Hot Flashes After Menopause - Symptoms, Causes, Natural Remedies, Herbs

How could women deal with hot flashes after menopause?

When one thinks of menopause, hot flashes often come to mind. Some women like to think of them as "power surges"; however, for most women, they can be somewhat disarming and troubling.

Studies show that approximately three quarters of women experience hot flashes in varying degrees. Approximately one third actually seek treatment for the condition. For some, the flashes come as fleeting hot and sweaty sensations, others may find that they become drenched in sweat, become very flushed and hot and experience heart palpitations. Sometimes, hot flashes can be accompanied by headaches, pressure, vagueness, chills, fatigue or dizziness and nausea.

After the body adjusts to the new hormone levels, hot flashes tend to disappear. However, for some women, the hot flashes after menopause continue for several years. Flashes (also called flushes, as in a flushed face) can be traced to oestrogen decline, as well as a surge of luteinising hormone (LH). Hot flushes can be more pronounced if you do not carry any excess weight, as extra body fat actually appears to create more oestrogen.

Women who begin to move to menopause earlier in life than most may experience especially severe hot flashes due to sudden drops in oestrogen. Night flashes (or night sweating) can dramatically disturb sleep patterns as a woman tries in vain to get comfortable. Though many medical practitioners approach treating hot flashes after menopause through hormone replacement therapy, other alternative healing remedies can deal with them.

Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes - Dealing with Root Causes and Effecting True Healing

Natural therapies take a holistic look at not only the flashes, but the other components that fit into a woman’s lifestyle. Women have varying triggers for hot flashes, and this should be taken into account when deciding on treatment. Though the treatment can be more complex, it will help heal the underlying issues causing the hot flashes, and not merely mask the flashes themselves.

Thus, natural prescriptions for hot flashes after menopause should be tailored to the individual woman. Herbs with plant oestrogens have been used for centuries to relieve hot flashes and other related symptoms.

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) has been especially well studied and has well documented positive effects in treating hot flashes, as well as vaginal dryness. Other herbs that have been touted for their effect on reducing hot flashes include dong quai, gingko, red clover and dietary supplements like soy and flaxseed.

Extenuating circumstances can bring on hot flashes, such as anxiety, fatigue or overwork, and night sweats. Supplements that have been tested to relieve hot flashes include vitamin E, vitamin C, and evening primrose oil.

In general, to help deal with hot flashes after menopause, dress to avoid the severity of the symptoms, as the temperature surrounding the body will greatly determine the onset and severity of a flash. Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, author of A Woman’s Guide to Menopause and Perimenopause, writes that, “[d]ressing for menopause can be like dressing for travel in an unknown country. Think layers.”

Loose clothes like cotton will promote breathing ability and reduce sweating. Avoid foods that seem to bring on the symptoms for you, including some spicy foods and alcohol. Eating especially hot foods (temperature wise) can also trigger a flush.

Fresh sage steeped in water and lemon juice also reduces the incidence of hot flashes, as will plant oestrogens such as tofu and freshly ground linseeds.

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