After all These Years, Hot Flashes, too?
This runs through the minds of every woman of a certain age. After decades of PMS, periods, and maybe childbirth and its recovery, we get to look forward to menopause. At least it’s talked about openly now and we can share some of the gloriousness and gore of this time of life. Information and humor about menopause abound in the year 2022. There’s even a YouTube channel called “Hot and Flashy.” Isn’t it grand?
What is a Hot Flash?
For those who don’t know or have yet to experience them, hot flashes are precisely what they sound like. A flush of heat that rushes over your body unexpectedly, leaving you feeling flushed and perhaps even perspiring. You may also experience:
- A rapid heartbeat
- Anxiety
- Being cold after the hot flash subsides
Hot flashes can happen during the day or at night when they’re also referred to as night sweats. They happen because of hormonal fluctuations that occur during and after menopause. The Mayo Clinic says that it’s not exactly clear how hormonal changes cause hot flashes, but may be due to decreased estrogen.
Triggers For Hot Flashes
While hormonal fluctuations are the cause of hot flashes, there are a number of things that can trigger them, including:
- Highly spiced foods
- Smoking
- Heat or hot weather
- Stress
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
Is There Any Relief for Hot Flashes?
Yes! There is relief for these hot hindrances. They don’t have to rule your life! There are many options that are easy to incorporate into your lifestyle. For example, wearing layers of clothing that can be added or removed as your body temperature changes is simple to incorporate into your day-to-day life. Adding plant-based, phytoestrogen foods (which produce weak effects similar to the effects of estrogen) into your diet may help, too. Some of these foods may include:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Soy
- Chickpeas
- Grains
- Beans
There are other medical interventions, including hormone replacement therapy, which can help minimize the effects and/or number of hot flashes you experience.
How Can HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) Help?
HRT using bioidentical hormones is extremely effective in managing hot flashes and other symptoms of hormone imbalance and menopause. For those in the Mesa, AZ area, Rose Canyon Health and Wellness provides both primary care and integrative medical care to ensure you have the best balance of both worlds: traditional and adjunctive medical treatments. Megan Haden, board-certified Nurse Practitioner at Rose Canyon Health and Wellness, uses both healing modalities to create personalized, holistic care for her patients.
When treating hot flashes, she will begin by doing comprehensive testing and continue by developing an HRT plan specifically based on your needs. Megan prefers bioidentical, natural hormones because women feel significantly better when using them. Call our office at (602) 740-2021 to make an appointment today. Your future, cool self will thank you.
“Hot flashes – Symptoms and causes”. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790#:~:text=A%20hot%20flash%20is%20the,you%20might%20feel%20chilled%20afterward. Accessed 13 October 2022
Disclaimer: The information contained here was not written by a medical doctor and is intended for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for medical advice.
