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What Are Hot Flashes And Their Effect During Menopause?

What Are Hot Flashes And Their Effect During Menopause?

October 24, 2022
What Are Hot Flashes And Their Effect During Menopause?

Menopause and perimenopause are characterized by hot flashes, which are known as vasomotor symptoms (VMS). More than two-thirds of North American women going through menopause experience hot flashes. A woman who undergoes chemotherapy or has her ovaries removed may also experience these symptoms.

What are Hot Flashes?

Menopause

Hot flashes cause a sudden flare of heat, sweating, and discomfort are a common and uncomfortable vasomotor symptom of menopause. There are many symptoms that you might experience during menopause, ranging from vaginal dryness and urinary urgency to insomnia and mood swings. However, for many people, hot flashes are one of the most recurrent symptoms of menopause.

Hot flashes can differ for everyone. Some people might not notice hot flashes, while others may have hot flashes that disrupt normal daily life. Not only can the severity of hot flashes vary, but the length of time you have hot flashes can be different for each person. The reason hot flashes happen isn’t really clear. Conversely, there are ways to manage them and improve your life during this time of transition.

What Are Some Of The Symptoms Of Hot Flashes And How Long Do They Last?

During a hot flash, you might have:

  • A flushed appearance with red, blotchy skin
  • A sudden feeling of warmth spreads through your chest, neck, and face
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • A chilled feeling as the hot flash lets up
  • Perspiration, mostly on your upper body
  • Feelings of anxiety

A hot flash can occur at any time of the day, and usually lasts several minutes, but an average is around four minutes. You may have them a couple of times a week or up to every hour. Hot flashes that happen at night are known as night sweats. You may carry on getting them for several years after your periods stop.

What Are Some Treatments For It?

  • Lifestyle Changes. This includes avoiding caffeine, exercise, alcohol, and spicy foods, and dressing in layers that can help relieve hot flashes. Practice slow, deep breathing if you feel a hot flash coming on. Some women find relief through meditation and other stress-reducing techniques. 
  • Hormone Therapy. This therapy replaces the estrogen lost in menopause. Although effective in controlling hot flashes, it must be used carefully because studies have linked it to an increased risk of stroke, breast cancer, heart disease, and blood clots. Guidelines call for women in greatest need to take the lowest possible dose for the shortest period. Hormone therapy, the only treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration for menopausal-symptom relief, is also effective against night sweats, and vaginal dryness, and can prevent bone loss.
  • Other Medications. When it’s not possible for you to take hormone therapy, your doctor may recommend medications to help relieve hot flashes. These medications include antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), a blood pressure medicine, and a seizure drug. 
  • Complementary Therapies. Herbal medications like black cohosh, are popular with some women who can’t take hormone therapy or are concerned about its side effects. Supplements can interact with any other medications you may be taking, so be sure to discuss them with your doctor.

The recommended treatment medication that can be used for hot flashes may include:

  • Clonidine Hcl – this medication is a non-hormonal medicine that is effective in reducing menopausal hot flashes. 

Do Men Experience Hot Flashes?

Men can and do have hot flashes. On the other hand, hot flashes in men have a different cause. The occurrence of male hot flashes ranges from six to ten times a day. The hot flash can pass within a few minutes or last up to an hour. Hot flashes can cause increased heart rate, irritability, nausea, and anxiety.

What causes hot flashes in men is simple. It occurs when a male has a serious testosterone deficiency. The most common causes of low testosterone are male menopause and the treatment used for prostate cancer (androgen deprivation therapy). 

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