Hot flashes are the most common symptoms of menopause. It refers to a physical reaction that occurs due to decreased levels of estrogen.

This menopause symptom may occur years before you actually reach menopause stage.

However, lasts for several years after reaching menopause.

The regularity and severity of hot flashes varies from woman to woman.

As blood vessels and circulation are involved in hot flashes, often researchers characterize them as ‘vasomotor’ symptoms.

With this symptom, you may experience the heat in the chest.Hot Flashes

This in turn passes up the neck to the face and head. If they occur at nights, it may interrupt your sleep, increasing the fatigue levels and leading to insomnia.

From a research, it is found that caffeine, alcohol, spicy food, and tobacco products can trigger this condition. With regular exercise and drinking plenty of water, you can overcome hot flashes.

Black cohosh has been proved as cure for hot flashes in many cases. Many researches have been conducted regarding the effectiveness and safety of black cohosh than on any of the other herbs that can cure menopause hot flashes.

However, if you find black cohosh ineffective in treating hot flashes then there are several alternatives.

Still there is an uncertainty among scientists regarding the effectiveness of black cohosh in relieving hot flashes, but it is estimated that the chemical compounds of other plants have exposed an estrogen-like substance, called phytoestrogens to help relieve hot flashes.

Isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen is usually appears as an ingredient on a remedy for hot flashes. It can be ‘soy isoflavones’ or ‘isoflavones from red clover’. As isoflavones (a phytoestrogen) provide an estrogen like effect on your body, it helps overcome your hot flashes.

It has been found from some researchers that isoflavones or phytoestrogens could produce similar side effects as synthetic estrogens usage in hormone replacement therapy.

The most common side effect associated with long-term usage of synthetic hormones in estrogen replacement therapy is endometrial cancer. The endometrium is the lining of the uterus and estrogen can cause the lining to swell, which often leads to cancer.

Therefore, your doctor may prescribe an estrogen-progesterone combination therapy because the progesterone causes the lining of the uterus to be shed monthly, causing a return of monthly periods, and lowering the risk of having endometrial cancer.

For years, the estrogen-progesterone combination therapy was the most commonly recommended one for menopause hot flashes. As with several medical treatments, the risk with long-term use of hormone therapy has increased.

With a recent research conducted by Women’s Health Initiative, it is found that any type of hormone replacement therapy increases a woman’s risk for blood clots, breast cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Thus, a short-term hormone replacement therapy is recommended rarely for hot flashes.

On the other hand, there are no long-term studies conducted regarding phytoestrogens or isoflavones in relieving hot flashes, short-term clinical studies have revealed that they are effective, safe and with lack of side effects.