The Best Method to Cure Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are a problematic symptom of menopause for many women. Hot flashes may occur at any time in the day or night and are very hard to live with for some women. Women who have hot flashes are always searching for ways to treat them or prevent them from occurring. Hot flashes can't be cured, but there are many options available for women to lessen their severity and frequency.

About HRT

• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a therapy used to treat symptoms of menopause, namely hot flashes. Hot flashes can creep up at any time and are directly linked to the hormonal imbalances brought on by menopause. It isn't always necessary to treat hot flashes, although some women find them too bothersome to ignore. Hormone replacement therapy works to regulate hormone levels by replacing them. These replacements are mainly given as supplements in pill form, but can also be administered as creams or worn as a patch.

Estrogen Therapy

• Estrogen replacements are recommended for women who have had hysterectomies and suffer from hot flashes. Estrogen replacements are a form of HRT, but they are specifically recommended for these women. Women who still have their reproductive organs may take combined hormone replacements (estrogen with progesterone). Taking a combination replacement will help guard you against uterine cancer (endometrial cancer). Current recommendations are that you take the lowest dose for the shortest amount of time in order to relieve hot flashes.

  Before beginning the treatment, your physician will want to review your family history for heart disease. Your risk for heart disease is slightly increased while on hormone replacements. If you have suffered from a blood clot or breast cancer, estrogen therapy is not a good option.

Progesterone therapy

• This alternative treatment is good for women who cannot take estrogen or are estrogen sensitive. In addition to prescribing estrogen replacements to treat hot flashes, some doctors prescribe progesterone instead for the same results. Two of the most widely prescribed progesterone-only supplements are megestrol acetate and medroxyprogesterone acetate. According to Mayo Clinic, this treatment alone has been found to provide relief from hot flashes.

Prescription Medications

• If you cannot take hormone replacements, or you choose not to take them, there are different types of prescription medications used to eradicate hot flashes. Although these medications are not approved by the FDA as treatments for hot flashes, they have been shown to work affectively.

  Antidepressants in low doses are used to decrease hot flashes. These are mainly from the antidepressants classes known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin and nonrepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These are medications such as Effexor, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, and Pristiq. Although these medications do work to provide relief against hot flashes, they come with several side effects, including dizziness, nausea, weight gain and sexual dysfunction.

  Gabapentin is another type of medication used to treat hot flashes. FDA-approved to treat seizures and pain caused by shingles, Gabapentin can reduce hot flashes, especially for women who have them at night.

  Clonodine, used to treat high blood pressure, can also be used to relieve hot flashes in some instances, but its side effects make it difficult to use. Side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.