Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. About 75 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes. While most women know that hot flashes occur at the “change of life,” many don’t realize what actually causes them. New River Women’s Health provides a quick look at what’s going on in your body when a hot flash strikes — and what to do to minimize discomfort.
A “processing center” in your brain known as your hypothalamus gland regulates your body temperature. The hypothalamus triggers your sweat glands to create perspiration to cool you down when you get hot. Normally, the system works very well. But as you begin to enter menopause, your processing center often thinks you’re hot when you’re not.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the hot flash process goes as follows:
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Your brain thinks you are hot, so it starts your natural cool-down process.
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Your temperature rises, and blood flow increases.
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You begin to feel really hot, your heart may race (as blood flow increases) and you may even feel dizzy.
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Your sweat glands go into action, attempting to beat the heat.
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Heat escapes your body, your skin flushes and you begin to perspire profusely.
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After a few minutes, your brain begins to sense that your temperature has normalized, and your hot flash ends.
Home Remedies for Hot Flashes
The good news is there are several ways to cope with hot flashes. Lifestyle changes, including losing weight, can help. So can exercise.
Stress can trigger hot flashes in some women, so it may help to take a quick “time out” alone or do some meditative breathing. Caffeine and spicy foods are known to trigger them as well, so it’s best to avoid both and see if cutting them out relieves your discomfort.
Medically-Managed Options for Moderate-to-Severe Hot Flashes
If lifestyle changes alone don’t provide adequate symptom relief from your hot flashes, you may want to consult your doctor about decreasing their frequency.
Your physician may recommend estrogen therapy, or estrogen-plus-progestin therapy, in the lowest dose possible to achieve symptom relief. Similarly, low-dose antidepressants may reduce your incidence of hot flashes if you cannot take estrogen for health reasons (such as a family history of breast cancer) or if you have a mood disorder.
New River Women’s Health understands that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other menopause-management options are complex and very personal. We take time to find a workable hot-flash management plan for each of our patients based on her medical history, health status and preferences. Please contact us at (540) 605-7566 to schedule an appointment with us in Blacksburg, VA, or schedule online.
