“About 80% of women experience hot flushes and night sweats during menopause. They generally start in your chest area and spread to your upper chest, neck and face”.1
Umbrella
What may the Hot Flushes Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Cold Flashes
- Hot Flash
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flush (HF)
- Hot Flushes
- Menopausal/Menopause Hot Flashes/Hot Flushes
- Menopause-Related Hot Flashes/Hot Flushes
- Vasomotor Symptoms
- “Power Surges”
Vasomotor Symptoms
What are vasomotor symptoms (VMS)?
DotS the definition of vasomotor symptoms may vary. The (United States) Menopause Society’s definition is:
Hot Flush
What is a hot flush?
DotS the definition of a hot flush may vary. In Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:
The flushes may feel like a burning, overheating sensation. You may also have reddening of the skin and different degrees of sweating. When a flush happens at night, it’s called a night sweat”.3
Hot Flash
What is a hot flash?
DotS the definition of a hot flash may vary. In Hot Flashes: Hot Flashes and Night Sweats the Menopause Society’s (formerly the North Menopause Society) definition is:

Night Sweats
What are night sweats?
DotS the definition of night sweats may vary. In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the (United States) Mayo Clinic’s definition is:
Cause
What is the cause of hot flushes?
In Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats the JH explain:
Other Causes
Apart from menopause, what are other causes of hot flushes?
In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Causes the Mayo Clinic note:
Common or Not
How common are hot flushes?
In Hot Flashes: Hot Flashes and Night Sweats according to the Menopause Society:
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Basic Physiology – Symptoms of the Menopause: Symptom Prevalence, published online 30 October 2023, the authors note:
Impact
What impact may hot flushes have?
In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications the Mayo Clinic explain:
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Basic Physiology – Symptoms of the Menopause: Symptom Prevalence the authors note:
Depression
Is there an association between hot flushes and depressive symptoms?
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Basic Physiology – Symptoms of the Menopause: Symptom Prevalence the authors note:
Heart Disease and Bone Loss
Is there an association between hot flushes, risk of heart disease and greater bone loss?
In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications according to the Mayo Clinic:
Lifestyle Changes
What are some lifestyle changes to improve hot flushes?
In Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? Lifestyle Changes To Improve Hot Flashes the (United States) National Institute on Aging elaborate on:
- “Dress in layers that can be removed at the start of a hot flash
- Carry a portable fan to use when a hot flash strikes
- Avoid alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine. These can make menopausal symptoms worse
- If you smoke, try to quit, not only for hot flashes, but for your overall health
- Try to maintain a healthy weight. Women who are overweight or obese may experience more frequent and severe hot flashes
- Explore mind-body practices. Some early-stage research has shown that hypnotherapy and mindfulness meditation could help with management of hot flashes”.14
Treatment Options
What are the two categories of treatment options for hot flushes?
In Hot Flashes: Care and Treatment – How Do I Treat A Hot Flash? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic elaborate on:
Some prescription medications are used as off-label treatments to help reduce hot flashes. Using a product “off label” means that it’s not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of hot flashes, but it can be safe and effective as a treatment option. There are also lifestyle changes you can make to help manage hot flashes”.15
Hormone Therapy
Is hormone therapy one of the most effective treatment for hot flushes?
On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use which “simplifies the data in the new NAMS Position Statement for women trying to make decisions about using hormone therapy” the NAMS note:
In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
Medications such as antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs also might help reduce hot flashes, although they’re less effective than hormones”.17
Alternative Therapies
Do alternative therapies improve hot flushes?
In the 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 one of the recommendations is:
Stop
When do hot flushes stop?
In Hot Flashes: Symptoms and Causes – Overview the (United States) Mayo Clinic NAMS explain:
Health Care Provider
What if I would like help with my hot flushes?
If you would like help with your hot flushes, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.
In Hot Flashes: Overview – What Are Hot Flashes? the Cleveland Clinic explain:
In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
“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”.21
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Hot Flushes?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Hot Flushes?
Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Menopause [03 December 2024]
- Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video [November 2024]
- Hot Flashes: Possible Causes – What Causes A Hot Flash? What Can Trigger A Hot Flash? [21 October 2024]
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies [18 October 2024]
World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
- World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women
- ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
- An Ob-Gyn’s Top Tips for Managing Hot Flashes
- Ask Early Menopause [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
- BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Can Hot Flashes Cause Nausea?
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
- Cold Flashes During Menopause: Is It Normal?
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Menopause
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Healthcare Visit
- Does Having Hot Flashes Mean I’ve Started Menopause?
- EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Benefits of Oral Combined MHT for Estrogen Deficiency Symptoms Treatment (EN)
- Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- Gabapentin for Hot Flashes: What To Know
- HRT Questions Answered
- HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
- HRT: Benefits and Risks
- Heart Palpitations
- Heart Palpitations
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Therapy: Four Things A Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Specialist Wants You To Know [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Name Super/CG: Taryn Smith, M.D./Internal Medicine/Mayo Clinic]
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes, Anxiety and Menopause: What’s the Connection?
- Hot Flashes: Possible Causes – What Causes A Hot Flash? What Can Trigger A Hot Flash?
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
- How Long Will I Have Hot Flashes and What Causes Them?
- Is It Too Late To Start HRT?
- 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
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Let’s Talk About Perimenopause
- Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Managing Your Symptoms: Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Why Alcohol and Menopause Can Be A Dangerous Mix [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause and HRT [Includes Breast Cancer Risk]
- Menopause and HRT: Fact and Fiction
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- Menopause: Identification and Management NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] [07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Things You Can Do
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Chasteberry
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Natural Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Red Clover
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Soy
- Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
- Natural Therapies
- Navigating Menopause Together: How Partners Can Help
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
- Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- One Year Out: Fezolinetant Displays Patient Satisfaction for Managing Hot Flashes
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
- Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
- Physical Activity and Exercise for Hot Flashes: Trigger or Treatment?
- Supporting A Loved One Through Menopause
- Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
- The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies [18 October 2024]
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – A Simple Approach To Menopausal Assessment and Management
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
- What Are Menopause Cold Flashes?
- What Can I Do To Help With Hot Flashes?
- What Does A Hot Flash Feel Like?
- What To Eat When You Have Hot Flashes?
- When Does Perimenopause Start and How Do You Define the Beginning
World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women [Multiply Languages]
- World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 06 November 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Menopause Definitions: V – Vasomotor Symptoms. Menopause Society http://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-glossary#V Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 06 November 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Hot Flashes and Night Sweats. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hot-flashes Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 06 November 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Hot Flashes and Night Sweats. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/patient-education/menopause-topics/hot-flashes Accessed: 26 November 2024
- 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: Basic Physiology – Symptoms of the Menopause: Symptom Prevalence. First Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- 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: Basic Physiology – Symptoms of the Menopause: Symptom Prevalence. First Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- 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: Basic Physiology – Symptoms of the Menopause: Symptom Prevalence. First Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? Lifestyle Changes To Improve Hot Flashes. Content Reviewed: 30 September 2021. National Institute on Aging https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hot-flashes-what-can-i-do Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Care and Treatment – How Do I Treat A Hot Flash? 21 October 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15223-hot-flashes Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy. 2022:1. Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. 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. First Published Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Overview – What are Hot Flashes? 21 October 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15223-hot-flashes Accessed: 26 November 2024
- Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 12 December 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 26 November 2024