Hormonal Glands Interconnectedness

As mentioned in the blog on Hormone Imbalance in Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, hormones are the most potent chemical messengers controlling nearly all the processes in the body such as from metabolism to growth and development, emotions, mood, sexual function and sleep.

The hormones are created and released by the endocrine system is a network of glands and organs located throughout the body. Just like the nervous system which uses nerve impulses and neurotransmitters for communications, the endocrine system uses hormones which are chemical messengers to coordinate.

The interconnectedness of these glands and hormones therefore create a very delicate balance with each other to keep the body functioning optimally.

Hormone Feedback Loop

Most hormones are regulated by a series of complex feedback loops. What this means is that the hormone system is regulated just like a thermostat that responds to temperature changes by telling a furnace to turn on and off and make heat. As the temperature increases beyond the thermostat’s set point, the signal shuts and the furnace turns off. When the temperature drops below the set point, the thermostat signals the turning on of the furnace.

The hormonal system works in the same way as the thermostat. Hormonal glands depend on the presence or absence of hormones in blood to turn on or off their secretions. If there is not enough hormone in the bloodstream, the hormonal glands will produce more. If there is too much hormone, the glands will get the signal to stop secretion and hence lowering the blood hormone level.

Conventional Treatment of Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance is usually treated by giving what the body lacks or suppress what is in excess in the form of hormone therapy or pills in conventional medicines.

For example, in menopausal women who lack in certain female hormones, synthetic hormones which include estrogen and progesterone component to mimic hormones created by the human ovary are given to relieve the symptoms associated with menopause. Read how TCM and Acupuncture treat PCOS here.

Side Effects of Conventional Treatment of Hormonal Imbalance

As we can see from the interconnectedness in endocrine system and the way hormone secretions work in feedback loops, slight changes in hormone levels can have a reverberating impact on the entire system in time to come.

Here I have listed some side effects of synthetic hormone therapy for any hormonal imbalance conditions:

Hot flashes
Night sweats
Vaginal discharge, dryness, or irritation
Decreased sexual desire
Mood changes
Fatigue and extreme tiredness
Nausea
Pain in muscles and joints
Headaches
Bone loss and a higher risk for fractures
Higher risk of other types of cancer, stroke, blood clots, cataracts, and heart disease

What stirs interest in me is the fact that the side effects that conventional hormone therapy bring about are comparable to the signs and symptoms of hormone imbalance. I have put them side by side for visual comparison: