What
Can I Do About Hot Flashes and Night Sweats?
Additional Reading: What IS A Hot Flash?
Some
Descriptions of Hot Flashes . . .
Women
experience a variety of symptoms of menopause, but the hot
flash is the one most discussed. During menopause the body
produces less estrogen and progesterone. As a result, the
thermostat in our brain, the hypothalamus, gets mixed signals:
is it hot or cold? It is as if it cannot decide between these
states. This oscillation causes our blood vessels to expand
and contract on an irregular and unpredictable basis. With
an increased blood flow in the body, a feeling of heat and
a flush starts on the face, the neck, and continues to the
chest. Some women perspire, others really sweat! Sometimes
a chill follows a hot flash. You'd be cold, too, if you were
hot and soaking wet in the middle of winter, and suddenly
someone turned off the heat. Depending on the intensity of
the hot flash, some women may get headaches, feel weak, dizzy,
tired or lose sleep. Some may experience palpitations, skipped
or erratic heartbeats. Remember to be sure to check with your
health care practiioner before attributing any of the above
symptoms to menopause. Hot flashes can be the sign of illness
or medical disorders.
Some women
report that they knew they were about to have the experience
before it happened. An aura, or premonition, may feel like
nausea, or a tingling or pressing sensation in the head. Some
women become weak in the knees, dizzy and have to sit down.
Others experience heart palpitations before or as the flash
begins and while it's occurring.
The upper
body, from the chest to the scalp, may begin to sweat profusely.
You may also "flush," that is, become red as you flash. Heart
rate and skin blood flow increase, although internal body
temperature may drop by as much as three or four degrees as
the body struggles to correct the imbalance. After the flash,
the body quickly becomes chilled as it struggles to regain
its normal temperature. Most flashes last about three to six
minutes, although it's possible to have one that goes on as
long as an hour.
Hot flashes
are sudden waves of heat that can start in the waist or chest
and work their way to the neck and face and sometimes over
the rest of the body. The upper body, from the chest to the
scalp may begin to sweat profusely. You may also "flush,"
that is, become red as you flash.
Heart
rate and skin blood flow increase, although internal body
temperature may drop by as much as three or four degrees as
the body struggles to correct the imbalance. After the flash,
the body quickly becomes chilled as it struggles to regain
its normal temperature. There's no real "average" when it
comes to duration. Some flashes can last 15 to 30 seconds,
while others from 3 to 6 minutes. Most women who've come through
Power Surge have described theirs as approximately 5 minutes,
but they can last as long as 30 minutes to even an hour. They
can hit as often as every 90 minutes. While in the throes
of perimenopause, I used to say I had a hot flash once a day
-- ALL DAY!
Hot flashes
are more common in the evening and during hot weather. Seventy-five
to 80 percent of women going through menopause experience
hot flashes. Some are more bothered by them than others.
Ways of
coping with hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause can
be found in other areas on the site -- with special attention
to the Recommendations
Page
How
Long Does a Hot Flash Last?
Hot flashes
may last two to three minutes or up to 30 minutes. They may
occur several times a day, or feel like they're occurring
all day! They can occur once a week, maybe never. Hot flashes
may happen once or twice, or continue for up to ten years.
No wonder women think they are going crazy!
Who
Experiences Hot Flashes?
Seventy-five
percent of women experience some form of a hot flash. Hot flashes
can be a nuisance and even debilitating (when extreme) but
they may have positive side to them. Vicki Noble, author of
"Shakti Woman," a book about feminine power, suggests that
hot flashes can be viewed as a natural cleansing of our body
[I think most of us would rather remain 'dirty']. The increased
temperature may be nature's way of killing off cancer cells
and viruses that might otherwise lead to illness later on.
Hot flashes
are rushes of heat primarily to the head and neck region occurring
when blood vessels near the surface of the skin dilate. Some
women have a premonition of an impending hot flash which may
be felt as pressure in the head, anxiety, a tingling sensation,
or nausea. The sensation of heat may also be widespread. The
heart rate increases. Surges of blood to the hands can result
in a tingling sensation. Following a flash, body temperature
drops and many women experience a chill. There is no change
in blood pressure at this time. About eighty percent of American
women experience hot flashes at some time during menopause.
They last mostly anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes
but, in rare cases, can extend to a half hour or about an
hour. They are associated with but not necessarily caused
by fluctuating levels of estrogen since women who experience
hot flashes and those who don't have been known to have the
same levels of estrogen, according to Susan Weed in "Menopausal
Years". Weed's book is an extraordinarily useful source for
herbal information about hot flashes and other menopausal
changes. Most women have hot flashes for a period between
two months and two years. A smaller percentage continue to
have them a decade after their last menstrual flow. The worst
hot flashes are often experienced by women who have an abrupt
loss of ovarian estrogen due to surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.
Thinner
women may experience more hot flashes since fat cells convert
hormones secreted by the adrenals into estrogen [in other
words, it's wise to retain a little extra weight during meno].
Hot flashes
are much less common in non-western cultures. Studies in Japan,
Hong Kong, Pakistan and Mexico suggest that 10 percent or
less of menopausal women experience hot flashes. The low incidence
in Japan has been linked to high soy bean consumption which
stimulates estrogen production, which is why many women have
turned to natural plant estrogens, aka soy phytoestrogen / isoflavones,
such as found in products like Revival
Soy Protein , which is very high in
soy isoflavones -- the magic inside the soybean that acts
similarly to estrogen replacement therapy. In American society,
about 75% of women will experience hot flashes. Many will
be able to cope with them without using anything. Many others
will have very difficult hot flashes that require some form
of treatment. Night sweats and hot flashes can be tough to
handle and can cause interrupted sleep, insomnia, panic attacks,
anxiety, depression can lead to extreme fatigue and anxiety.
Hot flashes
can be categorized as mild, moderate or severe. Mild flashes
last less than a minute and produce a feeling of warmth with
little or no perspiration. Moderate flashes are warmer, produce
obvious perspiration, and last 2 to 3 minutes. Severe flashes
causes profuse perspiration, generate intense heat, last longer
and interfere with ongoing activity.
Clothes
made of natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk) can disperse heat
away from the body. It is more practical to dress in layers
so that clothing can be removed and added as needed.
Hot flashes
deplete our bodies of the B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium
and potassium, so it is helpful to increase our consumption
of these nutrients [don't forget Calcium].
Triggers
for hot flashes include spicy food, hot drinks, alcoholic
drinks, white sugar (sugar can also cause palpitations), stress,
hot weather, hot tubs and saunas, tobacco and marijuana and
anger, especially when unexpressed, Susan Weed reports.
The medical
profession has generally ignored natural, less risky approaches
to hot flashes in favor of HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy. Alternative approaches tend to strengthen
and support the endocrine system. Natural remedies work in
conjunction with a healthy diet and adequate exercise and
tend to work more slowly.
It is
important when using herbs and vitamins to pay attention to
our bodies' responses and to remember that natural doesn't
mean we can take large amounts of a substance without thinking
of side effects. Herbs are generally available individually
or in combination in capsule or extract form. It is very difficult
to prescribe exact doses for herbal remedies since every body
responds differently. Sometimes it is useful to work with
someone who is familiar with herbs and vitamins to get advice
on dosages and adjustments.
For ordinary
hot flashes, try vitamin E with dosages between 400 and 800
IUs daily [many women take 1000 - 1200 IU's, but in the case
of vitamins and herbs, more is not always better. D-alpha
tocopherol means that it comes from a natural source, but
DL alpha means a synthetic. The vitamin E I use is mixed tocopherols.
One common
regimen is vitamin E, 600 to 800 IUs daily with vitamin C.
When flashes subside, take 400 IUs daily. Perhaps 50 percent
to 66 percent of women will find Vitamin E effective. However,
it may take 2 to 6 weeks before the effects are really felt.
Women who are diabetic or taking high blood pressure medication
or with rheumatic heart conditions should take vitamin E under
a doctor's supervision [It's advisable that women with a history
of hypertension not take dosages higher than 200 IU of Vitamin
E at a time]. Do not take vitamin E with digitalis.
Bioflavonoid
in supplements of 250 mg five to six times daily can help
relieve hot flashes.
Herbs
commonly used to alleviate hot flashes include ginseng, black
cohosh, vitex agnus castii, blue cohosh, dong quai, *wild
yam root* [natural progesterone, licorice root, false unicorn
and sarsaparilla. Experiment with using one herb or several
in combination.
Evening
primrose oil alleviates hot flashes and promotes restful sleep.
These benefits may be due to the gamma linolenic acid in the
oil which is said to influence prostaglandin production. (Evening
primrose oil is used to relieve premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
and tenderness of fibrocystic breasts). Depending on the amount
of primrose oil in each capsule, effective dosages vary from
2 to 8 capsules a day. (A Friend Indeed, November, 1985).
Chickweed
tincture (25 to 40 drops) once or twice a day reduces the
severity and frequency of hot flashes.
A few
homeopathic remedies suggested by Susan Weed in "Menopausal
Years" and Diane Stein in "The Natural Remedy Book for Woman"
are Lachesis for mental irritation and hot flashes, Pulsatilla
for hot flashes followed by intense chills and emotional upset,
Valeriana for intense sweating and insomnia and Sepia for
flashes that make you feel exhausted and depressed. Another
excellent reference book is Dee Ito's "Without Estrogen."
See The
Power Surge Bookstore for links to these books.
See The
Power Surge Library for transcript of these
experts guest chats.
Drink
several cups of sage tea daily. Use one tablespoon of sage
per cup of water and infuse it for twenty minutes.
Many women get relief from OTC (over the counter) topical natural progesterone creams. It is a transdermal
cream and is absorbed through the skin and carried directly to where
it is needed. It is non-toxic and without the same sorts of
side effects as synthetic progestins. Be advised that some women have problems
even with natural progesterone -- irritability, anxiety and
other issues while others benefit greatly from it. Stronger doses of natural progesterone creams are available through Pharmaceutical Consultant, Pete Hueseman, R.Ph, R.D. who can provide various modalities for progesterone supplementation -- all natural.
Acupuncture,
meditation and biofeedback have helped women find relief from
hot flashes.
Exercise
helps to decrease hot flashes by lowering the amount of circulating
FSH and LH and by raising endorphine levels (which drop during
a hot flash). Even 20 minutes three times a week can significantly
reduce hot flashes.
Slow abdominal
breathing, six to eight breaths per minute, can bring about
a 40 percent decrease in frequency of hot flashes, according
to two research psychologists from Wayne State University.
Women used this technique for 15 minutes twice a day and when
they felt a hot flash coming on. ("A Friend Indeed", April,
1993).
In extremely
hot flashes, try:
Black
cohosh root extract, 30 to 60 drops [or capsules] when taken
up to four times a day.
Ginseng
has earned respect as a way to alleviate hot flashes. The
most useful is panex sold as Korean ginseng or American ginseng.
("A Friend Indeed", Nov.,1985). Dosages vary according to
body weight. The easiest way to be sure what dosage you are
getting is to buy it in capsule form. Use 500 mg twice a day
for those weighing less than 130lbs., three times a day for
those up to 160 lbs., and four times daily for those over
160 lbs. Ginseng works best on an empty stomach and can be
taken before breakfast and before dinner. It is recommended
that you not eat fruit for two hours after taking ginseng
and that you take it separately from any vitamin supplement.
It is not advised for women with high blood pressure or diabetes.
Women with asthma or emphysema would do well to avoid ginseng
because of its histamine liberating properties. Ginseng is
also available in tinctures, teas and tonics.
Motherwort
extract, 25 to 40 drops every four hours.
Royal
jelly can be bought in Chinatown or in a health food store.
Use 3 to 7 glass ampules a week.
Bee pollen,
500 mg, 3 tablets per day reduces hot flashes for some women.
Sucking on a piece of hard candy has been known to head off
a hot flash or moderate an intense one.
For night
sweats, try homeopathic Nux vomica when you are awakened and
feel chilled and irritable. Use all cotton sheets and natural
fibers. Use 10 to 25 drops of Motherwort extract three times
a day or upon awakening with a night sweat. You will notice
a difference in two to four weeks. For prompt relief, use
an infusion of garden sage.
Chat with other women in the Power Surges/Hot Flashes forum.
Other articles of interest: What's A Hot Flash?, Menopause Survival Tips, About Your Hormones, and Menopause: Selecting A Healthcare Practioner. See the many articles in the Educate Your Body Library and the Newsworthy articles.