Hot and Cold: Her Menopausal Hot Flashes Infringe on Her Daily Living

Menopause means an end to menstruation. However, you’ll note “pause” at the end of the word, and certainly this life-changing event does seem to put life on hold. Some activities are made more difficult because of symptoms like frequent urination, difficulty sleeping and pain during intercourse. Not to be excluded, many women also contend with night sweats and hot flashes. Perhaps this explains why so many going through menopause are irritable and anxious.

 

You have probably heard numerous stories about menopause, but until you go through it, you can’t know what it will bring. The experience is different for every woman, especially those who experience menopause early or have it induced by surgical hysterectomies. Some females experience little to no symptoms, and others barely recognize their bodies during this crucial phase of transition.

 

Many health care professionals prefer not to think of menopause as yielding symptoms – a word usually reserved to discuss diseases. They instead talk about menopause bringing changes that take place in many different forms. Included are vaginal dryness, progressively reduced fertility and diminished libido. 

 

The most common signs of menopause are irregular periods caused by changes in ovarian functions. During a woman’s childbearing years, the ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone and also store eggs. One egg is released each month during ovulation. If the egg is not fertilized by male sperm, the body either reabsorbs it or expels it during menstruation.

 

Although a women is born with a lifetime supply of eggs, the same cannot be said of ovarian follicles. These are responsible for actually releasing the eggs and slow in growth as a woman ages. They eventually stop growing altogether, which means the body also stops releasing eggs. Fertility stops even as hormone production wanes. That waning is also responsible for the cessation of monthly periods.

 

In speaking of estrogen, this hormone’s decline is the most likely cause of hot flashes. But it is important to note this hormone alone is not responsible; rather, its decline in concurrence with menopause is the probable cause. Not all women experience hot flashes, and similarly the degree to which hot flashes are felt varies from female to female.

 

The exact link between estrogen and hot flashes can be found in the hypothalamus. This small component of the brain is extremely important to a variety of bodily functions. It controls eating and drinking frequency, emotional responses and body temperature. The hypothalamus is thrown off by fluctuating levels of estrogen, and it in turn alerts the brain to an increase in body temperature. In response, the brain tries to regulate temperature by releasing chemicals that increase heart rate so blood flow is also increased. You ultimately feel sweaty and overheated until your temperature is again returned to normal. 

 

Some lifestyle factors may also contribute to hot flashes. Consuming additional chemicals may further confuse the hypothalamus, and it is thus recommended that women avoid alcohol, spicy foods and smoking. Women are also advised to exercise regularly and maintain optimal weight to promote overall physical health.

 

An all-natural herbal remedy can safely relieve hot flashes and ease the process of menopause. (TRY: Natural Hot Flash Relief Solution) Black Cohosh in particular has shown to help women by influencing receptors in the hypothalamus. Dong Quai is another herb shown to regulate hormones and thus cease extreme fluctuations in body temperature. It has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for more than 1,200 years and, when combined with other ingredients, can help you return to a normal and healthy lifestyle.