Hormone Therapy for Chronic Pain

Causes of chronic pain can be due to different core conditions. Aging can affect bones and joints and even cause neuropathy in some. Poor posture, overweight, traumatic injury, a curvature of the spine, rheumatic arthritis, and fibromyalgia are other underlying causes of chronic pain. In some cases, hormonal imbalance can also contribute to chronic pain. Healthcare providers strive to find curative ways to deal with patients' different chronic pain symptoms. This article will cover how hormonal therapy can be a viable treatment for chronic pain.

Low Testosterone and Chronic Pain

Testosterone levels generally decrease after the age of 30. Even babies and young children can have this problem. Low testosterone levels also called male hypogonadism, is a concern where the male reproductive glands are unable to produce enough testosterone (male sex hormone). The inability to maintain the balance affects the muscle mass, normal levels of red blood cells, and bone density. The potential causes for so besides age are injury, chemotherapy for cancer, hemochromatosis, pituitary gland dysfunction, medications, chronic illness, alcohol abuse, and many more.

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic pain. It can cause inflammation, pain, and swelling in the joints. Now, there are two forms of arthritis- osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. If you have a low testosterone level, leading to weight gain, you are likely to develop osteoarthritis (OA). In such cases, you may experience pain in the knees, hips, back, wrists, fingers, and toes. The condition may also make your bones fragile. Testosterone can assist in maintaining bone density and support muscle strength.

Testosterone Therapy

Patients seek testosterone replacement therapy, a standard method for treating low testosterone. Chronic pain in patients leads to hyperarousal of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. It reduces cortisol and testosterone hormones in the body. Testosterone-Enanthate is anabolic steroid that can help treat low testosterone levels in men.

The ingestion occurs in two ways- in a pill form or by topically applying a patch or gel. In a study, clinical researchers found testosterone therapy more effective than a placebo in improving pain perception and tolerance.

Other Hormone Therapies for Treating Pain

Hormone therapy in pain management includes two uses. In one way, administering corticosteroids to joints helped reduce inflammation and alleviate pain. The other way included using testosterone for patients with pain and opioid therapy for pain management. Here are a few hormone replacement therapies that can help relieve pain.

Neurosteroids Therapy

These are steroid hormones naturally synthesized within the central nervous system. They regulate the glial cells and neurons in the brain. It has analgesic properties and influences various membrane receptors, especially gamma-aminobutyric acid, also known as GABA. In simple words, neurosteroids can affect our nerve cells signally. A clinical test on 90 US military veterans on the uses of neurosteroids highlights the potential of its benefits in treating chronic pain. On evaluating the use of pregnenolone, AP precursor, to alleviate chronic low back pain, the results found that neurosteroids have probable analgesic effects.

Corticosteroids Therapy

Corticoids are a group of compounds found in the cortex of the adrenal glands. Glucocorticoids, a category of corticoids, are vital for the human body as it has anti-inflammatory effects. A study on cortisone (a glucocorticoid) shows its effectiveness in treating rheumatoid arthritis. From 1935-48, an American biochemist, Edward C. Kendall, and two others made observations on the use of cortisone on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These successful clinical trials were also awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1950.

Corticosteroids are the cortisol imitation drugs increasingly used to treat arthritis, reduce inflammation, help in bone formation, and regulate blood pressure. These are available as creams, tablets, injections, and inhalers. These drugs interact with the intracellular receptors, adjust gene expression, and inhibit the inflammatory effects by regulating cellular processes.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin hormone therapy is an analgesic substance and directly influences the central nervous system mechanism. It has two roles- one as a neurotransmitter in the CNS and the other as a peripheral hormone. It reduces the pressure of stress and anxiety by influencing the nociceptor neurons responsible for sending the pain signals. There is a study that supports the analgesic effects on chronic pain and confirms its role in nociception and pain reception. The finding supports oxytocin effectively treating deep tissue chronic pain conditions. As a therapy, healthy foods like eggs, bananas, or even sensory stimulations like a warm touch can release high oxytocin levels.

Conclusion

The usefulness of hormone replacement therapies is quite evident from the studies. The administration of such methods in treating chronic pain is to stay for a longer duration. Severe pain can deplete hormonal reserves, resulting in low cortisol or testosterone serum levels. Here’s where hormone replacement therapy will come of help. As a precautionary measure, consult your physician before incorporating such supplements.