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During a hot flash, you might have:
•A sudden feeling of warmth spreading through your chest, neck and face
•A flushed appearance with red, blotchy skin
•Rapid heartbeat
•Perspiration, mostly on your upper body
•A chilled feeling as the hot flash lets up
If hot flashes affect your daily activities or nighttime sleep, consider seeing your doctor to discuss treatment options.
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Hot flashes are most commonly caused by changing hormone levels before, during and after menopause. It's not clear exactly how hormonal changes cause hot flashes. But most research suggests that hot flashes occur when decreased estrogen levels cause your body's thermostat (hypothalamus) to become more sensitive to slight changes in body temperature. When the hypothalamus thinks your body is too warm, it starts a chain of events — a hot flash — to cool you down.
Rarely, hot flashes and nights sweats are caused by something other than menopause. Other potential causes include medication side effects, problems with your thyroid, certain cancers and side effects of cancer treatment.
Not all women who go through menopause have hot flashes, and it's not clear why some women do have them. Factors that may increase your risk include:
•Smoking. Women who smoke are more likely to get hot flashes.
•Obesity. A high body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher frequency of hot flashes.
•Race. More black women report having hot flashes during menopause than do women of other races. Hot flashes are reported least frequently in Asian women.
Hot flashes may impact your daily activities and quality of life. Nighttime hot flashes (night sweats) can wake you from sleep and, over time, can cause long-term sleep disruptions.
Research suggests that women who have hot flashes may have an increased risk of heart disease and greater bone loss than women who do not have hot flashes.
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By Mayo Clinic Staff
Dec 12, 2023
1.AskMayoExpert. Hot flashes (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2019.
•What's the best nonhormonal therapy for hot flashes? Experts release new menopause therapy guidelines
•Mayo Clinic Minute: Help with hot flashes due to menopause
Nov 1, 2012 · Marco Miroddi, Antonio Carnì, Carmen Mannucci, Mariacarla Moleti, Michele Navarra, Gioacchino Calapai; Hot Flashes in a Young Girl: A Wake-up Call Concerning Serenoa repens Use in Children. Pediatrics November 2012; 130 (5): e1374–e1376. 10.1542/peds.2011-2679
- Marco Miroddi, Antonio Carnì, Carmen Mannucci, Mariacarla Moleti, Michele Navarra, Gioacchino Calapa...
- 2012
Of the women who were premenopausal at baseline, 20 had no children and 28 reported at least one child; of the women who were menopausal or postmenopausal at baseline, 40 reported no children and 29 reported at least one child. We measured hot flash/night sweat symptoms at each time point with a modified version of the Vasomotor subscale of the ...
- Tierney K. Lorenz, Bonnie A. McGregor, Virginia J. Vitzthum
- 10.1097/GME.0000000000000334
- 2015
- 2015/04
Apr 30, 2024 · Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause and they can be very uncomfortable. When they happen at night, they’re called night sweats. “Hot flashes have been described by many as a sudden ...
Dec 12, 2023 · Clonidine, a pill or patch typically used to treat high blood pressure, might provide some relief from hot flashes. Side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation. Fezolinetant (Veozah). Veozah is a medicine for treating menopause hot flashes. It doesn't have any hormones.
Apr 1, 2024 · Hot flashes are thought to occur when a drop in estrogen (or changes in other hormones) disrupts the body's natural thermostat, known as the hypothalamus. Other symptoms include sweating, reddening of the skin, headaches, lightheadedness, and heart palpitations. Hot flashes, also known as vasomotor symptoms (VMS), are commonly associated with ...
