Hot flashes (or hot flushes) are the most frequent symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. They occur in more than two-thirds of North American women during perimenopause, and in almost all women with induced menopause or premature menopause.
What is a hot flash?
A hot flash is a momentary sensation of heat that may be accompanied by a red, flushed face and sweating. The cause of hot flashes is not known, but may be related to changes in circulation.
Hot flashes occur when the blood vessels near the skin's surface dilate to cool. This produces the red, flushed look to the face. A woman may also perspire to cool down the body. In addition, some women experience a rapid heart rate or chills.
Hot flashes accompanied with sweating can also occur at night. These are called night sweats and may interfere with sleep.
How long will I have hot flashes?
The severity and duration of hot flashes varies among women. Some women have hot flashes for a very short time during menopause. Other women may have hot flashes, at least to some degree, for life. Generally, hot flashes are usually less severe as time passes.
Can I prevent hot flashes?
While it may be impossible to completely avoid hot flashes during menopause, there are certain triggers that may bring them on more frequently or cause them to be more severe. To prevent hot flashes, avoid these triggers:
- Stress
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
- Spicy foods
- Tight clothing
- Heat
- Cigarette smoke
Other things you can do to keep hot flashes at bay:
- Exercise daily. Walking, swimming, dancing and bicycling are all good choices.
- Stay cool. Keep your bedroom cool at night. Use fans during the day. Wear light layers of clothes.
- Try deep, slow abdominal breathing (6 to 8 breaths per minute). Practice deep breathing for 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening, and at the onset of hot flashes. Adding guided imagery to these breathing techniques can be very helpful.
- Consider acupuncture if other measures fail to help.
Talk to your doctor about taking short-term hormone therapy. This treatment prevents hot flashes in many women. In addition, it can help other symptoms of menopause, including vaginal dryness and mood disorders. However, even short-term HT carries some risks, including blood clots and gallbladder inflammation. If HT is not right for you, there are other treatments that may offer relief. These include both over-the-counter and prescription therapies.
Nonprescription treatments include:
- Vitamin B complex
- Ibuprofen
Prescription treatments include:
- Bellergal-S, a combination medicine used to treat some symptoms of menopause; contains a barbiturate
- The blood pressure medications Catapres, Catapres-TTS and Aldomet
- Antidepressants Zoloft, Paxil, Effexor
- Other hormones, such as Provera and Megace
- Neurontin
Can herbs and botanicals relieve hot flashes?
Although some botanical and herbal therapies have shown promise for relieving menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, more research is needed to determine the benefits and risks of alternative remedies.
Because botanicals and herbs may have adverse side effects or exhibit harmful interactions with other medications, it is important to consult with your doctor before taking any of these products.
Botanicals and herbs that may help relieve hot flashes include:
- Soy products. Plant estrogens, such as isoflavones, are thought to have weak estrogen-like effects that may reduce hot flashes. Isoflavones can be found in soy foods as well as whole grains and beans.
- Black cohosh. Some studies suggest that black cohosh may be helpful in the very short term (6 months or less) for treating hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. Side effects include gastrointestinal upset.
- Evening primrose oil is another botanical that is often used to treat hot flashes, although there is no scientific evidence to support this. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and blood clots. Many women with other conditions, such as seizures or those on blood thinning drugs, should not take evening primrose oil.
- Flaxseed. Although there is no scientific evidence to support using flaxseed, it is thought to decrease the symptoms of menopause, particularly irritability and mood swings. Also known as linseed, flaxseed is available in both whole seed and seed oil forms.
Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take any medications to relieve hot flashes. Also, keep in mind that hot flashes are temporary. You may be able to manage without any treatment.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 10/19/2006 #10087
