Hot flashes are mostly spontaneous attacks of strong feelings of heat or heat waves that grip the body, although the outside temperature is unchanged. Hot flashes mostly occur in menopausal women. However, some more mature men also suffer from this symptom. Hot flashes are often accompanied by sweating.
What are hot flashes?
Hot flashes occur most frequently during female menopause. Affected women feel uncomfortable heat and the skin reddens. Hot flashes occur most often during female menopause. Not all women suffer from them. It is not clear why some women do not have hot flashes at all during menopause. However, there is one piece of good news: you can do something about them. Usually, affected women first feel hot flashes in the chest area. They feel uncomfortable heat and the skin reddens. From the chest, the heat rises up into the neck, the nape of the neck, the head, and then it spreads over the entire body. The heart beats faster than usual. Along with the hot flash, affected women tend to be irritable and are particularly sensitive. Other symptoms include sweating. Following the “flying heat”, as the hot flashes are also called, the affected person becomes cold or even develops chills. Hot flashes occur especially in the evening or at night. Either hot flashes tear the affected person from sleep and does not let them fall asleep again or in the morning the whole nightgown including bed linen is sweaty through.
Causes
So where do hot flashes come from? During menopause, hormone levels fluctuate greatly. This leads, among other things, to the fact that the center in the brain that is responsible for temperature control is not properly balanced. It goes especially crazy when the estrogen level suddenly drops. The affected person perceives an apparent overheating and the blood in the body is forced into the skin to cool it down. The temperature of the body is also supposed to be lowered by an outbreak of sweating. That is why those affected feel cold after the hot flash. Such a hot flash usually lasts one minute, sometimes up to five and in rare cases it lasts half an hour. The frequency of hot flashes also varies from woman to woman, from a few times a week to a few times an hour. The rising heartbeat during the hot flash comes from the stress hormone adrenaline. It is also released to cool the body down.
Diseases with this symptom
- Menopause
- Allergy
- Obesity
- Carcinoid
- Hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes mellitus
Complications
Hot flashes are a common symptom in women as they enter their menopause (climacteric). The body enters a reversal of hormones and it takes a few years to get used to the lack of estrogen and progesterone. The heart races at that moment and the blood vessels are wide open, causing the head to turn red. In addition, there is heavy sweating. In itself, the hormonal change is a natural process and occurs in every woman from the age of 40 to 50 and accordingly, this has no other serious consequences, as it is only a short-term symptom. However, the hot flashes occur mainly during sleep, so it can lead to sleep deprivation. Also, the heavy sweat production that occurs is usually a great psychological burden for those affected. Hot flashes can also occur in the context of other diseases. Therefore, if they occur independently of menopause, they should be clarified by a doctor. Hyperthyroidism can also be the cause of hot flashes. Too much thyroid hormone can lead to thyrotoxic crisis, which, in addition to dizziness and lightheadedness, can lead to coma and death. Diabetes can also cause hot flashes. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to various complications such as blindness, sensory loss, and kidney failure.
When should you see a doctor?
If hot flashes are due to increased consumption of coffee, tea, nicotine, alcohol or certain spices, they are mostly harmless and can easily be avoided by abstaining from these stimulants.Relapsing hot flashes are often caused by menopause and are usually accompanied by only moderate discomfort that does not require medical treatment. Relapsing hot flashes do not only affect women after the absence of menstruation. Men can also experience hot flashes due to a drop in the male sex hormone (testosterone) in old age. If these episodes are so pronounced that everyday life and quality of life are significantly restricted, a doctor should be consulted. In addition, hot flashes should always be clarified by a doctor if they are not related to the hormonal changes during menopause. In this case, possible diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, tumors or allergies must be ruled out as possible causes. If medication-induced hot flashes are suspected, a doctor should also be consulted so that the medication can be adjusted if necessary.
Treatment and therapy
Even though hot flashes and menopause are very stressful for women – something can be done about it. For many, it is even a reason to rethink their previous lifestyle. For many, it is becoming increasingly important to do something good for themselves and to pay more attention to themselves and their very own needs. Often it’s nothing big, but things you’ve wanted to change for a long time: whether it’s eating healthier, drinking less alcohol or quitting smoking. Exercising more often helps a lot to get the hot flashes under control. But there is also a lot you can do when the heat becomes acute. For example, sufferers should take care to keep rooms cool and not overheat, otherwise hot flashes are encouraged. Sufferers should dress according to the onion principle, i.e. several layers on top of each other, so that individual items can be taken off if necessary. Clothing should generally be loose-fitting and made of natural materials. It is worthwhile to have a spare nightgown and, if necessary, a spare blanket ready. If it is then sweaty through the night again, you can quickly change.
Outlook and prognosis
If the hot flashes are menopausal symptoms, they can last up to ten years in unfavorable cases. However, there are now various treatment options that at least alleviate these accompanying symptoms of menopause. In naturopathy, hot flashes and sweating are treated with tablets and tinctures containing, for example, black cohosh extract. Preparations based on soy, red clover, sage, lady’s mantle and yarrow can also help. The effectiveness of these remedies has not been scientifically confirmed, but they have proven themselves in practice in many cases. Physical therapies such as mud baths and Kneipp applications can also help. These naturopathic methods do not usually lead to the complete disappearance of hot flashes, but they can reduce them to a tolerable level for those affected. Women for whom these gentle methods do not help can undergo hormone replacement therapy, which usually causes the hot flashes to subside promptly. However, regular use of hormones is associated with significant health risks. In particular, the risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and thrombosis increases. Hot flashes in men, which are due to a disturbed hormone balance, are usually successfully treated by the administration of testosterone. Hot flashes that are medication-related side effects subside on their own after the causative agent is discontinued.
Prevention
What can be done to prevent hot flashes? People who regularly exercise in the fresh air generally suffer less from hot flashes. You should not stress yourself too much, but allow yourself as much rest and relaxation as possible. Relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation can be helpful. An important aspect in the prevention of hot flashes is the right diet. In principle, you should avoid spicy foods and eat many foods with isoflavones, i.e. plant estrogens. These are contained in soy products, for example. Isoflavones are also found in many legumes such as peas, lentils and beans. Many women are reluctant to take medications or hormones. Herbs are often helpful. They contain phythohormones, which are effective against hot flashes.These are contained, for example, in monk’s pepper, rue or hops.
What you can do yourself
Hot flashes can be very unpleasant, especially for women, and can severely limit everyday life for them. However, there are many self-help methods for hot flashes that are easy to apply. As a rule, clothing should always be adjusted to the current temperature. In this way, a large part of hot flashes can be avoided. It is recommended to wear clothes that can be easily changed. This includes especially jackets and shirts. If the hot flashes occur, the patient can quickly remove these garments. Clothing made of natural fibers helps dissipate heat, preventing unnecessary sweating. A healthy diet and a general healthy lifestyle also have a positive effect on hot flashes. The patient should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoid alcohol and cigarettes. Likewise, coffee should be avoided. Spicy food leads to excessive sweating in many people. This should be avoided in the case of hot flashes. Cool rooms or the purchase of a fan are recommended for sleeping. This can prevent unpleasant hot flashes at night. Equally well help stress exercises and yoga against the symptom and calm the body.
