Hot Flushes In Menopause

Hot flushes are one of the most well-known side-effects of menopause; they occur at any time of the year and cause you to suddenly feel very warm even if it's cold outside. Three in 4 women experience hot flushes and they can go on for years, throughout perimenopause and menopause. In some cases, hot flushes can also be experienced alongside sweating and dizziness.

Many women who have hot flushes also feel very warm at night and experience night sweats. Hot flushes tend to make your face feel very warm and heat then radiates to other parts of the body; you may also get flushed skin on your cheeks, chest and neck.

What causes hot flushes?

It is not fully understood why women experience hot flushes during menopause; however, experts think that dropping oestrogen levels affect the body's ability to control body temperature and sometimes, the body may think it's too hot when actually it's not. In response to thinking that it's too hit, the body then triggers the cooling down processes, including sweating and flushing of the skin.

Coping with hot flushes

Hot flushes can make life difficult, but there are some effective ways of coping with them, including:

• keeping windows open in your bedroom during the night
• sleeping with a fan
• wearing loose, light clothing
• wearing layers so you can easily remove some if you suddenly get warm
• avoiding very hot and confined spaces
• staying hydrated.

If hot flushes are severe and they are taking their toll on you, your GP may recommend hormone replacement therapy; this form of treatment helps to replace diminishing levels of hormones, most notably, oestrogen, which can help to alleviate symptoms.

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