Most women at that stage of life do undergo menopause hot flashes; at least to some extent, though the degree of discomfort or severity can vary greatly.

Hot flashes or hot flushes are characterized by a feverish feeling that often starts in the chest area and then suffuses the entire body, producing in particular a facial flush or obvious reddening. Menopause hot flashes can last anywhere between a couple of minutes to half an hour and in some cases may even cause a woman to faint.

hot flashes with menopause

Menopause hot flashes and other symptoms may be severe enough to require intervention, though many women are reluctant to pursue the course of hormone replacement treatment (HRT) due to its potential harmful side effects.

Hot flashes in menopause can be managed by making certain lifestyle alterations and dietary changes as well as taking the help of certain complementary and alternative treatments (CAM) –

Weight Management

Being overweight can exacerbate menopause hot flashes; so taking a sensible controlled diet and adding exercise to each day can help bring weight down and consequently help reduce severity of hot flashes.

Taking regular exercise has the added benefit of helping to prevent bone loss which is another menopause consequence.

Lifestyle and dietary changes

Wearing looser, lighter clothes, keeping the thermostat low can help to keep hot flashes in check.  Some foods are known to trigger hot flashes and so making appropriate dietary changes to eliminate those foods can also help keep the flashes in control or at least reduce their severity.

Removing spicy foods, acidic foods, caffeinated items, refined sugar and alcoholic beverages from the diet is known to help. Also rather than hot baths, have warm showers and avoid steam baths, saunas and similar treatments.

Herbal remedies for menopausal hot flashes

There are some herbal remedies that are known to be effective for managing hot flashes since they contain natural estrogen like substances. In particular black cohosh is thought to be a very effective hot flash and night sweat remedy. Certain health conditions such as blood clotting difficulties, certain allergies, fibroids or endometriosis preclude the use of black cohosh and so the herbal remedy should only be taken under medical supervision.

Red clover and chaste berry are other herbal remedies for menopause hot flashes; however these may also have side effects and should only be taken under supervision. Some also recommend dong quai, licorice root, motherwort and dandelion as herbal remedies for hot flashes in menopause.

CAM therapies for menopause hot flashes

Aromatherapy essential oils can help manage stress and anxieties that in turn can help to reduce the triggers, frequency and severity of hot flashes. Homeopathic remedies such as Lachesis, Valeriana, Sepia, Ferrum metallicum, belladonna and others, depending upon the kind of hot flashes one has, can help relieve the symptoms as well.

Acupuncture and acupressure are also helpful in relieving menopause hot flashes. Yoga, meditation and breathing techniques could also prove helpful.