Hot Flashes – What are they and how to treat them

Dr. Ashleigh Lane, ND

Nearly everyday in my practice I talk to patients about hot flashes – they must be one of the most frustrating and debilitating symptoms of menopause that women endure. Whether it is in the middle of a conversation, in a public setting or just waking you up out of a deep sleep, the dreaded wave of heat is enough to drive any woman crazy. If you have had a hot flash, you certainly know what I am talking about, but do you actually know what they are and why they are happening?

The physiological process that control heat regulation in your body are typically very tightly controlled. Some of the signals regulating whether your body is to conserve or dissipate heat come directly from your hormone levels. In other words, certain levels of estrogen and progesterone are needed to help maintain the very strictly controlled core body temperature. Of course menopause is marked by a significant decline in both of these important hormones. It is not fully understood why some women experience significant hot flashes and others do not, but it is clear in practice that some women experience a very sharp decline in hormone levels, which leaves the body reeling, while other women experience a slower and gentler decline.

Hot flashes are reported in 75% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, and symptoms can last for many years. These are not symptoms that any woman should have to live with, and thankfully there are several treatment options we can offer.

Mature Woman Experiencing Hot Flush From Menopause

Natural Treatment Options

Diet

Low levels of antioxidants can contribute to hot flashes, so eating a diet rich in dark green leafy veggies & berries may be helpful
Sugar (including alcohol) triggers the release of epinephrine, which can cause a hot flash just as a stressful situation would
Spicy food, caffeine and other hot drinks can all cause an increase in hot flashes and should be avoided

Phytoestrogens

There are many botanical medicines that contain compounds called phytoestrogens. These compounds help to regulate your hormones and provide some stability to the fragile temperature regulation centers. Phytoestrogens are very similar, but not quite the same as true estrogens, and they are capable of making your brain think you have the right level of estrogen, without any of the concerns that come with estrogen replacement therapy.

Progesterone & Estrogen Therapy

Most women have heard that estrogen therapy can be helpful for hot flashes, and indeed it is one of the most effective treatments – but it is not the only option. Bioidentical Progesterone has been show to be effective at controlling hot flashes and should be offered as a first line treatment in many cases. If all of the above fails, or you are also exhibiting a number of other low estrogen symptoms, bioidentical estrogen cream can also be used, and is almost certain to be helpful in post-menopausal women.

Hot flashes are certainly one of the most debilitating symptoms associated with menopause, but they are also relatively easy to treat, so don’t suffer any longer – come in and talk to us about your options!

References

Deecher DC¹, Dorries K. Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause life stages. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2007;10(6):247-57. Epub 2007 Dec 12.

Leonetti HB, Longo S, Anasti JN. Transdermal progesterone cream for vasomotor symptoms and postmenopausal bone loss. Obstetrics and Gynecology 1999;94:225-8.

Progesterone (not Estrogen) for Hot Flushes in Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women. (2014, April 8). Retrieved from http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/resources/progesterone-not-estrogen-hot-flushes-perimenopausal-and-menopausal-women

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