What Causes Hot Flashes?
Hot flashes are commonly caused by changing hormone levels before, during, and after menopause (less commonly, hot flashes can be caused by a reaction to medication or cancer treatment, thyroid problems, or certain kinds of cancer). Your body stops making estrogen as you get older, which makes you more sensitive to temperature changes.
Hot flashes are a little different for every woman. They can happen during the day or at night, and they can disrupt whatever you are doing (including sleep), or you may hardly notice them. They can last for just a minute or for as long as 5 minutes.
Not every woman going through menopause will have hot flashes, although it’s not clear why some women have them and some women don’t. You may be at higher risk if you are obese, are black, or if you smoke. Women who have hot flashes will have them, on average, for 7 years.
There are a few things you can try on your own to relieve your hot flashes:
- Stay cool. Dress in layers so you can remove clothing if you get too hot, and apply cool water to the back of the neck when you feel a hot flash coming on.
- Figure out any hot flash triggers to avoid. These might include coffee and red wine.
- Ask your doctor about your medications. Some medications, such as medication for high blood pressure or high cholesterol, can cause hot flashes.
Your doctor may also be able to help – hormone replacement therapy is one option. In this type of treatment, estrogen or progesterone is prescribed to help replace hormones and to help alleviate the symptoms that come with menopause. It can be delivered through a patch, a pill, or a cream.
Hormone replacement therapy may be the answer for you if you suffer with hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. Contact Campbell Foundational Health today to find out if hormone replacement therapy might be right for you. Call 919-308-9701 today.
