Spinal cord injury hot flashes in men?

Can men with spinal cord injuries have hot flashes?

Yes, men with spinal cord injuries can have hot flashes, also known as autonomic dysreflexia. Spinal cord injuries can lead to loss of control over the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates various bodily functions such as blood pressure and body temperature. As a result, hot flashes can occur due to overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, causing rapid skin warming, flushing, sweating, and anxiety. Treatment often involves managing and preventing triggers and medications that can control blood pressure and reduce the intensity of the hot flashes.

It's worth noting that while men can experience hot flashes, they are considered an infrequent and uncommon form of autonomic dysreflexia compared to women with spinal cord injuries, whose prevalence for developing hot flashes as an autonomic dysreflexia symptom is about 42-89%. The reasons for this discrepancy are still being studied.