Hot Flash Causes and Treatments

Symptoms of hot flashes

Ahot flashis a feeling of intense warmth that isn’t caused by an external source. Hot flashes can appear suddenly, or you may feel them coming on over a period of a few minutes.

Symptoms of hot flashesinclude:

• having skin that suddenly feels warm
• experiencingrednesson parts of the body, such as theface, neck, ears, or chest
• sweating, especially in the upper body
• tingling in your fingers
• experiencing a heartbeat that’sfaster than usual

Many people alsofeel coldor getchillsas the hot flash lets up.

Hot flashes are a common symptom ofmenopause. Women undergoing menopause can experience hot flashes as often as several times a day.

Menopause isn’t the only cause of hot flashes, though.Anyonecan experience them. How long they last and how often you feel them depends on what triggers them.

Causes of hot flashes

Hormonal changesin your body are thought to cause hot flashes. Hormonal imbalance can have a variety of triggers, including:

• medical conditions, such asdiabetes
• tumors
• certain forms of birth control
• eating disorders

Other potential triggers of hot flashes include:

• spicy foods
• alcohol
• hot drinks
• caffeine
• being in a warm room
• smoking
• wearing tight clothing
• stress and anxiety
• pregnancy, particularly during the first and second trimesters
• an overactive or underactive thyroid
• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy
• spinal lesions
• some medications, including the osteoporosis drug raloxifene (Evista), the breast cancer drug tamoxifen (Soltamox), and the pain relievertramadol(Conzip, Ultram)

Lifestyle changes and strategies for managing hot flashes

Many people can manage their hot flashes at home with some strategies. It helps to know what triggers them first.

One way to figure out what’s triggering your hot flashes is to keep a symptom journal. Take note of each incident, including which foods you ate before the hot flash.

A symptom journal can help you narrow down your hot flash triggers and determine which lifestyle changes to make to reduce your symptoms and prevent hot flashes. Your doctor can also use the journal to help make a diagnosis.

Lifestyle changes and strategies for managing hot flashes include:

• dressing in layers, even on the coldest days, so you can adjust your clothing to how you’re feeling
• sipping ice water at the start of a hot flash
• keeping a fan on while you sleep
• lowering the room temperature
• wearing cotton clothes and using cotton bed sheets
• keeping an ice pack on your bedside table
• avoiding spicy foods
• limiting how much alcohol you drink
• limiting hot beverages and caffeine
• stopping smoking
• usingstress reduction techniques, such asyoga,meditation, or guided breathing
• avoiding high fat and high sugar foods

To deal with hot flashes while pregnant, keep rooms cool and wear loose clothing. Rinse your face with cold water, and try to avoid hot and crowded areas.

Prescription medication

If lifestyle changes and strategies don’t work, or if your case is severe, your doctor may prescribe medication to help you manage your hot flashes.

Drugs that may be prescribed include:

• hormone replacement drugs
• antidepressants
• gabapentin(Neurontin), anantiseizure medication
• clonidine(Kapvay), which can be used forhigh blood pressureorattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Ifbeta-blockers,hyperthyroidism, or antithyroid medications are causing your hot flashes, there are medications you can use to relieve your symptoms. In extreme cases,surgerymay be necessary to remove the malfunctioning areas of thethyroid gland.

Note that using some of these prescription drugs for hot flashes is consideredoff-label use.

Off-label drug use

Off-label drug use means a drug that’s approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for one purpose is used for a different purpose that hasn’t yet been approved. However, a doctor can still use the drug for that purpose. This is because the FDA regulates the testing and approval of drugs, but not how doctors use drugs to treat patients. So, your doctor can prescribe a drug however they think is best for your care.

Natural remedies

Some people prefer to usenatural or alternative remediesto treat their hot flashes.

One option isacupuncture. A2016 studyof 209 women experiencing four or more menopause symptoms a day found that acupuncture significantly reduced their menopause symptoms, includinghot flashes and night sweats.

Herbs and supplements touted as menopause remedies are also sold at many drugstores. You should check with your doctor before taking any herbs and supplements because they can sometimesinterfere with the medications you’re currently taking.

Below are herbs and supplements that are sometimes used for symptoms of menopause. Research on them has been inconclusive. Larger, higher-quality studies are needed.

Black cohosh

Native to North America, theblack cohoshroot is one of the most popular herbal remedies for hot flashes. Research is mixed, with some studies indicating that it helps ease symptoms and others indicating that it has no noticeable effect.

Its side effects are mild, but you shouldn’t use it if you haveliver disease.

Dong quai

Dong quai是一种产于东亚的植物。有时达克en alongside black cohosh. Very few studies have looked specifically at its effect on menopause. Thestudiesthat do exist concluded that its effects were insignificant.

You shouldn’t use it if you takeblood thinnerssuch aswarfarin(Coumadin).

Evening primrose oil

Evening primrose oilis extracted from a flower.

A small2013 studyof menopausal women found that over the course of 6 weeks, two 500-milligram doses could lead to significant improvements in hot flashes.

Study participants saw a 39 percent improvement in frequency, a 42 percent improvement in severity, and a 19 percent improvement in duration. By all measures, evening primrose oil was more effective than theplacebo.

Earlierstudiesconcluded that there wasn’t enough evidence of its benefits for menopausal women.

It may interfere with blood thinners and some psychiatric medications.

Shop for evening primrose oil online.

Soy isoflavones

Isoflavones are chemical compounds that mimic the effects ofestrogen.Research from 2014found thatsoy isoflavonescould have modest effects on menopausal hot flashes, reducing them by up to 25.2 percent.

However, they’re a slow-acting remedy. It took soy isoflavones 13.4 weeks to reach half of their maximum effects. By comparison, it took estradiol only 3.09 weeks.

Shop for soy isoflavone supplements online.

Takeaway

The most appropriate treatment for your hot flashes will depend on what’s causing them. However, you’ll likely be able to manage your symptoms at home with lifestyle changes.

There are many possible causes of hot flashes, and the list above isn’t comprehensive. If you experience repeat hot flashes that don’t go away, speak with a doctor. You can connect to an OB-GYN in your area using theHealthline FindCare tool.