What can you do about menopause hot flashes? Although it's not the worst symptom you can suffer through menopasue it's one which can cause plenty of anxiety and angst among sufferers.
So is there a sure-fire way to relieve the onset of hot flashes? In this article, we'll highlight five steps you can take to help free you, if only for brief periods, from the incidence of hot flashes.
Five Ways To Lessen The Onset Of Menopause Hot Flashes
We know hot flashes can strike at any time which makes it all the more frustrating and in certain situations, can cause a little embarassment. Here are five ways you could use to lessen the incidence.
1. Undoubtedly the best and most reliable way of solving the problem is hormone replacement therapy. The only problem is, it's getting a bad rap because of the risk of heart disease and cancer. This is something you need to discuss with your doctor.
2. If you suffer regular bouts of hot flashes then start o log of when it occurs and the possible triggers which causes it. The trick then is to stay away from these triggers.
3. Try exercise. The most recommended form of exercise is walking and it has an uncanny ability ability to make women with menopausal symptoms feel a lot better. Recently, yoga has also surfaced as a way to reduce hot flash incidents.
4. Find ways to effectively cool the body. Setting room temperatures to a level below what's most comfortable is great but then you run the risk of alienating the other members in the home. Wearing light clothing both day and night and if you get chills, put on an extra layer of clothing. Using ice to cool areas such as the wrist and neckline can help as well as cold drinks.
5. Reducing stress is important. Deep breathing exercises are a great way to alleviate stress. By doing deep breathing exercises and reducing stress you also cut cut on the heat produced by the body. This can be an effective method for temporary relief from menopause hot flashes.
Monday, January 28, 2008
How To Reduce Menopause Hot Flashes
Menopause - How To Deal With Hot Flashes
Of all the symptoms associated with menopause, hot flashes have to be considered among the most ill-desired symptom of all. While they are an absolute annoyance, it is the hormonal imbalance within that causes them to occur. Since there are no definitive conclusions as to why hot flashes occur, let’s try to determine how to deal with hot flashes.
According to a recent report on menopause, it was determined that “lifestyle and psychological factors can increase the number and severity of hot flashes that a woman experiences. In fact, women who tested at a high level of anxiety had nearly five times the number of hot flashes as those who tested low. Women who smoked experienced twice the amount. Being overweight led to an increase in annoying hot flashes, as well.”
Hot flashes don't always begin with the menopause. Sometimes they start with perimenopause, or they may not start until after the last menstrual period has occurred. Usually, they last three to five years and are usually worse during the year following the last menstrual period. However, it has been noted that for some women, hot flashes can last indefinitely.
Although it is a common notion that menopause hot flashes are associated with a decrease in estrogen, there are those who believe it is simply the hormonal balance which acts as the catalyst. Before puberty, girls have low estrogen but no hot flashes. Conversely, women in the late stages of pregnancy may have hot flashes at a time when their estrogen levels are high.
Researchers have stated that “the secretion of hormones is regulated in the brain by the hypothalamus, which houses the body’s thermoregulatory center. They believe that something happens in this center that causes the body’s thermostat to be altered during menopause. The result is a hot flash, a feeling of excessive warmth if the body gets just a little overheated. In an attempt to cool down, the body perspires and blood vessels dilate, causing skin to turn pink or red. After a brief time, maybe a few minutes, the heat dissipates, leading to chills.”
The solution to relieve hot flashes was implemented by using hormone replacement therapy. However, we now know that HRT could have side affects which may cause more harm and good. It has also been recommended to support your body in a natural way, thus not having to rely on prescription drugs used in hormone replacement therapy. Many women find that with the proper support, during menopause, their own bodies can correct the hormonal imbalance that is the real cause.
Finally, taking everything into consideration; the research, the case histories, and our own experiences, it seems that hot flashes – while a definite nuisance – can be handled in a very simple manner. Ignore them as much as possible. Accept them as part of the menopause cycle, and do not give them any more importance than you would an annoying stranger who just won’t leave you alone.
