Hot Flushes Management

“During menopause, it’s important to look after yourself.
Healthy lifestyle choices will help to improve physical
and emotional symptoms at every stage of menopause”.1

Umbrella

What may the Hot Flushes Management Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Hot Flashes/Flushes Healthy Living
  • Hot Flashes/Flushes Management

Management

What may hot flushes management include?

DotS hot flushes management may include:

  1. Triggers
  2. Healthy Lifestyle
  3. Weight
  4. Smoking
  5. Stress
  6. Relaxation, Meditation, Mindfulness and Yoga
  7. Hypnosis
  8. Natural Products
  9. Phytoestrogens
  10. Non Hormone Treatment Effectiveness
  11. Hormone Therapy

1. Triggers

Hot Flushes ManagementWhat triggers can set off a hot flush?

In Hot Flashes: What Can Trigger A Hot Flash? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic elaborate:

“A trigger is something that can set off a hot flash. Common triggers of hot flashes can include:

  • Hot weather or warm environments
  • Being overheated, especially during exercise or when wearing heavy clothing
  • Drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages
  • Eating spicy foods
  • Feeling stressed
  • Drinking hot beverages like coffee, tea or hot chocolate
  • Taking hot showers or baths
  • Smoking cigarettes.

Avoiding things that trigger your hot flashes can be a great way to help manage how often you get hot flashes”.2

In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:

  • “Watch what you eat and drink. Hot and spicy foods, caffeinated beverages and alcohol can trigger hot flashes. Learn to recognize your triggers and avoid them”.3

2. Healthy Lifestyle

Is there an association between health lifestyle choices and menopause symptoms?

In Looking After Yourself During Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“During menopause, it’s important to look after yourself. Healthy lifestyle choices will help to improve physical and emotional symptoms at every stage of menopause”.4

3. Weight

Is there an association between weight and hot flushes?

In Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Maintain A Healthy Weight the JH note:

“Maintaining a healthy weight may help to improve menopausal symptoms. There is some evidence that weight gain can increase the severity of hot flushes and night sweats. More severe symptoms are associated with being overweight”.5

4. Smoking

Is there an association between smoking and hot flushes?

In Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Smoking and Other Drugs the JH note:

“Women who smoke generally reach menopause earlier than non-smokers. They are also more likely to experience early menopause”.6

According to the Mayo Clinic:

  • “Don’t smoke. Smoking is linked to increased hot flashes. By not smoking, you might reduce hot flashes, as well as your risk of many serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer”.7

5. Stress

Is there an association between stress and hot flushes?

In Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes & Night Sweats the JH elaborate on:

“Many studies suggest that stress and anxiety can influence the frequency and intensity of hot flushes. Some foods or alcohol can also have an impact”.8

6. Relaxation, Meditation, Mindfulness and Yoga

Is there an association between relaxation, meditation, mindfulness, yoga and hot flushes?

In Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Reduce Stress the JH note:

“For some women, stressful situations can make hot flushes worse. Reducing stress and using mind-body techniques can help.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in managing hot flushes and night sweats. While CBT doesn’t usually reduce the frequency of hot flushes, it can reduce their impact.

There is some evidence that breathing and relaxation techniques can help you manage the impact of hot flushes.

Yoga has also been shown to be a safe and effective way to reduce menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes”.9

In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

  • “Practice mind-body therapies. Although evidence is inconclusive, some women find relief from mild hot flashes through mind-body therapies. Examples include meditation; slow, deep breathing; stress management techniques; and guided imagery. Even if these approaches don’t help your hot flashes, they might provide other benefits, such as easing sleep disturbances that tend to occur with menopause”.10

7. Hypnosis

Is there an association between hypnosis and hot flushes?

In 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 1 according to the NCCIH:

  • “Mind and body practices such as hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and tai chi may help improve some menopausal symptoms. Researchers looked at mind and body therapies for menopausal symptoms and found that tai chi and meditation-based programs may be helpful in reducing common menopausal symptoms including the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, sleep and mood disturbances, stress, and muscle and joint pain. There is also some evidence that hypnotherapy may help women manage hot flashes”.11

8. Natural Products

Is there an association between natural products and hot flushes?

In Menopause and Natural Therapies: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats the JH elaborate on:

Hot Flushes Management“Many herbal therapies have been tried for relief of hot flushes and night sweats in menopausal women. Some herbs have been found to be effective in reducing hot flushes, whereas others have been found to be no better than a placebo (dummy medicine). Some have not been studied rigorously”.12

9. Phytoestrogens

Is there an association between phytoestrogens and hot flushes?

In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine: Dietary Supplements the Mayo Clinic explain:

  • “Plant estrogens. Asian women, who consume soy regularly, are less likely to report hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms than are women in other parts of the world. One reason might be related to the estrogen-like compounds in soy.However, studies have generally found little or no benefit with plant estrogens, although research is ongoing to determine whether specific components of soy, such as genistein, help hot flashes”.13

10. Non Hormone Treatment Effectiveness

How effective are non hormone treatments for hot flashes?

In Hot Flashes the Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society) explain:

Hormone Therapy Alternatives“Other measures are sometimes encouraged or tried for hot flashes but have limited solid data available to evaluate their effectiveness—or they have failed to show significant benefits in clinical trials:

  • Acupuncture
  • Chiropractic interventions
  • Cooling techniques, such as adjusting clothing or environmental temperature
  • Dietary modifications
  • Dietary supplements such as ammonium succinate, black cohosh, cannabinoids such as marijuana, chasteberry, dong quai, evening primrose, ginseng, Lactobacillus acidophilus, maca, milk thistle, omega-3 fatty acid, pollen extract, rhubarb, vitamin E, and wild yam (dioscorea)
  • Exercise and yoga
  • Mindfulness-based interventions
  • Paced breathing
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Soy foods, soy extracts, and soy metabolite equol (S-equol)
  • Trigger avoidance, such as alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, or hot foods

That’s not to say that none of these measures have value. In particular, lifestyle measures such as a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management through relaxation techniques may play a vital role in chronic disease prevention and a woman’s overall health”.14

What are VMS?

VMS can be an abbreviation for Vasomotor Symptoms which include hot flushes and night sweats.

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Non-Hormonal Options With Evidence To Support Efficacy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors explain:

“While women are commonly told to avoid VMS triggers and dress in layers, there is no evidence that such advice is of value with respect to the severity or frequency of VMS. Activities such as yoga, mindfulness, relaxation and exercise have health benefits but have not been shown to be meaningful treatments for VMS. Similarly, nutritional supplements and botanicals have not been found to be more effective than placebo for moderately to severely bothersome VMS in robust clinical trials”.15

11. Hormone Therapy

What is the most effective treatment for hot flushes?

On page one in The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy, published October 2024, the Menopause Society note:

“Hormone therapy remains first-line therapy for management of bothersome vasomotor symptoms, and the benefits typically outweigh the risks for most healthy women when initiated younger than age 60 years or within 10 years of menopause onset with appropriate counseling”.16

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with my hot flushes management?

If you would like help with your hot flushes management, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. Together you can look for a pattern, discuss your options and if required, agree on who maybe the best person to help you.

The Mayo Clinic note:

“Discuss the pros and cons of various treatments with your doctor. If hot flashes don’t interfere with your life, you probably don’t need treatment. Hot flashes subside gradually for most women, even without treatment, but it can take several years for them to stop”.17

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hot Flushes Management?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

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New or Updated

  1. 8 Myths and Truths About Menopausal Hot Flashes
  2. ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
  3. An Ob-Gyn’s Top Tips for Managing Hot Flashes
  4. Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  5. BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
  6. BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  7. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
  8. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  9. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  10. Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
  11. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
  12. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
  13. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Menopause
  14. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Healthcare Visit
  15. Deciding About Hormone Therapy
  16. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  17. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  18. Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  19. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  20. HRT Questions Answered [Video]
  21. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  22. HRT: Benefits and Risks
  23. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  24. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  25. Hormone Therapy: Four Things A Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Specialist Wants You To Know [+ Video]
  26. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
  27. Hot Flashes
  28. Hot Flashes
  29. Hot Flashes
  30. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment
  31. Hot Flashes: Possible Causes – What Causes A Hot Flash? What Can Trigger A Hot Flash?
  32. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  33. Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
  34. How Fezolinetant Changes Management of Hot Flashes [Video]
  35. How Long Will I Have Hot Flashes and What Causes Them?
  36. How To Manage and Reduce Stress
  37. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
  38. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP] [Other Languages and Formats]
  39. Looking After Yourself During Menopause
  40. Managing Menopause
  41. Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  42. Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
  43. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  44. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
  45. Mayo Clinic Minute: Perimenopause and Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  46. Meditation: A Simple, Fast Way To Reduce Stress
  47. Menopause
  48. Menopause
  49. Menopause: Identification and Management NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
  50. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
  51. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Hot Flushes Management
  52. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
    Hot Flushes Management
  53. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
  54. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  55. Menopause Mindfulness: A Personal Toolkit for Menopause Preparedness
  56. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause
  57. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Mindfulness & Wellbeing During the Menopause Transition
  58. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
  59. Menopause Symptoms: Hot Flashes
  60. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  61. Menopause Treatment
  62. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  63. Menopause and HRT
  64. Menopause and Natural Therapies
  65. Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
  66. Menopause-Related Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Can Last for Years
  67. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
  68. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
  69. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil
  70. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
  71. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  72. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Milk Thistle [Silybum Marianum]
  73. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Red Clover
  74. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Sage
  75. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Soy
  76. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  77. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  78. Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
  79. Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  80. Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
  81. Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
  82. Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
  83. Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
  84. Perimenopause: Symptoms and Causes
  85. Physical Activity and Exercise for Hot Flashes: Trigger or Treatment?
  86. Risks and Benefits of MHT
  87. Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes & Night Sweats
  88. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  89. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
  90. The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
  91. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  92. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  93. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  94. Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  95. Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  96. Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
  97. What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Menopause? And Which Can Hormone Therapy Treat?
  98. What Can I Do To Help With Hot Flashes?
  99. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
  100. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Looking After Yourself During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 06 February 2025
  2. Hot Flashes: What Triggers A Hot Flash? Last Reviewed: 21 October 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15223-hot-flashes Accessed: 06 February 2025
  3. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies. 20 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 06 February 2025
  4. Looking After Yourself During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 06 February 2025
  5. Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Maintain A Healthy Weight. Last Updated: 31 October 2024 |  Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Healthhttps://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/managing-your-symptoms#managing-hot-flushes-and-night-sweats Accessed: 06 February 2025
  6. Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Smoking and Other Drugs. Last Updated: 19 January 2024 |  Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#smoking-and-other-drugs Accessed: 06 February 2025
  7. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 06 February 2025
  8. Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes & Night Sweats. Last Updated: 21 April 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms Accessed: 06 February 2025
  9. Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats – Reduce Stress. Last Updated: 31 October 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Healthhttps://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/managing-your-symptoms#managing-hot-flushes-and-night-sweats Accessed: 06 February 2025
  10. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Lifestyle and Home Remedies. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 06 February 2025
  11. 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 4. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/menopause Accessed: 04 June 2024
  12. Menopause and Natural Therapies: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 19 January 2024 | Last Reviewed: 20 November 2018. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/natural-therapies-supplements/phytoestrogens Assessed: 04 June 2024
  13. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine: Dietary Supplements. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 06 February 2025
  14. Hot Flashes. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hot-flashes Accessed: 06 February 2025
  15. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Non-Hormonal Options With Evidence To Support Efficacy. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 06 February 2025
  16. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy. 2024:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TMS-statement-on-HT-Misinformation.pdf Accessed: 06 February 2025
  17. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 06 February 2025
Topic Last Updated: 06 February 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 06 February 2025

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