Although they are not exclusively caused by menopause, hot flashes are one of the most common – and discomforting – symptoms in women who are affected by the change of life. Hot flashes are basically heat attacks or sudden feelings of warmth most intensely felt over the chest, neck, and face, accompanied by the reddening of the skin and sweating.
Symptoms of hot flashes
Hot flashes do not affect every woman who goes through menopause, and their severity varies from person to person. During a hot flash, you might experience rapid heartbeat and sweating, your skin going blotchy and red on your upper body and face, and of course, intense warmth spreading over these areas. Once the hot flash is over and your body has lost significant amounts of heat, you might also feel chilled.
Causes of hot flashes
The hormone estrogen affects many of the body’s functions, one of them being the body’s heat-regulating system within the hypothalamus. This part of the brain is greatly affected by the falling estrogen levels of the blood during the menopause. Medical science does not know the exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon, but it is believed that the drop in estrogen confuses the hypothalamus, making it think that the body is overheating. This causes excessive sweating and skin reddening – the normal physiological response to high temperatures.
What can you do against hot flashes?
Many factors are at play when it comes to hot flashes, but one thing is sure: the exact time they happen cannot be predicted. Some women do not experience them at all, while others have multiple in a week or even a single day, not counting the nighttime counterparts of hot flashes, night sweats. Since they are related to the hormones your body stops producing once your ovaries start to age and the menstrual cycle stops, if you are bothered by hot flashes, you should see a doctor about your problem and consider hormone replacement therapy.
Following the doctor’s orders about the duration of the therapy, its method and the dosage, it is highly likely that you will be able to improve the quality of your life during this challenging phase.