Sometimes it seems to be a strange phenomenon that so many things that cause issues with a woman’s life begin with men. Just saying this because MENtal illness, MENstruation, and MENopause seem to head off the list. Kidding aside, there are some really uncomfortable symptoms that come with all three of these ‘men’ words. Concentrating on menopause, hot flashes seem to be the biggest dilemma facing the aging woman today. If the first part of the joke in being a woman, menstruating every month for the majority of the years spent on this earth was not funny enough, the back end of the joke gets even better. Once the child bearing years have ended, or actually long after they have ended, usually in the fifth decade of life, the menstruation finally ends and menopause begins. With that comes a whole new set of symptoms. The one that really gets annoying and sometimes painful is known as hot flashes.
The term hot flashes refers to a physiological response to an extreme change in hormone levels cursing through one’s body. They are indeed tricky little things as they give no warning whatsoever as to when they are on the attack.
Symptoms of Hot Flashes
- An intense burning sensation in your face and upper body
- Rapid heartbeat or racing heart
- Acute sweating which is ever so lovely
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Anxiety
Let’s see, which of these look accommodating? Nary a one. Nothing like being out to lunch with your boss and suddenly becoming a sweating, glowing lump of aging fool. Just not nice.
What Is the Exact Cause of Hot Flashes and Who Is Susceptible
- Hormonal Changes that occur with the cessation of menstruation
- A decreased level of estrogen that directly effects the hypothalamus which in turn causes havoc with messages being sent from the brain that is in direct command of one’s appetite, sex drive, sleep cycles and body temperature. Everything goes awry when that tiny little hypothalamus (or the body’s thermostat) is messed with.
- The awesome brain sends instant messages to all the body’s systems, the circulatory, nervous and respiratory in particular to address this issue of overheating. All kinds of chemicals are then released to get things back to normal. Epinephrine speeds up the heart, blood vessel dilate to get more blood moving and cooled down and sweat glands go to town secreting as much fluid as possible to try and cool that hot body down.
- Seems that over 85% of women are saddled with hot flashes during a few years prior to the onset of menopause and then for a year or two after it starts. It can actually carry on for years after that and for those women, bless their hearts.
- To add insult to injury, if a woman has suffered from cancer, the hot flashes can be more extreme and last a longer period of time. It is often the medications that come along with cancer that plays havoc with the body.
- If a woman has had a total abdominal hysterectomy then she goes through menopause immediately and most likely will not have to contend with hot flashes.
Apparently these hot flashes can be so severe that women have to go see a physician to get attention or treatment. It seems that there is a direct correlation between the speed at which menopause arrives, called peri-menopause or sometimes climacteric (meaning a phase in life that is the beginning of the end of reproductive ability) and how prominent the hot flashes will be. The faster you get there the more momentous the hot flashes will be. Isn’t that a nice treat.
Good news, bad news
There is another physiological situation that goes along with being treated with tamoxifen (medication used in the treatment of breast cancer) that actually might make the hot flashes a little less overbearing. That is a bad news good news insight. If a woman is carrying a bit more weight than she should be then hot flashes tend to be a bit less as well. Another bad news good news thing.
Things that can set a hot flash in motion
Trying to beat the hot flashes becomes quite the challenge. However, the head can sometimes outsmart the body. Identifying different mechanisms that can set a hot flash in motion might not win the battle, but it can win the war. Start keeping a journal about when the hot flashes occur. Look at food, activities, emotional triggers, and such. Start making a list and seeing if there are direct correlations that might be avoided. There are some things that have already been identified so try an avoid these.
- Too much alcohol
- Too much caffeine
- Anything that is a stimulant such as diet pills
- Spicy or hot food
- Jacuzzi or sauna outings
- Too hot a shower
- Too much beach time
To thwart and beat hot flashes there are a few things that can be done if the inevitability of them arrives. Dress so that layers can be shed, don’t wear materials such as wool or synthetics as they hold in the heat, and stay away from turtlenecks. If you cant cool yourself down from the outside, drink ice water to cool yourself down internally. Stay away from silk sheets and use only cotton as they breathe and allow for more air circulation. Have a fan in your bedroom if you cant afford to crank the air conditioner to an arctic temperature.
Exercising is supposed to be good for these cruel and inevitable treats. Relaxation techniques can help with stress relief and help to overcome triggers. Eating food that don’t seem to have an effect on your body and taking vitamins such as vitamin E is touted to be helpful. Taking care of your health is a must when it comes to hot flashes treatment options that are available.
From a medical standpoint, it has been shown that certain hypertensive medications are beneficial in lessening the severity and regularity of the hot flashes. Only a medical doctor can prescribe these medications and should be taken while under his care. Low doses of antidepressants are helpful as well because they create receptor cites for chemicals that the body recognizes as a hot flash warning such as epinephrine and serotonin. Chinese medicine has been found to be useful but most women have to feel confident that acupuncture and herbal remedies truly do work.
