However, this topic is the subject of debate among researchers (8). Most menopausal women will experience hot flushes for between six months and two years. However, it’s estimated that approximately 35%-50% of women will suffer from hot flushes and night sweats during perimenopause, which is the period of time in which your body naturally transitions towards the menopause (12). That way, you may be able to discern a pattern and avoid specific triggers.Īccording to the British Menopause Society, hot flushes are most commonly experienced around one year after menopause, when you have officially stopped menstruating (11).
Make a note of what you were eating, drinking, feeling, doing, and wearing at the beginning of each episode. Sometimes, it can help to keep a diary to track your symptoms. Smoking or being exposed to cigarette smoke Together, these biological processes produce the surge of heat that characterise a hot flush.Īside from hormonal fluctuations, individual behaviours can also trigger or exacerbate hot flushes, such as (10):
#Hot flashes menopause skin#
The brain responds by cooling you down, making your heart pump faster, opening your sweat glands, and dilating blood vessels near the surface of your skin to release heat. Low oestrogen levels signal to the hypothalamus that your body is overheating. However, it’s also thought that the decline in oestrogen may disrupt your hypothalamus - a gland in your brain that regulates core temperature (9). Norepinephrine helps to regulate your body’s core temperature, and an increase of it, therefore, may lead to excessive sweating and flushing (8). Though the exact cause of hot flushes is unclear, scientists suggest that the fall in oestrogen, which characterises the menopausal transition, may contribute to the development of vasomotor (blood vessel) symptoms, like hot flushes and night sweats (6).Ī growing body of evidence suggests that low oestrogen can increase levels of another hormone called norepinephrine, which would then cause hot flushes (7). These episodes can rouse you from sleep and make it challenging to get a quality night’s rest, leaving you fatigued the next day (5). You may also experience hot flushes while you sleep, otherwise known as night sweats.
These sensations arise due to the sweat evaporating from your body. Once the hot flush dissipates, it’s not uncommon to feel cold and clammy or to start shivering. This sensation is often accompanied by redness (flushing), excessive sweating, nausea, dizziness, a racing heart, shaking, headaches, and, in some cases, feelings of anxiety (4). When you have a hot flush, you experience a sudden feeling of warmth radiating throughout your body, most commonly affecting your face, neck, and chest (3). What is happening to your body when you have a hot flush? Hot flush is the term preferred in the UK, while hot flash is used in North America. What’s the difference between hot flush and hot flash?īoth hot flush and hot flash are terms used interchangeably that mean the same thing. While there is no cure for hot flushes, it is helpful to understand why and how they happen, so that you can better manage your symptoms. In 2016, researchers revealed that three-quarters of menopausal women struggled with the mental and physical demands of their workplace due to symptoms such as hot flushes (2). This can affect your overall wellbeing and quality of life, impacting work duties, social commitments, and self-confidence. One study reported that up to four out of five menopausal women experience hot flushes (1).Īs well as being uncomfortable, hot flushes can be stressful and frustrating, and can also cause associated problems with sleep, fatigue, and hydration. Hot flushes are considered by many to be the most troublesome and commonly recognised symptom of menopause.
0 kommentar(er)
