Hot flashes are a sudden intense feeling of heat, predominantly in the head, neck and chest area. They are caused by a drop in the hormone estrogen. A drop in the level of estrogen is facilitated by the onset of menopause. Hot flashes are often accompanied by a rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, and a feeling of suffocation. They can be very uncomfortable and may leave you flushed and sweaty. 85% of women will suffer these symptoms at some point during menopause.
It is possible to prevent or at least lessen the severity of hot flashes during menopause. It is believed that these symptoms can be triggered by things like stress, hot rooms and caffeine, among others. Figuring out what your triggers are and avoiding them may lessen the impact of your flashes.
Learning what your triggers are is fairly easy. Whenever you have a hot flash you can record where you are, what you're doing and what you've recently eaten. When you look back at your record a pattern should soon emerge that will aid you in finding and avoiding your triggers.
There are many natural remedies for hot flashes during menopause including turning down the temperature in a room whenever possible. Other helpful tips are dressing in layers so you can strip down a little if you get too hot and avoiding synthetic fabrics that will trap your sweat.
Getting more exercise and eating a low fat diet are also reputed to help. Finding a constructive way to deal with your stress or even better, to relieve some of it, is recommended. Sipping ice water will help to cool you down from the inside out, and some women actually recommend sticking your head into the freezer if a hot flash hits when you're at home.
Acupuncture helps some women, as well as taking vitamins B6 and Peridin-C. Various herbs such as evening primrose oil and black cohosh have been used for centuries. Care must be used when taking an herbal remedy, though, as there are many possible side effects.
There are also a selection of medical remedies that your doctor may recommend to you. Some blood pressure medications have been shown to lessen the severity of hot flashes during menopause. Effexor, an antidepressant, has been a successful treatment when taken in a low dose.
However many doctors will recommend the treatment they have had the most success with, estrogen therapy, a synthetic replacement for the hormone your body is no longer producing. This is not as common as in the past, however, due to the research study concluding that too much estrogen can be a contributing factor to breast cancer.