Information on the causes of hot flashes.

Hot flashes are the classic sign of the menopause and perimenopause transition. No two women describe the exact same symptoms when talking about a hot flash. They are generally a sudden, intense sensation of heat that spreads over the chest and travels to the neck, face and head. Following this feeling of intense heat, a woman commonly notices reddening of the head and neck area. This then leads to perspiration and a cooling or chilling phase. Some women may also experience an intense episode of sweating. The typical hot flash lasts approximately 2-3 minutes. They are most common during perimenopause and the first one to two years after menopause. Although variable, hot flashes generally occur every 2-4 hours. Despite the increase in skin temperature, there is no change in core body temperature.

Hot flashes occur in 40 - 90% of women during the menopause transition and up to 85% of women after menopause. Other typical complaints related to the hot flash include anxiety, nausea, feelings of suffocation and inability to concentrate. Synonyms for the term hot flash include 'hot flushes', 'vasomotor symptoms' and 'night sweats'.

There are several treatment options for control of hot flashes. They include:

Hormone Therapy - Fortunately, there are many choices to consider when contemplating hormone therapy for relief of hot flashes.    Adjusting dosages to use the lowest possible dose is a commonly recommended approach.  Using alternative means of delivering medication to allow for the lowest doses and steadiest levels of hormone in the body is found with today's hormone patches.  Click here to read more about hormone therapy.

Black Cohosh - A popular herbal remedy that has been used for over 40 years in Germany for relief of mild to moderate hot flashes, night sweats and mood disturbances related to the menopause transition.  Click here to read more about Black Cohosh.

Soy Protein - Increasing the amount of soy protein in your diet can be an effective remedy for some of the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes.  Click here to read more about Soy Protein.