During menopause, hot flashes are almost always a given symptom. Over eighty percent of women in the United States can experience them at the onset of menopause. The good news is that these are likely to decrease over time, but at the height of menopause, they can be pretty intense, uncomfortable, annoying, and prove to be a big inconvenience on day-to-day living.
Hormonal changes are mainly responsible for menopause hot flashes. Common indicators of a hot flash include a sudden intense warmth or heat radiating from the face to the neck and chest, usually accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and perspiration. Its duration can be anywhere between two to thirty minutes, with possible recurrences several times in a day. There was a time when hormone replacement therapy (HRT) represented the ultimate solution to keeping these symptoms at bay. However, its cost and the rise of certain types of cancer due to synthetic hormones has made women and physicians alike wary of this kind of treatment.
The best alternative treatment for this menopause symptom is still natural cures and preventive remedies. Through the years, women who have opted for it have discovered them to be safer, affordable, and effective in dealing with menopause symptoms. Consider some of them and weigh their benefits against those of HRT.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? In the case of menopause hot flashes, this adage rings true. While the main causes cannot be halted, avoiding triggers and making wise lifestyle choices are some simple and logical things you can do to minimize this symptom. For starters, think of giving up excessive alcohol drinking, smoking, caffeine, and spicy food as there are sure-fire hot flash triggers. Try your best to avoid going out in hot weather or going for hot showers, saunas, and being in very warm places. Steer clear of stressful situations and other circumstances that can get your temperature rising, as well.
Dress to de-stress. It may sound simplistic, but your choice of clothes can determine the frequency, intensity, and duration of menopause hot flashes. Some clothes to avoid: those with synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester, as these won't allow your skin to breathe; turtlenecks and fussy collars; itchy wool sweaters, silky blouses (unsightly and can be ruined when you perspire in them), etc. Go for all-natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and rayon (including underwear) because they are breathable clothes and can absorb sweat. Also, dress in light layers of clothing for unpredictable weather, so you can peel them off one by one when you start feeling the onset of a hot flash. Invest in stylish hand fans which you can carry everywhere for instant cooling down. At bedtime, nix the lacy, silken nightgowns in favor of practical cotton pajamas and tank stops in case of night sweating.
Keep cool with herbal aids. There are actually certain types of plants and herbs to help keep you cool, literally and figuratively. Violet, chickweed, and elderly have been known to keep body temperature consistent. Herbal supplements such as black cohosh, dong quai, and chaste berry are widely used expressly to treat menopause hot flashes. Dong quai helps stabilize blood vessels; chaste berry regulates pituitary function; and black cohosh has been discovered to have estrogenic properties and is therefore used extensively for plenty of hormone-related symptoms.
Addressing menopause hot flashes doesn't have to be an expensive, risky affair. Weigh the pros and cons of natural remedies against traditional hormone replacement therapy, and talk them over at length with your doctor just to be sure.
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