What are Hot Flashes? Pt I – Overview Hot flashes can be one of the most frustrating symptoms that most women experience during perimenopause, and they can continue for several years into postmenopause as well. It’s important to understand the physiological mechanisms that cause them, but it’s also important to understand the variety of treatment such as medication, natural responses, and even natural remedies like black cohosh or soy isoflavones.
Hot flashes are caused by the drop in estrogen that signals the onset of the first stage of menopause. The biological and chemical process is quite complex, but it’s based on the idea that the body has an “internal thermometer” that registers the body’s inner core temperature. If that temperature gets too high, the body’s organs can be damaged and start to shut down. When that thermometer registers a shift, the brain to send out various chemicals, enzymes, hormones, and so on to return the core temperature to an optimum level. The drop in estrogen that signals the onset of menopause causes a misfire in that biological process. The thermometer incorrectly thinks that the body is too hot, so it responds with all the same things it would normally do when its inner temperature has risen – capillaries open wide to bring blood to the surface of the skin to help cool it, and sweat glands release moisture onto the skin. |
Starting to sound familiar? Yes! Because those are the main physiological effects that we recognize as a hot flash! Most women feel that rush of blood to the surface of the skin, and they get overwhelmingly hot. The blood also often causes a red flush, and the sweating can be anything from a light touch of dampness to a virtual downpour. Other things that women report experiencing during hot flashes include dizziness, anxiety, and even a rapid heartbeat.
All in all, this experience can be anything from frustrating to completely debilitating if it happens frequently or with great intensity. The second part of this article deals with ways to cope with hot flashes – from medication to more natural responses like dressing in layers or taking an herbal supplement that contains the isoflavones found in plants such as black cohosh and soy. |
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