Jill Gustafson, CNM, helps her patients from across the Treasure Valley to treat hormone imbalances from her welcoming practice on the Boise Bench. To learn more about hormone imbalance, call the office or request an appointment using the online booking tool.
What is a hormone imbalance?
Hormones are chemicals that are made in our bodies that control major bodily functions ranging from digestion and hunger to reproduction, sleep, and emotions. Hormones are created by different glands in the body and are responsible for normal body function.
Sometimes an imbalance occurs when there is a normal change in how our glands and organs function, such as what occurs during adolescence, pregnancy, postpartum, lactation, or menopause. Other times, there is an underlying medical condition that is causing one or more of our glands to not work properly, causing a hormone imbalance. Some examples of these conditions are metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, or adrenal deficiency.
The major hormones that are important to women's health are estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), cortisol, and DHEA. Each of these plays an important role in our sexual and reproductive lives.
What are the symptoms of a hormone imbalance?
Hormone imbalances can cause many different symptoms. Checking your hormone levels is a helpful place to start if you are experiencing any of the following:
- Infertility or miscarriage
- Very heavy, very light, very painful, or infrequent periods
- Pelvic pain with sex or other activities
- Low libido
- Difficulty with orgasm
- Vaginal dryness, burning or itching
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Incontinence
- Weak or injured vaginal tissue that is not healing (from childbirth, extreme physical activity, infection or trauma)
- Hot flashes, hot flushes, increased sweating, temperature regulation issues
- Poor quality sleep
- Brain fog, difficulty with memory or cognition
- Poor mood - worsening of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders
Which hormone imbalances do you treat at Quantum Women's Health?
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Estrogen dominance
- Estrogen deficiency
- Progesterone deficiency
- Testosterone deficiency
- Adrenal dysfunction - chronic stress reaction
- Hypothyroidism
