“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your doctor about your options and the risks and benefits involved with each. Review your options yearly…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Night Sweats Treatment Umbrella include?

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

  • Hot Flashes/Flushes At Night Treatments
  • Hot Flashes/Flushes That Occur During Sleeping Treatments
  • Night Sweats Treatments

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

Hormone Therapy

Is hormone therapy (HT) an effective treatment for night sweats?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published July 2022, the NAMS note:

“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. If hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your daily activities and sleep, HT may improve sleep and fatigue, mood, ability to concentrate, and overall quality of life. Treatment of bothersome hot flashes and night sweats is the principal reason women use HT”. 3

Not One Size Fits All

Is hormone replacement therapy (HRT) one-size-fits-all?

No. In HRT: Types, Doses and Regimes the (British) Women’s Health Concern explain:

“Many types of HRT are available and there is not one type, dose or regimen which suits all women. It is important to understand which hormones are used, why and how so that for each woman who chooses to take HRT, the treatment is individualised to best suit her needs, taking into account types of symptoms, medical history, period pattern if present and current national recommendations and guidelines”. 4

Complementary and Integrative Health

What is one of the recommendations of 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 about complementary and integrative health?

On page one and two 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, first published online 10 June 2022, 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”.5

What may be an elephant in the room with choosing to use complementary and integrative health to treat night sweats?

In 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 2.  the (United States) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) elaborate on:

“Many natural products, such as black cohosh, soy isoflavone supplements, and DHEA, have been studied for their effects on menopausal symptoms, but scientists have found little evidence that they are helpful. There is also no conclusive evidence that the herbs red clover, kava, or dong quai reduce hot flashes”.6

In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Managing Your Symptoms – Hot Flushes and Night Sweats the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) elaborate on:

“Some women find that the dietary supplements black cohosh and isoflavones can reduce their hot flushes and night sweats. However, the ingredients of these products may vary and their safety is unknown. They may also interfere with any other medicines you are taking”.7

St John’s Wort

Can St John’s wort used to treat night sweats?

In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Treating Menopausal Symptoms – Non-Prescribed Treatments: St John’s Wort the NICE explain:

“Some women have found St John’s wort can reduce their hot flushes and night sweats during menopause. However, the ingredients of products containing St John’s wort may vary and their effects are uncertain. Also, these products can interfere with other drugs, including those used to treat breast cancer (for example, tamoxifen)”.8

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with my night sweats?

If you would like help with your night sweats, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the (United States) Mayo Clinic encourage us to seek help explaining:

“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your doctor about your options and the risks and benefits involved with each. Review your options yearly, as your needs and treatment options may change”.9

In 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 4 the NCCIH remind us:

“Tell all your health care providers about any complementary health practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care”.10

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Night Sweats Treatment?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

Where may I find Links related to Night Sweats Treatment?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 17 December 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-20342386 Accessed: 12 March 2022
  2. Glossary: V – Vasomotor Symptoms. North American Menopause Society http://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-glossary#V Accessed: 12 March 2022
  3. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits. July 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 12 March 2022
  4. HRT: Types, Doses and Regimes. Published Date: September 2021. British Menopause Society https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/hrt-types-doses-and-regimens/ Accessed: 12 March 2022
  5. Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayesena, 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 2022:1-2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 12 March 2022
  6. 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 2. This Page Last Modified 09 October 2019. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/things-to-know-about-menopausal-symptoms-and-complementary-health-practices Accessed: 12 March 2022
  7. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Managing Your Symptoms – Hot Flushes and Night Sweats. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2019. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Managing-your-symptoms Accessed: 12 March 2022
  8. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Treating Menopausal Symptoms – Non-Prescribed Treatments: St John’s Wort. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2019. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Treating-menopausal-symptoms Accessed: 12 March 2022
  9. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 17 December 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 12 March 2022
  10. 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices. 4. This Page Last Modified 09 October 2019. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/things-to-know-about-menopausal-symptoms-and-complementary-health-practices Accessed: 12 March 2022
Topic Last Updated: 12 March 2022 – Topic Last Reviewed: 12 March 2022

Print Friendly, PDF & Email