Hot flashes, also known as hot flushes, are sudden feelings of warmth that spread across the body and face. They can cause sweating and reddening of the skin. Hot flashes are a common symptom of perimenopause and menopause.
What causes hot flashes?
Hot flashes are caused by decreasing levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. As women approach menopause, the ovaries make less of these hormones. Lower hormone levels affect the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that helps regulate body temperature.
When do they occur?
Most women get hot flashes around menopause, when estrogen levels drop. But they can start several years earlier in the perimenopausal stage. Hot flashes can last for a few years after the final menstrual period in some women. Lifestyle triggers can also set them off like stress, spicy food, alcohol, and warm environments.
What do they feel like?
The feeling of an impending hot flash can range from flushing or reddening of the face and upper body to intense heat all over the body coupled with profuse sweating lasting 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Heart palpitations sometimes accompany a hot flash. Hot flashes that happen at night can disrupt sleep.
Managing hot flashes
Lifestyle adjustments like dressing in layers, lowering room temperature, avoiding triggers, and managing stress can help. Hormone therapy medications that supply low doses of estrogen and progesterone can provide relief too.
For a natural, plant-based approach to balancing hormones during perimenopause and menopause, visit our site. Our caring clinicians create fully customized, bioidentical hormone therapy to help women find relief from hot flashes and other symptoms. Contact us today for a free consultation!
Other key points about hot flashes:
I hope this overview on hot flashes was helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions. Here at Vital Hormones Clinic, we're committed to helping women thrive through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond via personalized care.