My Hot Flashes Started Up Again
Hot flashes, a common symptom of the menopausal transition, are uncomfortable and can last for many years. When they happen at night, hot flashes are called night sweats. Some women find that hot flashes interrupt their daily lives. Research has shown that there can be different patterns of when women first experience hot flashes and for how long, and that African American and Hispanic women have hot flashes for more years than white and Asian women.
You may decide you don't need to change your lifestyle or investigate treatment options because your symptoms are mild. Only, if you are bothered by hot flashes, in that location are some steps y'all can take. Try to take annotation of what triggers your hot flashes and how much they carp you lot. This tin can assistance yous brand meliorate decisions about managing your symptoms.
Lifestyle changes to improve hot flashes
Before considering medication, first endeavour making changes to your lifestyle. If hot flashes proceed y'all upward at night, lower the temperature in your sleeping room and try drinking small amounts of cold water earlier bed. Layer your bedding so it can be adjusted as needed and plough on a fan. Hither are another lifestyle changes you can make:
- Dress in layers that can exist removed at the offset of a hot flash.
- Carry a portable fan to use when a hot flash strikes.
- Avoid alcohol, spicy foods, and caffeine. These can make menopausal symptoms worse.
- If y'all smoke, try to quit, not only for hot flashes, but for your overall health.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight. Women who are overweight or obese may experience more frequent and severe hot flashes.
- Explore mind-trunk practices. Some early-phase enquiry has shown that hypnotherapy and mindfulness meditation could help with management of hot flashes.
Nonhormonal medications to treat hot flashes
If lifestyle changes are not plenty to amend your symptoms, nonhormone options for managing hot flashes may work for you. These may be a good pick if you are unable to accept hormones for wellness reasons, such as not having a uterus, or if you are worried well-nigh the potential risks.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, to treat hot flashes. Researchers are studying other antidepressants, which doctors may prescribe for off-label employ.
Women who utilize an antidepressant to help manage hot flashes generally take a lower dose than people who use the medication to treat depression. As with any medication, talk with your doctor virtually whether this is the right medication for you and how yous might manage any possible side effects.
Using hormones to care for hot flashes and night sweats
Some women may choose to take hormones to care for their hot flashes or night sweats. A hormone is a chemic substance made by an organ like the thyroid gland or ovary. During the menopausal transition, the ovaries begin to piece of work less effectively, and the production of hormones similar estrogen and progesterone declines over fourth dimension. It is believed that such changes cause hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
Hormone therapy steadies the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the torso. It is a very effective handling for hot flashes in women who are able to utilize it. They can also help with vaginal dryness, sleep, and maintaining bone density.
Hormone treatments (sometimes called menopausal hormone therapy, or MHT) can take the form of pills, patches, rings, implants, gels, or creams. Patches, which stick to the skin, may be best for women with cardiac chance factors, such as a family history of heart illness.
There are risks associated with taking hormones, including increased risk of center attack, stroke, blood clots, chest cancer, gallbladder affliction, and dementia. Women are encouraged to discuss the risks with their health care provider. The risks vary by a adult female's age and whether she has had a hysterectomy. Women who still have a uterus would accept estrogen combined with progesterone or some other therapy to protect the uterus. Progesterone is added to estrogen to protect the uterus confronting cancer, only it also seems to increase the chance of claret clots and stroke.
Before taking hormones to treat menopause symptoms, talk with your doctor almost your medical and family history and any concerns or questions about taking hormones. If hormone therapy is right for yous, it should be at the everyman dose, for the shortest period of fourth dimension it remains effective, and in consultation with a doctor.
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For more information on treatments for hot flashes
This content is provided by the NIH National Establish on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure information technology is accurate and upwards to date.
Content reviewed: September thirty, 2021
Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hot-flashes-what-can-i-do
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