What Causes Nauseating Hot Flashes?

Hot flashes are a short and sudden feeling of heat throughout the entire body. They can occur at any time of the day and for a number of reasons but are usually caused by changes in the body's levels of estrogen and testosterone. One of the most common causes of hot flashes for women is perimenopause or menopause; symptoms can be so severe that individuals experiencing them may feel nauseous. With any ill feeling, you should seek medical help.

The Perimenopause and Menopause

• Perimenopause, or menopause transition, refers to the stage of a woman's reproductive life that is approximately eight to 10 years before menopause starts. The Cleveland Clinic suggests that during this time, women can experience many hot flashes that cause them to feel unwell and nauseous. Other symptoms include breast tenderness, fatigue, irregular periods and difficulty sleeping. Menopause, although not commonly associated with nausea, also causes serious hot flashes. Three out of four women will have a problem with these symptoms during menopause, according to Mayo Clinic.

Cancer

• Cancer and cancer treatments can also be a cause of hot flashes and nausea. However, according to Better Medicine, these symptoms are common for ovarian, testicular, prostate or breast cancers. Treatments for this disease are intense and chemotherapy drugs cause the body to release chemicals including serotonin, dopamine and histamine, which trigger the vomiting centers in the brain.

Age-Related Causes

• As people get older, there are changes in the function of the hypothalamus that may cause hot flashes and nausea. The hypothalamus, also referred to as the brain's thermostat, is a part of the brain that links the nervous system to the body. When people get older, the hypothalamus does not work as well and has difficulty regulating the body's heat, causing hot flashes. When the body gets too hot, nausea is commonly a symptom.

General Fevers and Flu

• Fever is the increase in the body's temperature above the normal 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Body temperature can fluctuate slightly depending on activities that the person does, but when there is infection in the body, the temperature rises as a way of trying to fight the infection. The body also starts to feel nauseous as a way to try to rid the body of infection.