Menopause doesn’t just affect your sexual health; it also wreaks havoc on your wellness with a draining condition known as hot flashes. Sure, hot flashes may not seem like such a big deal. but they can really take their toll on your wellbeing. Brette Sember, author of The Infertility Answer Book, points out, ‘Hot flashes can make your body feel like it has somehow become a raging furnace. The heat you experience during a hot flash is often overwhelming; it really does feel as if it’s taking over your body. Clothes can suddenly feel too heavy to wear. The bed covers feel as if they’re suffocating you, and you’re often drenched in sweat. Hot flashes are often associated with chills – the chills are typically the result of sweat drying on the surface of the skin.’
You might find you have hot flashes on a regular basis, or they may occur randomly. These flashes may be over in two minutes, or they could last as long as half-an-hour. The key thing to know is that hot flashes are a condition that a vast number of people worldwide deals with – 85% of all women will experience them at some point – so you’re not alone. You may think that your hot flashes are caused by fevers, illness or even burning desire, but, according to Sember, you would be wrong. In fact, the real culprit is your fluctuating sex hormones. Sember explains, ‘If these hormones are suppressed, such as during treatment for certain types of cancer or if the ovaries are removed, this can cause blood vessels to dilate. The dilated blood vessels allow more blood to rush through the body. This sudden increase in blood flow brings with it more heat – typically to the body’s upper half.’
While this all sounds a bit dangerous and alarming, you don’t really have anything to worry about with hot flashes apart from the discomfort you feel. Still, even though there’s no danger involved, you should speak to your doctor if you’re experiencing hot flashes – especially if you’re too young to be going through menopause. The underlying cause of your hot flashes may be hyperthyroidism or one of several types of cancer, and so it’s always wise to be sure. However, more often than not, the cause of hot flashes will be something simple like pregnancy, perimenopause (the phase before menopause) or menopause itself. Let’s take a closer look at the factors at play in your hot flashes.
Sember notes, ‘Women’s hormone levels can fluctuate greatly during a typical lifetime…In fact, hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. Hot flashes can also be triggered or amplified by environmental factors. Similar to migraine pain, outside factors such as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, spicy foods, exercise, fat and chocolate can all trigger a hot flash. Climate – such as a hot room, medication, sleep deprivation and stress – can also be to blame.’ So, if you are suffering from hot flashes, eliminating some of these environmental triggers can be helpful in reducing your discomfort. It might be a good idea to keep a diary of your hot flashes, detailing exactly what happened prior to the hot flash, so you can avoid this trigger next time.
However, it’s not only women who are fanning themselves due to hot flashes; men also need to watch out for triggers and potentially visit a doctor. Sember comments, ‘Men can experience hot flashes, too. Obviously, menopause is not the reason. Men deal with hot flashes when they experience a drop in testosterone. This can be caused by ageing, but is most often due to a surgical removal of the testes or due to medication that impacts testosterone production. If a man is experiencing hot flashes, he should definitely consult a doctor. Testosterone deficiency is often the reason, and a simple blood test can verify this.’
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