Menopause certainly isn’t something that women look forward to — especially when it comes to the wretched symptoms. Among those symptoms are hot flashes, which can strike at any time during the day or night. But there are steps you can take to control those hot flashes.
John Paul Roberts, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN with years of experience treating symptoms of menopause. Dr. Roberts and his team provide care to women in the Plano, Texas, area. If you’re dealing with any side effects of menopause, Dr. Roberts has the ability to help.
When you’re young, your menstrual cycle allows you to conceive a child. This continues until you hit your late 40s to mid-50s. At this point in your life, you may start experiencing the changes of menopause.
Menopause is the period in your life when your hormones change so that you can no longer get pregnant. It’s marked by 12 consecutive months without your menstrual cycle.
The period of time that leads up to actual menopause is called perimenopause. This is the time when you may experience uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
This stage can last for years. It can begin when you’re in your 30s, but most often starts in your 40s. During this time, your menstrual cycle goes through many changes as your production of both estrogen and progesterone drops, causing a number of changes in your body.
You may experience many different symptoms during perimenopause and menopause. Mood changes, trouble sleeping, vaginal dryness, changes in sexual desire, and irregular periods are all common.
One of the most well-known symptoms of menopause are hot flashes. They’re characterized by a sudden and intense flush of heat all over your body. You may notice that your skin is flushed, and you can get sweaty and then have chills when having a hot flash.
Hot flashes can last for years, both during perimenopause and after you’ve actually entered menopause. They wake you up at night and can last from a few minutes to a half an hour.
So what causes your body to experience hot flashes? The most likely reason is the change in your body’s estrogen levels. This hormone is produced by your ovaries and is essential during your childbearing years.
But when your body is preparing for menopause, production of estrogen drops and varies significantly, which leads to uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes.
There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to help manage your hot flashes. If your hot flashes are mild to moderate, Dr. Roberts may recommend changes such as:
Maintaining a healthy weight and practicing mindfulness techniques may also help you with hot flashes. If these measures aren’t quite enough to tame your symptoms, Dr. Roberts may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
HRT helps to regulate your estrogen and progesterone levels to curb the symptoms of menopause. Dr. Roberts suggests this therapy when other methods haven’t helped.
If you’re tired of dealing with the discomfort of hot flashes, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with Dr. Roberts today. Call our office in Plano, Texas, or book an appointment on this website.
