth, thinness, long arms and legs. The menstrual cycle is almost always disturbed, if the body weight at least 48 kg.

A hormonal imbalance can cause cystic degeneration of the ovaries and underdevelopment of the uterus. Also after the sex should undergo regular examination by a gynecologist, as some sexually transmitted diseases that can cause inflammation of the reproductive organs and hormonal disorders. In pregnant women symptomshormonal failure may be premature uterine contractions, lower abdominal pain.

A worrying sign is the strengthening of premenstrual syndrome: mood swings, tenderness and breast swelling, joint pain, depression and distraction. During menstruation can occur uterine bleeding, develop anaemia. You should also pay attention to weight fluctuations, skin changes, and visual disturbances.

Hormonal failure can cause serious causes fibroids, polycystic, cancer of the uterus and ovaries.

Malfunctions of the reproductive system

At a young age malfunctions of the reproductive system is manifested in the fact that teenage girls delayed sexual development delayed formation of sexual characteristics (secondary). Often occurs the ontogeny of differences, not typical for a specific gender. Women develop secondary male characteristics (masculinization), and male – female (feminization).

Also affect the reproductive system:

  • Greatly reduced libido, up to its absence;
  • Suffering erectile function in males;
  • Women have difficulty achieving orgasm (anorgasmia);

  • Develops infertility.

Disorders in the nervous system

If hormonal dysfunction is the development process cerebrasthenia. The symptoms of exhaustion with the following:

  • Hypersomnia;
  • Nervousness and short temper, unreasonable irritability;
  • Fatigue after short periods of work;
  • Emotional instability, tearfulness;
  • Disturbances in the emotional sphere, which can lead to depressive disorders;
  • The decline in intellectual capacity that is reversible.

Pathology of metabolism

Metabolic problems arising from hormonal failure, often expressed in increased body mass. A sharp jump in weight makes doctors think about hormonal pathology.

In addition, patients begin to suffer from osteoporosis. Problems with the bone tissue occur against the background of disorders of calcium metabolism.

However, when the correct and timely treatment all symptoms disposable. However, if you ignore the crashingfor a long time, it may lead to more pronounced health problems that are triggered by long-lasting functional disorders in the most important organs and systems.


The effects of hormonal failure

Complications that can be caused by prolonged hormonal imbalance, the following:

  • The inability to conceive, including male infertility;
  • The inability to lead an adequate sexual life, complete loss of libido;
  • Obesity;
  • The formation of tumors of malignant character, the growth of which depends on the hormonal status;
  • Fractures due to osteoporosis;
  • Heart attacks and strokes, developing on the background of atherosclerotic lesions;
  • The second type of diabetes.

Signs of hormonal failure in girls in puberty

Delayed puberty

Indicator of normal puberty in females is its manifestation in the period from 7 to 8 years. Completed the process by age 18. In puberty deceleration of maturation of an organism, increase in height and weight, development of secondary sexual characteristics. It was at this time there is a formation of the female reproductive system that is responsible for reproduction process in the future.

If secondary sexual characteristics are observed in children under 7 years of age, sexual development is considered premature. When this occurs, early start of menstruation (sometimes this can happen even in 4 years), the formation and growth of mammary glands. The girls quickly begin to put on growth, however, it eventually will not exceed 152 cm. This is due to premature ossification zones of the skeleton responsible for growth of girls in height.

There are several types of early initiation of pubertal:

  • Pathological premature ripening, caused by the disturbances of Central Genesis or what is happening on the background of existing ovarian tumors that produce hormones. Most often, tumors located near the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, are the causes of early puberty;
  • Early sexual development constitutional type, its cause is genetic predisposition of the child to the early start of pubertal. Any pathological disorders in the systems that are responsible for hormones not. These girls have the normal ability to reproduce, treatment is not required. The first period starts not earlier than 6 years.

That girl has a delayed onset of puberty, will indicate lack of secondary sexual characteristics before the age of 16. Often such problems arise as a result of genetic predisposition. In this case, all system after the beginning of the month (17 or 18) will operate normally, and this feature development will further complicate the process of conception and childbirth.

But also can be found pathologically due to delay of pubertal. It can be the consequence of disease or Turner's, or abnormalities in functioning of the pituitary gland.

Currently increasingly delayed puberty is due to nutritional depletion. It becomes a result of starvation due to mass entrainment diets and aspirations of girls to painful thinness.

Sexual development with the erased virilization

Puberty with erased virilization is a pathological process in which a person has seen sexual characteristics, not inherent in his gender. For example, women grow hair on the male type or distorted skeleton. If the reason for this failure was a violation of the metabolism, it can appear typical signs: acne, excess body weight, stretch marks.

Genetically determined pathology in the development of the ovaries or the adrenal cortex can be the basis of a failure with a hidden virilization.

The most common hypothalamic syndrome of puberty, for reasons which are not fully understood. However, it is considered that this response of the organism occurs in the background of existing chronic tonsillitis or other infection, or as a result of the injury of the skull. We cannot exclude the influence of emotional stress, a viral infection, the fact that chronic overeating.

Hypothalamic syndrome causing hormonal dysfunction that manifests immediately after the first menstruation the girl, that is in the age period of 11 to 13 years. The external view of a teenager exudes health: these girls usually have a tall, slightly overweight, their hips and shoulders wider than that of peers. However, over the apparent outer prosperity hides a lot of problems, including headache, instabilityblood pressure, excess performance, excessive irritability and fatigue.

Stretch marks is another characteristic feature of hypothalamic syndrome, and these purple bands that occur on the skin, most often not associated with obesity. Their appearance signals the revitalization of pathology.

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding

When hormonal failure can occur profuse uterine bleeding during the onset of the next cycle. In this case there are violations connected to the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and ovaries.

Juvenile uterine bleeding are a fairly common problem, and up to 20% of all adolescent abnormalities in the gynecological field.

With regard to the etiology of dysfunctional bleeding, it could be a vitamin deficiency, infection, or mental and physical exhaustion. Moreover, the pathology can develop in adolescents, who do not have health problems, but the student is too intense for the program.

Symptomatic of this pathology is accompanied by the development of bleeding after a long absence of regular menstruation. Moreover, the delay can vary from two weeks to several months. Prior juvenile bleeding menstruation usually do not have abnormalities in over 2 years. Themselves bleeding can be profuse and scanty, but lasting (15 days). They often cause anemia.

If pathological menstruation becomes too intense, it can cause the development of DIC. In this case, need urgent help of doctors, as the increased blood loss threatens the life of a teenager.


Signs of hormonal failure in women of reproductive age

Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea lack of menstruation in women not yet in menopause, not bearing a child and not breast feeding.

Distinguish amenorrhea, arisen:

  • Because of the pathology of the ovaries;
  • The reason for the failure of the Central nervous regulation;
  • Due to disruption of the adrenal cortex.

If amenorrhea resulted from pathology of the ovaries, then most likely cause is polycystic. It becomes a result of stress, difficult birth, early start of sexual life, etc. in Parallel, the woman will suffer from more or less marked obesity and body hair growth in male pattern (hair on chin and lipinner thighs). Appear on the skin stretches, the nails become brittle, hair falls out. If you ignore this condition, then it threatens in the future development of diabetes and atherosclerosis, because these diseases result from a failure in the exchanged processes lipids and carbohydrates.

When there is a amenorrhea of Central Genesis, the patient suffers from anaemia, bradycardia and hypotension. To such hormonal disruptions may cause long disease or starvation, a hereditary factor, in which the lesions of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, trauma and oncologic diseases.

Hard, with the defeat of the internal organs, occurs a hormonal imbalance caused by the syndrome Itsenko-Kushinga. Amenorrhea is one of the symptoms of the disease. The signs of this pathology is quite specific: there is a specific obesity in which fat accumulates in the neck, face and upper body, limbs gradually atrophy, the body marks appear, grow hair in male pattern. Parallel woman suffering from osteoporosis, hypertension and impaired glucose sensitivity.

If the woman has signs of this syndrome, it makes sense to suspect pathology of the adrenal glands. The cause may be hormone producing tumors, or tumors localized in the pituitary gland synthesizes steroids are normally produced by the adrenal glands.

Common, leading to hormonal issues, is considered to be pseudo-Cushing's syndrome. It provokes violations in the work of the neuroendocrine system, and can cause functional hypercortisolism can alcoholism, disease of the mental sphere and obesity.

Intermenstrual uterine bleeding

It is hormonal dysfunction is often the cause of uterine bleeding. Menstruation arise with broken periodicity, increasing the risk of cancer, reproductive ability of women declines, there are problems with carrying a child.

There are two kinds of functional uterine bleeding. The first kind is ovulatory, in this case, the blood loss occur after some time after the delay cycle. The very delay can last more than 2 months. Blood loss not too abundant, however, by the time they are quite long. There has been a recurrent increased blood loss with a subsequent decline.

The second type – anovulatory – characterized by a progressive lengthening of the cycle. The duration of such periods may exceed a month.

Premenstrual syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome is characterized by cyclicalsymptom in women that is caused by malfunction of the hypothalamus on the regulation of hormonal output. This pathology can occur at any age, but most often affects women over the age of 30. As for the causes of the violations, the scientists suggest that the role played by the hereditary factor. In addition, you can trigger hormonal dysfunction is capable of high stress, abortion, and disease of an infectious nature. It is possible the impact of a sedentary lifestyle, errors in the diet, pathologies of the Central nervous system, and gynecological diseases.

The syndrome starts a few days before the next menstruation, the first day of the cycle, gaining maximum strength, and then withdraws. The difficult current pathology duration of symptoms may increase significantly.

The nature of the premenstrual syndrome may be the following:

  • The type of metabolic disorders with swelling of limbs and face;
  • By type of migraine with severe headaches, nausea and vomiting;
  • The type of neurosis with excessive irritability, depression, fatigue and sleep disorders;
  • The type of dystonia with slow pulse, with pressure and flatulence;
  • The type of sympathoadrenal crisis with irregular pressure, unreasonable fears, increase heart rate, culminating in the abundant excretion of urine. Such crises are a consequence of the violation of not only the hypothalamus but also of the adrenal glands.

Common symptoms for most women are pain in the Breasts and enhancing olfactory functions. Sometimes there is a rise in body temperature, heart pain, allergies. The younger the woman, the more she is prone to depression during the premenstrual syndrome, but the older you are, the higher the tendency to irritability these days.

Hormonal imbalance in women after abortion

Frequency of occurrence is hormonal dysfunction is the most common complication of abortion. This procedure is not only complex restructuring of the body, but also a strong nervous shock. If a woman's first pregnancy, the risk of complications increases significantly. And methodinterrupt does not provide it significant influence. However, it is best to perform the procedure in the early period, this somewhat reduces the risk of complications.

If the method of termination of pregnancy was chosen the medical abortion, the woman is in a mandatory manner prescribed hormonal therapy, contribute to the normalization cycle. When not developing complications, he comes back to normal after a month.

About the beginning of hormonal dysfunction after abortion may indicate:

  • Growth of body weight;
  • Stretch marks;
  • The nervous symptoms;

  • Jumps in blood pressure, unstable heart rate, excessive sweating.


Hormonal imbalance in women after childbirth

The body of any birth to a woman is undergoing complex hormonal transformation, so menstruation may begin with some delay, even assuming that the child is not breastfed.

Hormones influence the body weight gain during lactation, however, their effect is physiologically due to a necessity, which ensures the production of milk. In this regard, women who are breastfeeding, it is important to be in motion and do not consume foods having high calorie content. Often proper diet and exercise eliminate excess body weight after lactation stops.

If the weight does not go away, despite the implementation of all physician orders, this is often a sign of hormonal dysfunction.

To see a doctor should be provided that:

  • Weight unmotivated increases;
  • There is a process of virilization;

  • The menstrual cycle is not recovered, are concerned about the allocation between periods;

  • Appear neurological disorders.

To increase the risk of hormonal dysfunction after childbirth can stress, infections, worsening of chronic diseases, and pathology of the gynecologic sphere. Adversely affects the hormonal system fatigue, which is experienced by most young mothers.


Hormonal imbalance in women during menopause

To achieve a woman of 45 years, starts the gradual fading away of her sexualfunctions. This process is called menopause. The period is characterized by irregular menstrual cycle, followed by a complete disappearance of menstruation. However, we should not perceive this process as a pathology, because it is a physiological norm. Recently there has been increased frequency of occurrence among women of menopausal syndrome, which is triggered by hormonal dysfunction.

Signs of development of pathological climacteric period are divided into three groups:

  • Developing early – about three years before a complete stop of menstruation;
  • Delayed at time – begin to disturb the woman, after three or two years after the complete cessation of menstruation;
  • Late – developing after 5 years after cessation of menses.

The tides is the most pronounced symptom of the early menopausal pathology caused by hormonal dysfunction. During these episodes a woman experiences sensations of heat, mainly in the facial area. Other symptoms include depressive disorders, dystonia, headaches type migraine , etc. (the Causes and symptoms of hot flashes and how to deal with them?)

If we consider the delayed symptoms of menopause, it is mainly the lose skin in the genital region, and degeneration of appendages. Develop urinary incontinence, you experience the pain during sex increases the likelihood of developing cystitis and vulvovaginitis. These phenomena are associated with a decrease in the level of estrogen in the blood. Brittle nails, hair loss and dry skin are typical signs of estrogen deficiency.

Extended symptoms of menopause is a rude metabolic disorders. Women suffer from osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and diabetes.

Why changes occur in hormonal sphere during menopause – a question that remains open. However, there are assumptions regarding what aggravating factors is poor nutrition, stress and bad habits.

The development of pathological menopause threatens women:

  • With pathologies of the nervous system;
  • Violations of the neuroendocrine regulation;
  • With gynecological infections;
  • Passed through miscarriage, abortion or who had complicated deliveries.

Causes of hormonal failure in men

To ensure the normal development of secondary sexual characteristics in adolescence, strong muscles, impressive growth and aggressiveness of adult men respond to the hormones being produced by the testes – androgens. However, to the organism of the man worked correctly, and female hormones – estrogens. Therefore, in the face of men's health in his blood is the same estrogen as women in the menopausal period.

They are responsible for sexual desire men that will suffer when their shortage or excess. Estrogens provide an opportunity for the successful maturation of sperm, are responsible for mental ability to regulate metabolic processes, in particular, lipid and calcium metabolism in bone tissue.

Estrogen in men is a result of the liver and adipose tissue, converts testosterone. In the gonads it is formed is negligible.

Activity of male sex glands is also regulated by the pituitary and hypothalamus working in the system, and testicles. Therefore, the main cause of male hormonal dysfunction is considered to be hypogonadism – primary and secondary.

Secondary hypogonadism is the pathology of Central origin, which like in women is a result of brain tumors (the pituitary gland and hypothalamus), infection, malformation congenital nature or injury.

Sometimes a hormonal imbalance occurs as a result of chronic intoxication on a background of alcoholism, taking drugs, harmful professional activities. Such intoxication entails increased formation of estrogen from testosterone.

Endocrine pathology is a rare cause of hormonal dysfunction in the male body. Also rarely provoke such violations hormone-dependent tumors, pathology of the liver and kidneys.


Symptoms of hormonal failure in men

Puberty

Begin puberty in boys can and late, and ahead of schedule. If we are talking about premature pubertal, it cause be tumor of the brain localized in the region of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. In addition, the cause may be a genetic predisposition. Secondary sexual characteristics in this case can appear in the boy is already 7 years old. The child begins to grow rapidly, but the process stops in adolescence, because growth zones of the skeleton ossify prematurely.

If the child has obesity and other symptoms of metabolicdisorders, most often a hormonal imbalance triggered by the pathological work of the adrenal cortex. An additional aggravating factor is the use of a child in gormonoterapii food products. For example, meat and milk with steroids.

The reasons leading to the delay in the onset of puberty in boys may be several:

  • Poisoning, infection, trauma – any of the CNS;
  • Thyroid disease, obesity, diseases of endocrine nature.
  • Chronic diseases that triggered the exhaustion.

In the treatment of delayed puberty should be considered as possible influence factors, hypogonadism, and genetic predisposition.

A hormonal imbalance in the reproductive age

Manifestations of sexual dysfunction in the reproductive period is most likely to occur on the background of increased estrogen formation:

  • Excess body weight;
  • Pathology of the nervous system;
  • The growth in breast glands;
  • Violations of libido and ability to reproduce.

The cause of the failure can be varied: the pathology of internal organs and systems, poisoning, addictions, nervous tension, improper diet, etc. Symptoms in each case will be supplemented by relevant etiological characteristics.

Menopause in men

Natural physiological stage is the extinction of sexual function in men in adulthood. However, sometimes, this process is accompanied by pathological disorders.

First climax in men will be accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • Irritability;
  • Fatigue;
  • Depressed mood;
  • Drop in self-esteem;
  • Panic attacks;
  • The decline of cognitive abilities, reducing creative possibilities;
  • A feeling of worthlessness and uselessness.

In addition to disorders in the nervous sphere men suffer from impotence, which is parallel to problems with urination.

You can start to increase Breasts, increase body mass, and fat begins to accumulate in unusual for men places on the hips and thighs. Hair on face and chest stop growing.

Cardiovascular system begin to develop atherosclerotic vascular lesions and hypertension.

The skin gradually atrophy, deterioratingthe condition of nails and hair. Like women, men can be bouts of hot flashes, increased work of sweat glands.

Factors provocateurs pathological male menopause the following:

  • Pathology of the CNS caused by trauma, infections, poisoning;
  • Diseases of the endocrine glands;
  • Bad habits, poor nutrition, low physical activity;
  • Liver disease;
  • Prolonged stress;
  • Somatic diseases;
  • Genetic predisposition;
  • Previously migrated hormonal dysfunction.

Diagnosis hormonal failure

The composition of the comprehensive examination must include:

  • Tests for identification of hormone levels, General and biochemical blood analysis;
  • Examination of the internal organs, which allows to evaluate the possible damage caused by hormonal dysfunction;

  • The exclusion of organic pathologies, such as tumors, liver cirrhosis , etc.;

  • Conducting of differential diagnostics, allowing to identify the hypogonadism, the syndrome Itsenko-Kushinga, etc.

What to do when hormonal failure?

If the cause of violations was a tumor, it is necessary to eliminate from the body. When the factor provocateur failure is not subject to liquidation, for example, if this is menopause, prescription of hormonal therapy. If the pathology is not severe organic nature, its manifestations are well able to eliminate course taking medication.

Treatment involves the use of hormonal therapy. It will not only eliminate the symptoms caused by changes in hormonal levels, but also will restore the menstrual cycle and prevent recurrence of the disease. In some cases, only hormonal therapy is not enough, and patients undergo surgery. (see also: Restoring hormonal levels folk remedies)

It is important to remember that therapy is always selected individually, depending on results of medical tests. This suggests that self-medication for hormonal failure is contraindicated. To avoid complications and serious consequences, you need to have gynecological exams twice inyear.

Preventive measures to prevent the recurrence of diseases in both women and men are reduced to the following rules:

  • Commitment to the principles of proper nutrition;
  • The adherence of the day;
  • Feasible with physical exercise.
  • Avoiding harmful habits;
  • Possible – avoiding stressful situations.

If you have the appropriate destination, it can be shown physiotherapy, treatment in sanatoria and dispensaries.