Hot flashes are a well-known symptom of menopause. Almost all women complain about them at this age or with premature menopause, and in two-thirds of them, they occur in perimenopause – the period immediately before menopause. Their frequency varies in each woman, some experience discomfort from them until the last menstrual cycle, others – only during a certain period of menopause.
“Rush” is a sudden rush of heat that fills the body. The sensation may be accompanied by redness and sweating. Hot flashes occur both during the day and at night when they are accompanied by more profuse sweating and sleep disturbances associated with this discomfort.
The causes of heat waves are still not fully understood. They are thought to be related to a drop in estrogen levels and dilation of blood vessels near the skin. Their expansion, like sweating, is due to the need to cool the body and activate natural thermoregulatory mechanisms.
There is no pill that can completely prevent hot flashes – it is better to accept them as an “irritating” phenomenon at this period of life. However, there are remedies that can partially reduce their strength and frequency and increase self-esteem.
According to experts, stress, caffeine, cigarette smoke, alcohol, and hot spices predispose to hot flashes and should be avoided.
An important point is taking care of body cooling. In this regard, it is desirable to avoid tight clothing and elevated ambient temperatures. The power of the heating devices should be regulated, and in summer the appropriate ones should be used to cool the rooms and avoid the strong sun outside. Bedroom temperature
especially important, maintaining a temperature of 19-21 o C remains the healthiest option in all cases.
Some report good results against hot flashes also with deep (abdominal) breathing for 15 minutes in the morning and evening and regular exercise. A good solution can also be found in yogic practices.
In the event that menopause is accompanied by other severe unpleasant symptoms, such as vaginal dryness, mood problems, and headaches, especially if there is a serious loss of bone density, hormone replacement therapy may be carried out. However, it is recommended to take these hormonal pills for no more than 5 years, as they carry their own side effects – the risk of increased thrombosis, inflammation of the bladder, breast cancer, etc.
Hormone replacement therapy is not the only drug therapy a doctor may recommend. Depending on the woman’s condition, other medications may be prescribed to reduce her complaints, such as low-dose antidepressants, drugs to control blood pressure, etc. Taking a vitamin B complex and vitamin E
also reduces the effect of hot flashes. It is recommended to create a new diet that emphasizes foods rich in estrogen-like phytochemicals. They are found in soybeans and also in some herbs such as cimicifuga.
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