Hot Flashes With Menopause - Remedies, Drugs, Medicines And Folk Remedies For Hot Flashes With Menopause

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Hot flashes with menopause

Content:

• Hot flashes with menopause - what is it?
• Symptoms of hot flashes
• Causes of hot flashes
• How to deal with hot flashes without medication?
• Medicines for menopause from hot flashes

The period of menopause inevitably overtakes all women. This most often occurs between the ages of 40 and 50. A lot is changing in the body: the risk of developing diseases of an autoimmune and infectious nature increases, the immune response to external attacks weakens, it is more difficult for it to resist viruses and bacteria. Aging of the skin and the body as a whole occurs faster.

However, against the background of these changes, most women do not suffer from excessive discomfort and severe pain. However, there are those who tolerate climacteric manifestations rather hard.

The so-called hot flashes can be so strong that women feel absolutely sick for a period of time. Moreover, they suffer not only from psychological, but also from physical discomfort.

Hot flashes with menopause - what is it?

Hot flashes during menopause are a problem familiar to the vast majority of women of "piquant" age. At the heart of such unpleasant physiological manifestations is a decrease in the level of female sex hormones and, as a result, the inevitable age-related restructuring of the entire female body.

To simplify, the scheme looks like this: estrogens (and these are the same female sex hormones) are responsible not only for the development of the body according to the female type, but also affect the thermoregulation center located in the hypothalamus.

When at a certain age the level of such hormones declines, the body initially perceives this fact as a kind of "breakdown" and begins to send external signals to the woman, which she perceives as hot flashes. The body begins to react accordingly, and the mechanisms responsible for the normalization of the balance are activated. As a result, increased heart rate, vasodilation and increased sweating.

After a certain time, and for each woman it happens individually, the body is rebuilt, begins to work according to new rules and the processes of thermoregulation are stabilized.

There is no clear answer to the question: "How long can this last?" Some women skip this period in just six months, but there are cases when hot flashes last up to 10 or even 15 years. Factors that can significantly prolong this uncomfortable state are natural early or drug-induced menopause.

Symptoms of hot flashes

Those women who have entered menopause are interested in the duration of hot flashes. They manifest before the last menstrual period. Attacks of varying intensity will continue on average for another two years. This applies to 60% of all women. Some have no more than 2 attacks in 12 months, some have suffered from the condition for many years, and some have never experienced hot flashes at all. In any case, over time, the severity of symptoms decreases, their duration decreases. Very rarely, the hot flush lasts up to an hour, the average time of sensation of heat is about 2 minutes.

Among the most pronounced signs of hot flashes are:

• It is impossible to mistake the beginning of any infectious disease for a tide. Most women note that a certain "aura" is felt before its start. That is, if you have high sensitivity, you can even predict when the tide will manifest.
• There is a sharp flow of blood to the upper body. The skin of the face and neck turns red, the heat covers the chest and arms.
• The number of heartbeats increases, which causes dizziness and headaches. Women experience nausea, shortness of breath, anxiety and weakness.
• During an attack, a woman experiences a jump in body temperature, then she returns to normal. Increased sweating appears. Sweat may cover the entire body or only appear above the upper lip. After the temperature drops, chills begin. This forces the woman to either change clothes or take a shower.
• The time of day also affects the frequency of hot flashes. There is an influx of heat at night and in the evening. At the same time, up to 10% of women seek medical help, since the attacks are quite pronounced.

Causes of hot flashes

During the entry into the climacteric period, the sexual functions of the body are transformed. Ovulation stops, follicles and eggs cease to ripen, the activity of the endocrine glands decreases. In the place where the follicles previously matured, connective tissue is now formed. Due to these processes, the ovaries decrease in size, their parenchyma is replaced by a dense structure (the process of sclerosis).

Therefore, the causes of hot flashes are:

• First of all - pronounced changes in hormonal levels and ovarian functionality.
• The lifestyle that a woman leads. In some of them, climacteric syndrome manifests itself quite intensely, while in others, on the contrary, it proceeds completely imperceptibly.
• Taking medications. The drugs for the treatment of cancer patients can have a pronounced effect on the frequency of attacks and their intensity. For example, Tamoxifen will increase the frequency of attacks until the body adapts to its constituents.

What is the mechanism of the appearance of tides? It is known that the hypothalamus is responsible for normal sleep, for maintaining body temperature, appetite and hormone production. A decrease in the amount of estrogen in the blood has a significant effect on it. Until now, science has not found an accurate explanation of why the hypothalamus during menopause begins to perceive the actual body temperature as high. However, it is reliably known that it is he who causes an increase in heart contractions, increases the volume of capillaries. In this way, it prepares the body to cope with the sudden surge and release excess heat.

The hypothalamus is regulated by the nervous system. Signals are delivered to tissues by mediators of the hypothalamus - serotonin, adrenaline and prostaglandins. For this reason, a hot flush occurs, with all the accompanying symptoms: rapid heart rate, increased sweating, dilated capillaries.

Disorders associated with insufficient production of estrogens affect not only the hypothalamus, but also the urinary system, skin, bones, all mucous membranes, the brain, mammary glands and the vagina. The neuro-vegetative regulation changes, the risks of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease and heart disease increase, the skin undergoes dystrophic changes. The frequency of visits to the doctor for joint diseases is increasing, which is due to the formation of osteoporosis. The psychological background of a woman does not remain unchanged.

What makes hot flashes worse?

There are certain factors affecting the aggravation of unpleasant symptoms, among them:

• Drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking tobacco. This leads to the expansion of all blood vessels, increases the intensity of the symptoms of the disease state. Bad habits have a negative effect on all cells of the female body as a whole.
• Inappropriate nutrition with a predominance of fatty, fried, spicy or too hot foods on the menu increases the occurrence of hot flashes. Therefore, during this period it is so important to adhere to the dietary menu. This, if not reduce the number of unpleasant manifestations of menopause, then at least reduce their intensity.
• Spending time in poorly ventilated rooms with low oxygen content. Stuffiness promotes hot flashes. Therefore, if you are prone to them, you should avoid visiting saunas, baths, rooms with a working fireplace or heaters as much as possible. In summer, it is advisable to use air conditioners.
• When it comes to the exclusion of certain foods, sugar comes under a tight restriction.
• You should avoid wearing underwear that causes discomfort. It should be free and not hamper movement, not pinch blood vessels.
• Nervous overstrain, fatigue and depressive conditions can intensify the climacteric syndrome. Stressful situations should be avoided as much as possible. Even the experience of positive emotions can have a negative impact in this regard.
• Drinks such as tea and coffee are not recommended for women with menopause.
• Too intense physical education can negatively affect. This does not mean that this kind of activity should be abandoned. But in everything you need to know when to stop.

How not to go crazy after menopause. Menopause is not a sentence

How to deal with hot flashes without medication?

When undesirable manifestations of menopause bother often and leave an imprint on the normal life of a woman, then they must be dealt with.

The following tips will help you cope with hot flashes:

• Monitor your breathing. As soon as the next attack begins, it is important not to panic and try to practice slow breaths not with the diaphragm, but with the stomach. The inhalation should be deep and slow, while you can count (8 breaths per minute). To achieve this interval, you need to take a deep breath and hold the air inside for six seconds. After several workouts, such breathing exercises will not be difficult. This will relieve the nervous system, make it easier to endure the tide, and delay the onset of the next attack.
• Increase the flow of clean, fresh and cool air. Do not miss the opportunity to ventilate the room. To create a comfortable indoor climate, it is worth using humidifiers with a purification function. The air in the bedroom should be kept cool; it is better to use a warmer blanket than sleeping in a hot stuffy room.
• Cold pillow. Before going to bed, you can try cooling your pillow. To do this, you need to take a bottle of water and hold it in the freezer. Immediately before going to bed, the bottle is laid out on the pillow, and then removed under it. This will allow you to spend the night without seizures. Alternatively, cool the pillow in the freezer if the size is right.
• Plant-based foods should be a priority. Proper nutrition can not only reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes, but also improve overall well-being. To do this, it is enough to reduce meat and protein dishes to 20%, and give priority to food of plant origin. Among healthy and tasty products are nuts, fruits, cereals, soybeans, legumes. Grains can be germinated, but in whole form they, like nuts, contain vitamin E, which is so necessary for a woman. The body is especially in need of it during menopause.
• Outerwear. Correctly selected outerwear will allow a woman to feel comfortable during high tide. Natural materials absorb moisture better, increase ventilation, and do not stimulate the formation of unpleasant odors. The cut should not restrict movement, and you should not wear shapeless robes. After all, the well-being of a woman depends on the psychological comfort that a beautiful, stylish and fashionable outfit gives. Another tip to help you cope with the tide is to wear two thin jackets instead of one tight one. So, if a feeling of heat arises, you can remove one of them, and not suffer in a warm jacket.
• An active lifestyle follows, choosing an attractive sport. It can be swimming or fitness, dancing or body flex - the main thing is that there are no contraindications. Usually. Swimming is the safest sport during menopause. It increases muscle tone, relieves stress on the spine, and contributes to the healing of the body as a whole. In the absence of the opportunity to play sports, you just need to walk more. It is better to take walks in the park, away from roads and factories. If the condition of the heart and blood vessels allows, then you should forget about the elevator.
• Drinking regime. When menopause comes, it is important to choose a competent drinking regimen. After the age of 40, a woman needs to drink at least 2000 ml per day, provided that there are no contraindications. This is primarily due to the need to replenish the reserves of fluid, which is lost in the process of sweating. When hot flashes are not bothering, then water will simply allow you to avoid dry skin and improve your well-being.
• Nervous strain negatively affects the climacteric symptom, exacerbating it. Life dictates its own rules that do not allow avoiding stressful situations, regardless of the desires of a woman. Everything affects health: financial problems, family troubles, difficulties at work. To strengthen and preserve the nervous system, you should tune in to a positive mood, speak out positive attitudes every day, believe in the good and not focus on failures. The less worried a woman is, the less often she does not experience hot flashes. It happens that even with all these recommendations, it is not possible to cope with the attacks. In this case, you must consult a doctor. He, if necessary, will prescribe special drugs to combat the manifestations of menopause.

Some more tips

• Practicing gynecologists agree that a woman after 40 needs to please herself. It is important to satisfy your desires, even the smallest ones. If there is a need to eat ice cream, then you should not deny yourself this. I want to buy a new thing - why not. This gives moments of joy, albeit not very long, but they allow you to tune in to the positive.
• In this case, you should not rely too much on the help of a man. As a rule, they perceive all women's problems as something not worthy of attention. Therefore, only positive thoughts and an independent attitude towards a good start to the day will allow you to cope with all adversity.
• Neurolinguistic programming techniques can come to the rescue in this case. Pronouncing phrases: “I am smart”, “I am the most beautiful”, “I have no health problems”, “Everything will be fine for me” - bring positive results. There can be many such affirmations, it is important to come up with the most meaningful for yourself.

On the subject: List of the most effective folk remedies for menopause

Means, drugs, drugs for menopause from hot flashes

Sometimes a woman needs to take hormones, the use of which is impossible without medical advice. It is important to understand that these funds have a lot of contraindications:

• If there is a risk of developing cancer, then hormone therapy should be abandoned.
• You cannot take drugs of this group for liver diseases, for thromboembolism, if there are problems with blood clotting disorders.
• It is strictly forbidden to prescribe hormonal agents on your own. Before choosing the drug, the doctor will fully examine the woman: send her for an ultrasound of the mammary gland, pelvic organs, mammography, take blood for biochemistry, smear for cytology, carry out a coagulogram.
• There are drugs of non-hormonal origin that can reduce the symptoms of hot flashes, including dietary supplements, phytoestrogens, herbs. (Complete list of non-hormonal drugs for menopause)
• During the onset of menopause, you should not give up taking vitamins, even with a balanced diet.
• Sedatives will help calm the nervous system. It can be corvalol, peony tincture, valerian and motherwort.
• Taking antidepressants also cannot be uncontrolled. They can be prescribed only with a pathological course of menopause. Among such agents are fluoxetine, citalopram, paroxetine, venlafaxine and others.
• Homeopathic remedies can also reduce the negative manifestations of hot flashes. For example, Sepia, Lachesis, Klimat-hel, Pulsatilla, Klimadinon, Klimaktoplan are often used.

It should be clearly understood that even if the threat of the development of cancer is not identified, the use of hormone therapy can become a provocateur of this pathology. Hormones give a start to cancers in the zero phase of development. Modern medicine indicates a high tension in the oncological plan among the category of women over 45 years old. Therefore, if possible, you should stop taking additional drugs-provocateurs. If climacteric hot flashes are tolerable, then it is better to avoid unnecessary stress on the body.

The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist

Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006). Useful articles on the topic of menopause: Menopause: 5 first harbingers of menopause, age, treatment

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