‘I’m an OB/GYN, and I Swear by This One Tip for Managing Hot Flashes During Menopause’
- Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, affecting up to 80% of women, and can last anywhere from one to five minutes.
Out of nowhere, with no warning, your face flames with heat. Sweat starts beading up on your brow, above your lip, and under your arms. You have to take off your jacket or sweater RIGHT. NOW .
Sound familiar? Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause . In fact, the reason so many people associate hot flashes with menopause is that as many 80% of women experience hot flashes and night sweats, which are also called vasomotor symptoms.
So, what do you do if hot flashes are driving you crazy? "It really depends on how severe they are," says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, MD , an OB/GYN in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Hot flashes can and do vary from woman to woman. They can last anywhere from one to five minutes, and they can be mild, moderate or severe. Some women can tolerate them, but others can't.
If your hot flashes really bother you or disrupt your life, it's probably best to see your doctor and discuss treatment. You can try some lifestyle changes to help you cope with hot flashes, like dressing in layers, using a fan to keep cool, skipping the spicy food and avoiding alcoholic drinks. But Dr. Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA , cautions that those types of changes might help you cope, but they don't really work to stop or reduce the hot flashes.
And yes, you could try waiting the hot flashes out, but the mean duration for experiencing hot flashes is around seven to nine years , and some women have them for even longer. "So waiting it out really isn't a good option for most people," says Dr. Faubion, an OB/GYN and director of the Mayo Center Clinic for Women's Health and medical director for The Menopause Society .
Here's what you might want to consider trying.
Related: If You're Gaining a Lot of Weight In Menopause, These Are the Exact Hormones to Get Tested
Hormone Therapy May Be Your Best Bet
Many experts say that hormone therapy may be your best bet when it comes to reducing the frequency and severity of your hot flashes.
"For alleviating hot flashes and night sweats, hormone therapy is the most effective option," says Dr. Monica Christmas, MD , an OB/GYN and director of the Menopause Program with the University of Chicago Medicine. "And even then, it's still not 100% [relief]. I tell people it's 80%, but some people will have 100%."
"[Hormone therapy is] the most definitive way to help because that's what your body is missing," agrees Dr. Pelin Batur, MD, FACP, MSCP , an OB/GYN and menopause specialist at the Cleveland Clinic.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) reports that estrogen is the most effective treatment for the relief of hot flashes and night sweats . Doctors typically also prescribe progesterone to women who still have a uterus, since the progesterone can be protective. This is sometimes called combination therapy, since it combines both estrogen and progesterone.
🩺 SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week 💊
Hormone therapy actually falls into two categories: low-dose therapy and systemic therapy. The low-dose kind goes right into the vagina, so very little winds up circulating in the blood stream. The systemic therapy is delivered throughout the body via a pill, patch, spray, gel, or vaginal ring, and can treat widespread symptoms like hot flashes.
Hormone therapy can have some side effects, such as breast tenderness, mood swings and some irregular bleeding. However, if you're wondering if it's safe and effective, experts agree that, generally speaking, it is. If you're healthy, under age 60, and it's been ten years or less since the onset of menopause, systemic therapy with estrogen is the most effective treatment for vasomotor symptoms, according to Dr. Faubion and Dr. Pinkerton.
"When you sit people down and really go over the risk and benefits, it's not as scary as they've made it up to be in their heads," says Dr. Faubion.
Plus, hormone therapy can have some other worthwhile benefits. For example, hormone therapy can help prevent osteoporosis. With the drop in estrogen that accompanies menopause, you begin to lose bone. In fact, you can lose as much as 20% of your bone density within the first five years after menopause, which puts you at an elevated risk for fractures.
And since systemic hormone therapy can reduce those pesky night sweats, you might even find yourself sleeping better at night .
Related: This Is the Secret Menopause Weight Gain Culprit No One's Talking About, According to OB/GYNs
Other Hot Flash Treatment Options to Try
Hormone therapy is great, but it is not for everyone. Some women either don't want to take hormone therapy, or they can't undergo it for medical reasons. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your doctor may advise you to avoid hormone therapy if you have the following :
-
History of estrogen-sensitive cancer, like breast, ovarian or uterine cancer
-
History of blood clots or an elevated risk for blood clots
-
An increased risk for cardiovascular disease
-
A history of heart attack or stroke
-
Gallbladder or liver disease
-
Abnormal vaginal bleeding.
If you fall into one of those categories, you could turn to non-hormonal treatments , which include:
-
Antidepressants
-
Gabapentin , which is an antiseizure drug that's also used to treat nerve pain and restless legs syndrome
-
Clonidine, which is a high blood pressure medication
-
Selective estrogen modulators (SERMs), which can help reduce hot flashes
You could also use Veola ( fezolinetant) , a relatively new medication used to treat moderate to severe hot flashes.
Your doctor may want to discuss other menopausal symptoms that are affecting you, when deciding what treatment to recommend. For example, if you're having some issues with both urinary incontinence and hot flashes, your doctor might suggest trying a medication for overactive bladder called oxybutynin . Some research suggests that it could help with both—and most women tolerate it pretty well, too.
Related: 'I'm an OB/GYN—This Is the One Nutrient Post-Menopausal Women Should Get Less Of'
The Bottom Line on Hot Flashes and Treatment
If your hot flashes are mild or you don't have them very often, you don't have to use any treatment at all. You may be able to cope on your own. However, if you're sick and tired of them and they're disrupting your life, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your symptoms and talk about the possible treatments that could help you.
"I just ask (my patient), 'Is this disruptive, and is this something you want to do something about?'" says Dr. Batur. "And then I follow the woman's lead on that."
Up Next:
Related: 60 Inspiring and Funny Menopause Quotes
Sources
-
Dr. Pelin Batur, MD, FACP, MSCP , an OB/GYN and menopause specialist at the Cleveland Clinic
-
Dr. Monica Christmas, MD , an OB/GYN and director of the Menopause Program with the University of Chicago Medicine.
-
Dr. Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA , an OB/GYN and director of the Mayo Center Clinic for Women's Health and medical director for The Menopause Society
-
Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, MD , an OB/GYN in Charlottesville, Virginia
-
Gabapentin , MedLinePlus
-
Hormone therapy , The Menopause Society
-
Hormone therapy for menopause symptoms , Cleveland Clinic
-
How to prevent osteoporosis after menopause , Cleveland Clinic
-
Menopausal Hot Flashes: A Concise Review . Journal of Midlife Health.
-
Oxybutynin , MedLinePlus
-
What can I do to help with hot flashes? American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
