“More than 57% 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 North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) definition is:

Vasomotor symptoms. Also known as hot flashes and night sweats, common symptoms during perimenopause and early postmenopause”.2

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:

“More than 57% 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. They can also spread over your whole body. 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: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the (United States) Mayo Clinic’s definition is:

Hot Flushes“A hot flash is the sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body, which is usually most intense over the face, neck and chest. Your skin might redden, as if you’re blushing. A hot flash can also cause sweating. If you lose too much body heat, you might feel chilled afterward”.4

Night Sweats

What are night sweats?

DotS the definition of night sweats may vary. In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the Mayo Clinic’s definition is:

“Night sweats are hot flashes that happen at night, and they may disrupt your sleep”.5

Cause

What is the cause of hot flushes?

In Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats the JH explain:

“We don’t know exactly what causes hot flushes. Lower oestrogen levels may affect parts of the brain that regulate your body temperature. 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”.6

Other Causes

Apart from menopause, what are other causes of hot flushes?

In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Causes the Mayo Clinic note:

“Rarely, hot flashes and nights sweats are caused by something other than menopause. Other potential causes include medication side effects, problems with your thyroid, certain cancers and side effects of cancer treatment”.7

Common or Not

How common are hot flushes?

In the United States, according to the NAMS:

“Hot flashes are reported by as many as 75% of perimenopausal women in the United States”.8

Impact

What impact may hot flushes have?

In Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications the Mayo Clinic note:

“Hot flashes may impact your daily activities and quality of life. Nighttime hot flashes (night sweats) can wake you from sleep and, over time, can cause long-term sleep disruptions”.9

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 the Mayo Clinic also note:

“Research suggests that women who have hot flashes may have an increased risk of heart disease and greater bone loss than women who do not have hot flashes”.10

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”.11

Treatment Options

What are the two categories of treatment options for hot flushes?

In Hot Flashes: How Do I Treat A Hot Flash? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic elaborate on:

“In general, there are two categories of treatment options for hot flashes: prescription medications and over-the-counter (non-prescription) therapies. Some prescription medications are used as off-label treatments to help reduce hot flashes. Using a product “off label” means that it’s not FDA-approved for the treatment of hot flashes, but is often used because it can be safe and effective as a treatment option”.12

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:

“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats”.13

In Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“The most effective way to relieve the discomfort of hot flashes is to take estrogen, but taking this hormone carries risks. If estrogen is appropriate for you and you start it within 10 years of your last menstrual period or before age 60, the benefits can be greater than the risks.

Medications such as antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs also might help reduce hot flashes, although they’re less effective than hormones”.14

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:

“Alternative therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, may also improve hot flushes, nights sweats and other menopausal symptoms and can be considered in women who do not wish to take HRT or have contraindications to taking HRT”.15

Stop

When do hot flushes stop?

In Hot Flashes: Symptoms and Causes – Overview the (United States) Mayo Clinic NAMS explain:

“On average, hot flash symptoms persist for more than seven years. Some women have them for more than 10 years”.16

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: 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”.17

Health Topics A-Z

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In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

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Sources

  1. Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 21 November 2023
  2. Glossary: V – Vasomotor Symptoms. North American Menopause Society http://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-glossary#V Accessed: 21 November 2023
  3. Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 21 November 2023
  4. Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  5. Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  6. Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 21 November 2023
  7. Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  8. Hot Flashes. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/sexual-health-menopause-online/causes-of-sexual-problems/hot-flashes Accessed: 21 November 2023
  9. Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  10. Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Complications. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  11. 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: 21 November 2023
  12. Hot Flashes: How Do I Treat A Hot Flash? 21 March 2022. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15223-hot-flashes Accessed: 21 November 2023
  13. Deciding About Hormone Therapy. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 21 November 2023
  14. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  15. 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: 21 November 2023
  16. Hot Flashes: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/symptoms-causes/syc-20352790 Accessed: 21 November 2023
  17. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 20 May 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hot-flashes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352795 Accessed: 21 November 2023
Topic Last Updated: 21 November 2023 – Topic Last Reviewed: 21 November 2023

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