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Ways to Relieve Hot Flashes

Hot flashes cause the body to feel overheated, and sufferers become sweaty and their faces turn red. Approximately three out of four women have hot flashes during menopause, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although hot flashes are associated with menopause, they occur from numerous hormonal conditions. Hot flashes differ from one person to another. While some people handle them with relative ease, other sufferers have trouble accomplishing their daily activities. Home remedies, lifestyle changes and medical intervention relieve hot flash symptoms.

  1. Hot Flash Risk Factors

    • Not every woman suffers from hot flashes when she goes through menopause. However, lifestyle and ethnicity leave some women at an increased risk for having them. Female smokers, obese women and sedentary women are more likely to get hot flashes than their healthier counterparts, according to the Mayo Clinic. African-American women experience hot flashes more than women with European ancestry. Japanese and Chinese women are less likely to have hot flashes than both African-American and European women.

    Natural Remedies

    • Herbs and dietary supplements, including black cohosh, soy, red clover and flaxseeds, reduce the effects of hot flashes in some women. Black cohosh, a plant native to North America, provides temporary relief of hot flashes and menopausal symptoms, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Soy and red clover contain an estrogen-like compound, one of the reasons Asian women may suffer less instances of hot flashes. Flaxseed may relieve mild cases of hot flashes and night sweats. Anyone considering natural remedies should speak to their doctors about drug interactions.

    Avoid Trigger Foods and Substances

    • Hot flash sufferers should avoid consuming hot and spicy foods, alcohol, hot drinks, caffeine and sugar. Sugar causes heart palpitations along with the hot flashes. While it's easy to avoid spicy foods and hot drinks, women suffering from hot flashes will have to read labels to know if products contain caffeine. Drink water instead of caffeine; it quenches thirst and cools the body. Cigarettes and marijuana also worsen hot flashes. Talk to your doctor about dietary and smoking cessation options.

    Exercise, Relaxation and Environment

    • Regular exercise and stress-reduction methods reduce symptoms of hot flashes. Exercise reduces the risks of obesity, which is one of the risk factors of hot flashes. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing relaxes and calms the body and helps menopause sufferers get a good night's sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic. Keeping the home environment cool relieves hot flashes; opened windows and fans helps lower room temperatures.

    Medications

    • If at-home remedies do not relieve hot flashes and menopausal symptoms, doctors prescribe medications and treatments to alleviate discomfort. Hormone replacement therapy replenishes the body's estrogen and progesterone levels in the body. Doctors prescribe low doses because hormone replacement therapy increases risks of heart disease. Other treatment options include antidepressants, Gabapentin and Clonidine. Gabapentin reduces nighttime hot flash symptoms, and Clonidine relieves mild hot flashes, according to the Mayo Clinic. These medications have side effects, such as dizziness and drowsiness.

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