Every woman experiences a certain mood and body image disturbance once they enter menopausal stage – one of the turning points of their existence. Going through this stage is quite challenging for most women, as they face several forms of discomfort brought about by hormonal changes within their system. One of the common symptoms of menopause that is characterized by a sudden, unforeseen heat wave that passes throughout the body for thirty seconds to a few minutes is called hot flashes. This condition that causes variation in body temperature can be very stressful for most women.
Hot flashes are classically experienced as a feeling of extreme weight accompanied with sweating and palpitations that could last up to thirty minutes for every episode. Heat sensation starts over the face or back of the neck and then spreads all throughout the rest of the body. The intensity of the heat varies among women, and the female may pass out if the effects are strong enough. Another characteristic of this discomfort is the development of warm and dry skin. This is the reason why condition is termed as “hot flash”, since the warm sensation of the skin often goes along with the noticeable reddening of the face.
The root cause of hot flash is not yet known. However, some factors are considered to be responsible why hot flash takes place. Hormonal changes, particularly the elevation of the follicular-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, are believed to cause the occurrence of hot flushes. On the other hand, a variety of stimulants like spicy foods, hot drinks, caffeine, alcoholic drinks, saturated fats, stress, intense exercise, anger and sex can trigger the development of hot flashes.
Episodes of hot flashes may recur few times in a week or continuously throughout the day. However, the frequency of the attacks reduces over time. It may begin to appear few years before the onset of menopause and may lasts for several years. There are lucky woman who undergo menopause yet never experiences any hot flushes. Others might have mild or infrequent episodes, but some women suffer from countless episodes every day. Also, hot flushes become frequent and intense when the environment is scorching, like during hot weather or when inside an overheated room. Women with hot flashes also experiences difficulty in getting some sleep that will eventually affect their mood and concentration.
Episodes of hot flushes can be minimized by several treatment regimen and various natural measures. A hormone replacement therapy may be prescribed to treat symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. Exercise is proven to effectively decrease the occurrence of it as well. Having a regular exercise decreases the amount of circulating female hormones in the body. Also, it nourishes and tones the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the regulation of body temperature. Other natural remedies that deal with the underlying factors contributing to hot to it include intake of nutritional supplements, diet modification and use of plant-based or herbal medications.
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