Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are sudden sensations of heat in the body , especially in the upper body . Hot flashes are the most common symptom experienced by women during perimenopause and menopause.

Symptoms of hot flashes or hot flashes can vary for each woman, ranging from their severity to how long they appear. However, most women who experience hot flashes feel an intense sensation of heat over their face, neck, and chest.

Causes of Hot Flashes

The exact cause of hot flashes is not known. However, this condition is thought to be related to hormonal changes that occur in women during perimenopause or during menopause. However, not all women who enter perimenopause ( premenopause ) and menopause experience hot flashes .

This hormonal change is characterized by a decrease in estrogen levels which affects the center of body temperature regulation, namely the hypothalamus. As a result, the body will become more sensitive to changes in temperature.

Apart from menopausal women, hot flashes can also be experienced by sufferers of endocrine gland tumors, hyperthyroidism , carcinoid syndrome, or certain infectious diseases.

Hot flashes can also appear as a side effect of using opioid-type drugs, antidepressants , hypertension drugs, calcium channel blockers , blood vessel widening drugs, and steroids.

Hot flashes may occur more frequently or be more severe if a trigger is present, such as:

Overweight or obesity
Weather and hot temperature
Spicy food
Tight clothes
Cigarette
Alcohol
Caffeine
stress
Pregnancy

Symptoms of Hot Flashes

The main symptom of hot flashes is a hot sensation that appears suddenly and spreads over the upper body, especially the chest, neck and face . The duration of these symptoms is uncertain, but usually lasts from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Hot flashes are also more common at night.

Other symptoms that can arise from hot flashes are:

Redness of the skin of the face and neck
pounding heart ( palpitations )
Sweating, especially at night
Chills after the hot flashes subside
Feeling anxious

Depending on the underlying cause, the appearance of hot flashes can also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as:

Heart rhythm disturbances ( arrhythmias )
Weight loss for no reason
Shaking ( tremors )
Protruding eyes
Trouble sleeping or insomnia

When to see a doctor

Check with your doctor if you experience hot flashes that interfere with your activities or cause difficulty sleeping. You are also advised to consult a doctor immediately if hot flashes get worse or occur more frequently.

As mentioned above, hot flashes can also be a symptom of other ailments. Therefore, immediately see a doctor if you experience hot flashes accompanied by the following symptoms:

Allergic reactions, such as hives , coughing, and shortness of breath
Weight loss
The body feels weak
Chest pain
Fever
Diarrhea
Swollen lymph nodes
Confusion or loss of consciousness

Diagnosis Hot Flashes

The doctor will ask the patient about the symptoms felt, the last menstrual cycle, and the patient's medical history. Next, the doctor will perform a physical examination, including checking the patient's neck to see if there is thyroid swelling.

After that, the doctor will also carry out other tests if the patient is suspected of having certain diseases that can trigger hot flashes . These checks include:

Blood tests , to measure levels of certain hormones and detect infection
Thyroid test, to check the function of the thyroid gland
Pregnancy ultrasound , to ascertain whether hot flashes are caused by pregnancy or not
Scanning with a CT scan or MRI, to detect the presence of a tumor

Treatment of Hot Flashes

Treatment of hot flashes depends on the cause and severity. Treatment methods can be by administering drugs, therapy, adopting a healthy lifestyle, or consuming certain foods. Here is the explanation:

Drugs

Administering drugs is a method that is considered the most effective in dealing with hot flashes , one of which is by using hormone replacement therapy . However, the implementation of this therapy must be in accordance with the recommendations of the doctor.

In order to relieve the symptoms of hot flashes , doctors can also prescribe medications to patients, such as:

Low-dose antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, or venlafaxine
Clonidine
Gabapetin
Vitamin B complex and vitamin E supplements

Therapy

Some of the therapies that can be done to overcome the symptoms of hot flashes are:

Cognitive behavioral therapy , namely counseling therapy that is useful for helping patients respond more positively to the appearance of hot flashes
Meditation , to calm the mind and deal with stress that can trigger hot flashes

Lifestyle changes

If the symptoms of hot flashes are still mild, the doctor will advise the patient to change his lifestyle. The application of a healthy lifestyle that can be done to reduce hot flashes trigger factors , namely:

Wear light and comfortable clothes
Using a fan or air conditioner to help lower the room temperature
Cold compresses to areas of the face, neck or chest that feel warm
Drink lots of cold water when hot flashes start
Implement a healthy diet
Avoiding foods and drinks that can trigger hot flashes
Exercise regularly to help lose weight
Stop smoking habit
Food

Eating foods that contain isoflavones has also been shown to help relieve symptoms of hot flashes . Isoflavones are compounds that have benefits similar to estrogen. Some foods that contain high isoflavones are:

Soybeans
Peas
Beans
Lentil
Flaxseed
Whole wheat

Hot Flash Complications

Hot flashes can cause complications in the form of sleep disturbances and disruption of daily activities, thereby reducing the quality of life. In addition, several studies have shown an increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis in women who experience hot flashes.

Prevention of Hot Flashes

Hot flashes can't always be prevented, but triggers can be avoided. The trick is to adopt a healthy and balanced nutritional diet , exercise regularly, stop smoking, and manage stress well.

Other efforts that can be made to avoid the appearance of hot flashes at night are: