A hot flash is a feeling of warmness in the body mostly in the head and neck area. This problem is more common when the women enter the period of menopause. But not all women experience this. It is one of the common symptoms of menopause and perimenopause that gives a feeling of intense heat that occurs for a period of two minutes to thirty minutes.
Usually the feeling of warmth begins with the face or chest and goes through the back of the neck to throughout the body. The excessive sweating occurs with the increase in the heartbeat. A few females feel like they are getting faint. The face becomes red. The term hot flash is also known by some other names like hot flushes or night sweats.
The problem becomes severe if the hot flashes come again and again in a day and it becomes difficult to sleep and do any work due to frequent flushes. The chances of decrease in the hormone estrogen increases in night and it is due to this reason that some women feel hot flashes at night while they don’t have any such problem in the day. Some of the main causes of hot flashes are given here.
Common Causes of Hot Flashes
Decrease In Estrogen Hormone
The main cause behind hot flashes is a fall in the estrogen hormone in the body. The area at the base of the brain controls the temperature of the body and other body processes. This area is known as hypothalamus and when the normal functioning of this area is affected then the hot flashes occur.
But the decline in the estrogen is not the only reason for hot flashes as children and women who have low levels of estrogen due to any medical condition does not experience this problem. The decrease in the estrogen hormone is due to the reason that the ovaries are removed and the blood vessels are dilated. When the blood vessels dilate then the flow of blood in the whole body increases which brings more heat particularly to the upper portion of the body.
Disorder of the Thermoregulation
When any kind of disorder in the thermoregulation comes then it produces heat in the body. Thermoregulations are the methods and the functions that the body performs to regulate the temperature of the body.
The endocrine tumor that secrets serotonin hormone leads to carcinoid syndrome leading to hot flashes.
Also Read
Symptoms Of Menopause In Women
Effective Treatment For Hot Flashes
How To Treat Hot Flashes Naturally
How To Treat Hot Flashes At Home
8 Herbal Remedy For Hot Flashes
Medicine
Sometime hot flashes occur as a result of the intake of any medicine. Some of the antibiotics are very strong that gives a feeling of warmth in the body and a person feel like removing the clothes because of intense heat in the body.
Infection
When the infection in the body is so severe that fever or other disease is observed then it may give a chance to the hot flashes. The severe infection that occurs in cancer also leads to hotness or night sweats in the body.
The occurrence of hot flashes during pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause is normal .But if you have them due to any other reasons that these then consulting a doctor is a better idea. This problem is provoked by some other environmental factors. It includes a hot room where you are living, lack of sleep and stressful life. Lastly the eating patterns that causes hot flashes are intake of alcohol, nicotine, caffeinated drinks, spicy and fatty food and dark chocolates.
