Hot flashes are sudden sensations of heat caused by a reduction in estrogen levels before and during menopause. The hypothalamus responds by increasing body temperature, heart rate, and sweating. Triggers include smoking, stress, alcohol, caffeine, and hot weather. Hot flashes usually subside a few years after menopause begins, and treatments include wearing cotton clothes, using air conditioning, and taking estrogen replacement therapy.
Hot flashes are sudden sensations of heat, with an increase in body temperature that makes the sufferer uncomfortable. They are more common in women who are going through menopause, although they can affect others. It’s not uncommon for women to sweat so much during one of these that their clothes get soaked within minutes.
The human body has a built-in temperature control system that is regulated by the hypothalamus, a small gland near the brain stem, which serves as a conduit between the thalamus and pituitary gland. The hypothalamus helps regulate temperature with a series of hormonal “messengers”. For women, one of these messengers is the hormone estrogen, which begins to decline in supply a few years before menopause begins. This reduction in intake can temporarily confuse the hypothalamus, causing a significant increase in body temperature and very uncomfortable hot flashes.
A hot flash is just one of the symptoms associated with this underlying cause. It causes a sudden increase in body temperature, but it’s really the hypothalamus’ response to the sudden confusion that makes people so uncomfortable. The body can be said to go into hyperdrive to get rid of what it perceives as excess heat, which means that the heart rate increases and profuse sweating occurs.
This response can be somewhat comparable to panic attacks. Rapid heartbeat can certainly induce panic and can also cause severe headaches, nausea and dizziness. A woman’s first can be scary, especially since it usually occurs before the onset of menopause and is not expected. However, there are many differences between a hot flash and a panic attack. First, breathing may increase slightly, but there is no hyperventilation typical of panic attacks. Second, panic attacks rarely cause your face to flush or sweat so profusely.
It’s important to stay calm during a hot flash, as increased breathing can only add to the temporary havoc in the body, and panic can actually prolong the experience. As a person experiences it most, and approximately 85% of women do during the few years before and after menopause, she should remember that she is not alone.
As a person gets used to the sensation, they may notice certain things that trigger it. These can be very different for each person, although some groups tend to have more than others. Smokers tend to take them more regularly than non-smokers. Stress, consuming alcohol, caffeine or spicy foods, sitting in hot tubs, being in hot rooms, or walking in hot weather can also all be potential triggers.
Some women can tell that a hot flash is coming from sudden chills or just an indefinable sensation called an “aura” that will occur. Women who get them frequently may want to track what they were doing before it occurred. They may detect patterns between behavior or conditions and the flashes and as a result may be able to mitigate them.
Most women notice that these flashes subside a few years after menopause begins. In the meantime, wearing cotton clothes, using air conditioning, and having cold towels handy to get you through the experience is a good idea. Medications such as estrogen replacement therapy have been used in the past to help reduce hot flashes, but are now used less often because they can increase the risk of cancer. Some women find that taking estrogen for a few months at the onset of menopause helps to counteract the worst of this symptom.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
