You may experience an unannounced brief feeling of intense heat that makes our face and neck feel red and hot and possibly look blotchy.
A typically hot flush will last for between 30 seconds and 10 minutes. Women tend to experience hot flushes for about two years on average, but for a small percentage, approximately 10%, hot flushes can continue for up to 15 years! What does it feel like to have a hot flush/flash?Ī hot flush is a vasomotor or blood vessel symptom that can vary in intensity and duration. However, for a smaller percentage of us, around 20%, hot flushes can be severe and interfere with quality of life and sleep. Hot flushes and night sweatsĪlong with irregular periods, hot flushes are one of the primary signs of the onset of the menopause. For most women, hot flushes occur occasionally and do not cause much distress. By paying attention to your body and keeping your doctor informed, you can prevent symptoms from interfering with all that is good in your life.Hot flushes are one of the primary symptoms of menopause. Doctors consider many factors when prescribing MHT, including your age, overall health, and your risk for heart disease, blood clots or cancer. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks, side effects and benefits so you can decide what’s right for you. Keep in mind that some of these therapies can interact with your prescription drugs. Food and Drug Administration regulations that prescription and over-the-counter medications do, the NAMS advises women to seek such remedies under the supervision of their health care provider. Dietary supplements and herbal therapies – Because these don’t undergo the standard U.S.Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) – Formerly called hormone replacement therapy, MHT can be helpful in relieving moderate to severe symptoms.Non-hormone prescription drugs – Sometimes, drugs used for other conditions – epilepsy, depression, sleep problems, high blood pressure – may help.Low-dose oral contraceptives (birth control pills) – If you’re in perimenopause, your doctor might consider prescribing a low-dose oral contraceptive to help with symptoms.Some hot flashes become so annoying, embarrassing or even debilitating that you may need medications or other therapies to find relief. Put a cold pack under your pillow (turning often) or at your feet.Take slow, deep breaths as soon as a hot flash starts.įor hot flashes occurring during sleep (night sweats), try these tactics:.Avoid possible triggers such as spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, stress or being in a hot place.This may help you identify patterns and triggers. Keep a diary (or symptom journal) to track each hot flash.These strategies may help if your symptoms are mild to moderate: Talk to your doctor as soon as you begin having hot flashes so you can evaluate them together, especially as your symptoms change. Taking a look at your overall health may help you determine if your symptoms are related to menopause. An unusually warm room, sleeping with too many blankets or using a heating pad can cause your body to feel hotter than normal.Ĭertain conditions (e.g., thyroid disease, eating disorders and infection) and drug therapies also can cause hot flashes. Sometimes, it can be tough to tell if what you’re experiencing is really a hot flash. But they usually follow a consistent pattern unique to each woman and typically produce feelings of extreme heat.
Hot flash symptoms vary from woman to woman as do tolerance levels. And the hot flashes begin with dilated blood vessels (resulting in a red, flushed face and neck), perspiration, a more rapid heartbeat and even a post-hot-flash cold chill.
When estrogen levels drop as a women ages, it can mistakenly sense that you’re too warm and start a chain of events to cool you down. This part of the brain regulates body temperature. Some women have a recurrence even 10 years after they begin menopause (the end of your monthly periods).Įxperts don’t fully understand the exact cause of hot flashes but do suspect that the brain’s hypothalamus is the culprit. However, they can linger for as much as ten years. They usually follow a consistent pattern unique to each woman.įor most women, hot flashes last for six months to two years. Nearly a quarter of these women experience enough discomfort to seek relief from their health care providers. According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), about 75 percent of American women have hot flashes during perimenopause (the years leading up to your final period). But now, it’s happening to you – the dreaded hot flashes. You’ve been hearing about them for years from your mom and friends, hardly taking note.
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