Whether you have specific reasons for considering hormone therapy, or you know it’s something you’ll want to consider in the coming years, there is plenty of misinformation out there about what it is – and what it does. With many myths about it flying around, it’s easy for women to be put off treatment that can be hugely beneficial in several different ways and across a range of circumstances.

We debunk some of the top myths for hormone therapy, helping you to get a clear picture of what is true about it.

and what’s outdated or simply incorrect. Read on for three of the most common myths you’ll come across when researching therapy for hormones and why they aren’t the truth:

Hormone therapy increases your risk of illness or cancer.

One of the biggest myths surrounding hormone therapies is that this treatment increases your risk of specific illnesses or diseases. Cancer is one of the most common illnesses these myths are formed around. While older studies have suggested that therapy for hormones can cause cancer, these have since been debunked. Newer, more up-to-date studies with current therapies have shown no increased risk of cancers, specifically from hormone therapy.

It is worth noting that, as with natural hormones, adding hormones to your body may slightly increase your risk of certain cancer types. Hormone therapy itself doesn’t increase this risk – it’s simply the same risk you’d have if you had those natural hormones in your body already.

Hormone therapy is a last resort and only for severe circumstances.

Therapy for hormones is often perceived as the ‘end of the road’ as a treatment form, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In some cases, hormone therapy is the final choice of treatment; in many other cases, this treatment is beneficial for all kinds of symptoms. There is no specific journey you need to go to reach hormone therapy, and it certainly isn’t a ‘last resort’ treatment to use when everything else has failed in many cases.

In some circumstances, such as early menopause, hormone therapy is a preventative treatment rather than a reactive one. Reducing the risk of heart disease and protecting against osteoporosis, hormone treatment isn’t just the last thing medical professionals think of. It’s a legitimate and effective treatment that helps thousands of women every day.

It’s ‘cheating’ to use hormone therapy when other, natural treatments are available.

For those going through menopause, there may be some that insist that your hormonal changes are a natural part of life. Similarly, women will often ignore even severe symptoms if they feel they can handle them naturally. But at the end of the day, medicine is there to provide you with a scientific and useful way to get through challenging symptoms or circumstances.

Hormone therapy isn’t the ‘easy way out,’ and it certainly isn’t cheating. Seeking help when you need medical intervention is the best thing you can do, and your doctor won’t prescribe it on a whim without discussing what you’d like to do. While natural treatments are available, these are not scientifically backed or studied in the same way hormone therapy has been.

Want to know more about hormone therapy? Get in touch today to discuss how we could help you.