Hot flushes are the most common symptom of Menopause. About 80% of all women experience it when going through this period of their life. More about Menopause read here.
Hot flashes, also known as vasomotor symptoms, are often described as a sudden sensation of heat in the chest, face, and head followed by flushing, perspiration, and sometimes chills. When a hot flash occurs during sleep, it can be accompanied by sweat. Such night sweats make it difficult to get a good night’s rest. The estimates of the duration of these symptoms come from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a long-term study of women of different races and ethnicities who are in the menopausal transition. They were published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The SWAN researchers found that some women are more likely to deal with long-term hot flashes than others. Women who had their first hot flashes before their menstrual periods ended had hot flashes for an average of nine to 10 years. When hot flashes didn’t start until after the last menstrual period, the average duration was only about three and a half years. But even on the short end of the spectrum, that’s a long time to deal with hot flashes and night sweats.
Women in the SWAN study who experienced hot flashes for longer tended to be current or former smokers, overweight, stressed, depressed, or anxious. Ethnicity also played a role. African American women reported the most prolonged duration of hot flashes (averaging more than 11 years), while Japanese and Chinese women had hot flashes for about half that time.

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What causes hot flushes?

Hot flushes are thought to be caused by changes in hormone levels affecting the body’s temperature control.
According to NHS UK, hot flushes can happen without warning throughout the day and night but can also be triggered by:
⦁ eating spicy foods
⦁ caffeine and alcohol
⦁ smoking
⦁ wearing thick clothing
⦁ a high temperature
⦁ feeling stressed or anxious
⦁ treatment for certain types of cancer (this can affect both men and women)
⦁ certain medicines
⦁ some health conditions, such as an overactive thyroid, diabetes, and tuberculosis

What can be done?

“While hormone therapy is very effective at relieving hot flashes, the longer-term treatment carries an increased risk for breast cancer, and women at older ages have higher risks of stroke, blood clots, and other health problems. So it’s important that women explore a full range of treatment options — especially women likely to have persistent hot flashes,” advises Dr Manson.
For some women, self-help measures can help ease hot flashes. These include:
⦁ deep-breathing exercises when a hot flash starts
⦁ dressing in layers
⦁ lowering the thermostat
⦁ diet changes, including staying away from caffeine, alcohol, hot beverages, and spicy foods
⦁ stress reduction techniques like meditation and mindfulness
⦁ do your best to stay cool in general.

 

 

 

 

How can homeopathy help?

Homeopathic remedies can help the body to rebalance the hormones gently and in this way deal with the hot flush as well as other menopausal symptoms. Here I have given information for remedies most commonly used for treating hot flushes.

  • Graphites

A woman who is likely to respond to this remedy is chilly, pale, and sluggish. She has trouble concentrating and a tendency toward weight gain during or after Menopause. Hot flushing and sweats at night are often seen. A person who needs this remedy may also tend toward skin problems with oozing and cracked eruptions. She is slow to become alert when waking in the morning.

  • Lachesis muta

This remedy relieves hot flashes from Menopause, especially when hot flashes are reduced by sweating or the occurrence of periods. The person is very talkative, can get easily jealous. She does not like scarves or any tight clothing around her neck. Lachesis is especially beneficial for women who suffer from pressure and burning sensations on the vertex when it comes to hot flushes. Lachesis is also prescribed mainly for menopausal women who experience hot flushes that start from the head and are worse just before sleeping or waking up.

  • Sepia

This remedy can be helpful if a woman’s periods are sometimes late and scanty but heavy and flooding at other times. Her pelvic organs can feel weak and sagging, and she may crave vinegar or sour foods. Women who need this remedy usually feel dragged-out and weary, with an irritable detachment regarding family members and losing interest in daily tasks. Sepia is exhausted. She has taken care of everything for so long but can’t anymore. Exercise, especially dancing, may brighten up the woman’s mood and improve her energy. Sepia is anti-spasmodic and an energy enhancer that is very effective for women who sweat heavily because of hot flushes and feel very weak. Sepia addresses not only the physical symptoms of the reproductive organs but also the emotional symptoms. It also treats associated hair loss, depression, irritability and reduced libido.

  • Sulphur

This remedy is often helpful for hot flashes during Menopause when the woman wakes in the early morning hours and throws the covers off. She may be very anxious, weep a lot, and worry excessively about her health. A person needing Sulphur often is mentally active (or eccentric), inclined toward messy habits, and usually feels worse from warmth.

  • Pulsatilla

Pulsatilla is a valuable remedy for any significant hormonal change. It is indicated for cases of hot flashes where the person experiences a spell of chilliness following a hot flash. Hot flashes are worse from the warmth of air or in a closed room. Profuse sweating on the face and scalp especially at night, flushes of heat with redness of the face, hot flashes with mood swings and depression during Menopause are other associated symptoms. The person is very irritable and tends to weep. She may also be very sensitive and cry easily. Generally, the woman tends to overall feel better in the open air.

  • Belladonna

If your hot flushes make you feel like your face is on fire and turn your skin red, Belladonna is what you need. This remedy is commonly prescribed for patients who are restless and agitated and suffer from palpitations. Menopausal women with hot flushes, who benefit from Belladonna, also usually suffer from dizziness, throbbing headaches, diarrhoea and swollen joints.

  • Amylenum Nitrosum

Amylenum Nitrosum is a remedy for hot flashes where there is excessive perspiration. It acts on the vasomotor nerves, which affect the arteries and capillaries, causing their dilatation. Therefore relieves hot flashes. Hot flashes, followed by an episode of drenching sweats, are a notable feature of this remedy. One may also experience headaches along with the hot flashes. There is the main flushing of the face. Episodes of hot flashes are usually followed by a period of coldness and pallor. There can be a throbbing sensation in the whole body during the hot flashes. Also, helpful in cases where there is a history of heart complaints along with the hot flashes.

Key Indications for Using Amylenum: excessive perspiration; headaches; flushing of the face.

  • Causticum

Causticum is a remedy indicated for hot flashes during Menopause accompanied by sweat, especially during sleep. It is a well-indicated remedy for night sweats occurring typically around 4:00 am. A sensation of heat in the whole body is present, which is worse during the late evening or night hours. There is a tendency to sweat easily on the slightest exertion. One is also vulnerable to developing anxiety, sadness, and weakness along with these complaints. Along with hot flashes, there can be reduced or absence of sexual desire.

  • Glonoine

Glonoine is indicated in cases where there is flushing of heat to the head. The hot flashes occur daily, and there are frequent episodes during the day. Sudden onset of hot flashes with pressure in the head, nausea, and vertigo are other symptoms. One feels as if there is a loss of senses, they feel dizzy and lightheaded. They find it difficult to go out alone. There may be associated swelling and numbness in the feet during Menopause. Complaints are worse after sun exposure.

  • Sulphuric Acid

Sulphuric Acid has a feeling of tremors all over the body with the hot flush. There is marked weakness and debility during Menopause. There is a lot of restlessness with a sense of wanting to do everything hurriedly. The symptoms of hot flashes get worse by the smell of coffee. There are palpitations without any anxiety or fear.

  • Calcarea Carbonica

Calcarea Carbonica is suited to overweight women who experience hot flashes with profuse sweat. The sweat is mainly on the head and chest area during sleep. There is an overall tendency to sweat easily. They perspire a lot, even from slight physical exertion. The person needing this remedy tends to develop loose and flabby muscles. There is a sensation of burning at the top of the head with much perspiration. The sweating of the head might be so intense that it wets the pillow. There may be sweating at night along with palpitations.

  •  Ferrum Metallicum

If you generally feel fine, but any slight exertion makes you feel tired, and you experience sudden hot flashes, you may need Ferrum Metallicum. This can be accompanied by heavy perspiration and chilly spells. Ferrum Metallicum works ideally on people who are naturally temperamental, intolerant and compulsive.

Many other homeopathic remedies can be used. The choice will depend on the person’s symptoms and is made after at least an hour-long consultation where all symptoms are discussed. Often in practice, a client will need more than one remedy to help rebalance the hormones. You may have an acute remedy to hold on to and take when you have a hot flush, but you also have other remedies to take for rebalancing your hormones which you take as per your prescription. Liver support is essential during Menopause, and we use homeopathic remedies to help with this.

Are you interested to know more about homeopathy and how can it help to Treat Menopause?
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Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and not intended to replace the advice of your physician or health care provider.
For best results, I recommend an appointment with a qualified homeopath with an interest in treating Menopause.