Menopause and hot flashes tips

1. Menopause
and Hot Flashes

2. Index
Page
About Hot flashes 2
Hormonal Causes 5
Other Causes 6
Managing Hot Flashes 7
Avoiding Triggers 10
Hot Flash Treatments 11
Hot Flashes in Men 13
References 17

3. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are one of the most common
symptoms experienced by women around the
time of menopause. These flashes are
experienced by over 75% of all menopausal
women
The duration, frequency and severity of hot
flashes varies greatly between women, hot
flashes often begin one or two years before a
woman's last period and can last anywhere
from six months to fifteen years.
Hot flashes are caused by hormonal
fluctuations that occur during the
menopausal transition. Treating this
underlying hormonal imbalance naturally and
making simple lifestyle changes can
significantly help a woman manage this
symptom.

4. Menopause and Hot Flashes
What Are Hot Flashes?
Hot flashes, also called “hot flushes”, are a
vasomotor symptom of menopause. This
means that hot flashes can disrupt the normal
functioning of the vascular and motor systems
of the body, causing intense heat, perspiration
and other symptoms ranging from mild to
severe.
The duration and frequency of hot flashes
varies from woman to woman. Hot flashes
can occur at any time of the day or night,
though they are often called night sweats
when they happen during sleeping hours.

5. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Women with menopause-related hot flashes
will usually experience a consistent and
unique pattern of symptoms. Some women
experience mild symptoms of hot flashes
infrequently, while others experience more
severe symptoms multiple times each day.
While each woman will experience the
symptoms of hot flashes in a pattern that is
unique to her, some women are at a greater
risk for more severe and prolonged hot
flashes. Women taking the breast cancer
treatment drug tamoxifen may experience
more severe and prolonged hot flashes.
Additionally, women who have total
hysterectomies will often experience hot
flashes more severely and for a longer
duration.

6. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Hormonal Causes
The most common cause of hot flashes in
menopausal women is changing levels of
estrogen in the body. Diminished amounts of
estrogen have a direct effect on the
hypothalamus, the part of the brain
responsible for controlling appetite, sex
hormones, sleep and body temperature.
Lowered levels of estrogen confuse the
hypothalamus, causing it to inaccurately
sense that the body is overheating. This
provokes an internal chain of reactions that
women experience as “hot flashes”.

7. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Other causes
Diseases that can cause hot flashes:
• Panic disorder
• Infection
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Hyperhidrosis
• Thyroid disease
• Obesity
Medications that can cause hot flashes:
• Raloxifene (osteoporosis drug)
• Tamoxifen (cancer drug)
• Gonadotropin analogues (nafarelin)

8. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Managing Hot Flashes
There are several ways to manage hot flashes
in order to reduce their frequency and/or
severity. In many cases, simple steps can be
taken throughout the day to prevent or
relieve hot flashes. Also, avoiding the
common triggers of hot flashes is another
important way to combat them.
Change clothes
Choosing certain fabrics and dressing in layers
can help keep a menopausal woman cool and
reduce the risk of hot flashes. Avoid
unbreathable and warm fabrics, such as wool,
synthetics and silk. Linen, rayon and cotton
are preferable because they are cooler and
more breathable. Open collared shirts are
much preferred to turtlenecks and more
constricting designs.

9. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Keep Cool
Lowering the temperature in the immediate
environment helps managing hot flashes.
When possible, turn down the thermostat.
Consider air conditioning, ceiling and floor
fans, and even small personal handheld fans.
In addition to controlling room temperature
and conditions, keeping ice water or another
cold beverage on hand during the day and
night provides relief. To help avoid hot flashes
in the night time, a cool shower before
bedtime helps.

10. Menopause and Hot Flashes
A small and compact bottle of cooling spray is
a very effective way of cooling down during a
hot flash. This can be sprayed on the chest
and neck and the mist evaporates to draw
heat away from the skin.
Hand held fans are small and easy way of
cooling off from a hot flash. Oriental folding
fans are very compact and easy to carry with
clothing. Personal battery powered fans are
small enough to be carried in purses.

11. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Avoiding Triggers
Common Triggers are:
• Warm environments (e.g. hot weather,
rooms, beds, saunas and showers)
• Heat makers (e.g. fireplaces, hair dryers and
heaters)
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Hot and spicy foods and drinks
• Smoking cigarettes
• Overconsumption of caffeine, alcohol and
sugar
• Diet pills

12. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Hot Flash Treatments
There are two types of herbs that can be used
in the treatment of hot flashes:
phytoestrogenic and hormone-regulating
herbs.
Phytoestrogenic herbs (e.g., black cohosh)
contain estrogenic components produced by
plants. These herbs, at first, do treat the
underlying estrogen imbalance behind hot
flashes by introducing these plant-based
estrogens into the body. However, as a result
of adding outside hormones, a woman's body
may become less capable of producing
estrogen on its own. This causes a further
decrease of the body's own hormone levels.

13. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Hormone-regulating herbs do not contain any
estrogen. These herbs stimulate a woman's
hormone production by nourishing the
endocrine glands, causing them to more
efficiently produce natural hormones.
This ultimately results in balancing not only
estrogen, but also other pertinent hormones,
such as progesterone. Hormone-regulating
(e.g., Macafem) can be considered the safest
way to treat hot flashes naturally as the body
creates its own hormones and doesn't require
any outside ones.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a
quick and strong method of hot flashes relief,
but, unfortunately, it entails serious side
effects and increases the risk of different
types of cancer.

14. Menopause and Hot Flashes
Hot Flashes in Men
Treatment for prostate cancer is the most
common cause of hot flashes in men. The
length of time flashes can last for and their
intensity can vary. It’s difficult to stop hot
flashes and night sweats, but their frequency
and intensity can often be reduced.
Hormone treatment causes hot flashes in men
by lowering the amount of testosterone in the
body. Cancer Research UK state “We know
from research that more than 7 out of 10 men
(70%) who have drugs called luteinising
hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) blockers
will have hot flashes… About half the men
who have this treatment (orchidectomy) have
hot flashes.”

15. Menopause and Hot Flashes
The frequency and severity of hot flashes in
men gradually lessens over time. For many,
the flashes last as long as they are receiving
treatment. However, there are certain
manageable factors that have been linked to
triggering flashes and night sweats. Try
avoiding of reducing the following:
•Smoking
•Stress
•Caffeine
•Alcohol
•Spicy foods
•Tight clothing

16. Menopause and Hot Flashes
There are other measures that men can take
to help reduce hot flashes:
•Stay cool. Keep your bedroom cool at night.
Use a fan if needed. Wear light layers of
clothes with natural fibres such as cotton.
•Eat a well-balanced, wholesome diet and
don’t miss meals. Low blood sugar levels can
be one of the causes of hot flashes.
•Drink plenty of water, at least a litre and a
half. This will help to hydrate you and alleviate
hot flashes.
•Exercise regularly.
•Breathing. Try deep, slow abdominal
breathing (six to eight breaths per minute).
Practise deep breathing for 15 minutes in the
morning, 15 minutes in the evening and at the
onset of hot flashes.

17. Menopause and Hot Flashes
References
• Sikon, Andrea and Holly Thacker M.D.
"Treatment for Menopausal Hot Flashes".
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. July
2004: 71 (7).
• "Hot flashes ... in January". Canadian
Medical Association Journal. 2004: 170 (1).
• Miller, Heather and Rose Maria Li, M.D.
"Measuring Hot Flashes: Summary of a
National Institutes of Health Workshop".
Conference report. Mayo Clinic. June 2004:
79.