The Cause of Hot Flashes

The cause of hot flashes can be due to a wide variety of conditions. Diabetes, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, severe anxiety, GERD, cancer, infections, drug and alcohol abuse, hormone disorders and neurological conditions can all be the cause of hot flashes and night sweats.

Another cause of hot flashes to consider is medication. There are many medications that can be the cause of hot flashes as a side affect including antipsychotics, tamoxifen, hydralazine, nitroglycerine and Sildenafil (Viagra). Many over-the-counter medicines can also induce hot flashes and night sweats. You should seek advice from your doctor if you feel that any medical condition or prescription medication is the cause of hot flashes and night sweats.

However, the most common cause of hot flashes in women is perimenopause (or premenopause) and menopause. Premenopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life that begins when the body starts shutting down its reproductive process. Menopause is officially reached once you have finished your last period. Often your doctor will wait until a full twelve months without any menstruation before declaring the last day of your last period the onset of menopause.

The body will begin to make less female hormones during the premenopause stage, which triggers the ovaries to stop functioning and menstruation to cease. Often the female hormones of estrogen and progesterone will fluctuate quite dramatically during this time and cause a variety of distressing menopause symptoms. The cause of hot flashes is due to these hormone fluctuations and the reduction of estrogen in the body.

Estrogen is used by the hypothalamus within the brain to help regulate your body temperature and also affects other body functions, such as sexual appetite and sleep cycles. The hormone changes that occur before and during menopause create a deregulation of body temperature by the hypothalamus. The cause of hot flashes and night sweats is due to the hypothalamus falsely thinking your body is overheating, which produces a sudden, intense reaction.

Hot flashes and night sweats are two of the most common menopause symptoms and often become quite distressing to the individual due to their severity, frequency and intensity. This makes it important to get your menopause symptoms under control to prevent them from disrupting your sleep, daily activities and over sense of well-being.

The cause of hot flashes can often be found in common triggers that seem to bring them about more often and much more severely. These triggers include stress, anxiety, alcohol, cigarettes, spicy foods and hot beverages. You should also avoid tight, thick and restrictive clothing as well as hot baths, hot showers and saunas. You should also turn your thermostat down a few degrees and try to keep your bedroom as cool as possible at night when trying to sleep.

You may be prescribed hormone replacement therapy to treat your menopause symptoms. While these may help to some degree, they have not been shown to be overly effective in eliminating hot flashes. They are also now known to significantly raise your risk for heart disease, strokes, blood clots, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

There are many natural menopause herbs and supplements that successfully address the causes of hot flashes and night sweats during menopause without the risk of synthetic hormones. Don Quai and Black Cohosh have both been proven to be highly effective treatments for hot flashes and night sweats. Both create a better hormonal balance and reduce the frequency, severity and intensity of hot flashes during menopause. Consider our Women’s Natural Balance™ (click here to view); it has the Black Cohosh, Don Quai and 10+ other ingredients.

Other natural menopause ingredients included our Women’s Natural Balance™ (click here to view), for hot flashes and night sweats are Mexican wild yams, soy isoflavones, sage extract and red clover. These herbs and supplements are included, along with many other safe and effective ingredients, in Women’s Natural Balance. This can be used as a daily supplement to successfully treat the cause of hot flashes. Women’s Natural Balance can bring you the menopause relief you seek from both hot flashes and night sweats.