How to Take Hormone Therapy
There are two main ways to take hormone therapy: systemically (meaning, throughout the body) or locally (applied to a specific area).
Systemic Therapy
With systemic hormone therapy, the hormones are released into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body, helping to ease symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats and to prevent osteoporosis. Systemic therapies include pills, patches, and topical treatments.
Localized Therapy
Localized hormone therapy is applied directly to the vaginal area, and is primarily used to treat something called genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). GSM causes symptoms such as vaginal dryness, pain during sex, and urinary symptoms. Localized therapies include creams, rings, or tablets.
Because the estrogen is applied to a specific area, it isn’t absorbed throughout the rest of the body, which means it’s associated with fewer risks than systemic therapy.
Source link