Perimenopause & Hot Flashes

Hot Flashes are in the News

Many women in perimenopause experience hot flashes. It has been said that hot flashes are the number one symptom perimenopausal women are looking to control or eliminate. Having hot flashes can be confusing when you are only 40 years old, and still menstruate. However, shifting and reduced hormone levels can definitely provoke this symptom. And relief is certainly needed when you feel like hot flashes diminish the quality of your life. In the past, the first answer was hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

However, women in perimenopause, and beyond, are now concerned about the effects of HRT, and are looking for non-hormonal alternatives to control this annoying, and sometimes, debilitating, symptom.

Stanford University researchers are now studying whether acupuncture, a traditional form of Chinese medicine that has gained popularity as an alternative therapy in the United States, can help alleviate hot flashes. From the Stanford Report: "Although no formal studies have been conducted on acupuncture to treat hot flashes, there is anecdotal evidence suggesting it could be effective," the researchers maintain. The Stanford study is the first to fully explore acupuncture's potential usefulness, and comes on the heels of reports that the risks of hormone replacement therapy or HRT, which is a current treatment for hot flashes, may outweigh benefits."

Decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone affect the circulatory system. Unstable blood vessels may generate hot flashes and temperature fluctuations. While there are no definitive answers, hot flashes seem to originate in the hypothalamus. So when you're sound asleep, you may be awakened by night sweats.

FYI! Think your hot flashes are waking you up? It's more likely that the hormonal changes taking place in your brain before the flash is nudging you out of a sound sleep.

Smoking is a Factor in Causing Hot Flashes

There's also consistent evidence that smoking increases the risk for hot flashes. In a 2003 study in Baltimore of women ages 40 to 60 smokers had an greater risk for severe and daily daily hot flashes. The more the woman smoked the higher the risk. But if a woman quits, the study found that there was no greater likelihood for hot flashes than for a woman who'd never smoked. The study authors indicated that the link between smoking and hot flashes may well be related to changes in estrogen levels.

A Spray to Cure Hot Flashes???

Acrux, an Australian pharmaceutical company, has been testing an investigational drug -- a mist spray to relieve hot flashes called Evamist. In it's third phase trials of 457 women, 78% found relief when using the spray. The spray delivers a preset dose of estradiol. No allergic reactions have been found yet. Hmmmm ... we'll see.

Medications for Hot Flashes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved new estrogen-based skin lotion to treat hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause.

In this article from HealthDay News:

"Estrasorb, manufactured by Novavax, should only be applied to the legs, thighs or calves, the agency says. The product is absorbed through the skin into the blood stream, and therefore should not be used with sunscreens, which may limit the medicine's effects."
However, the product will display the same warning as other forms of hormone replacement therapy. Patients are vehemently urged to discuss the benefits and risks of using this cream with their doctor, as new studies have shown increased risks of heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer in women using such products.

As for non-hormonal drug therapies, clonidine is often very effective. This medication can be given by a skin patch that is changed weekly. But the side effects may be worse than the hot flashes, and can include fatigue or dizziness. Megestrol acetate (Megace) may be as effective as estrogen for hot flashes. But, again, the side effect (weight gain), may be more of a burden than learning to live with the hot flashes.

Herbal Remedy Studies Show Conflicting Results

Tips for Relief

Other Resources