Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Causes and Cures

What is a hot flash?  If you don't know and haven't experienced one, it may sound pretty harmless.  But for the women, and some men who suffer through them, hot flashes can be an extremely disruptive influence in life.  Hot flashes refer to the flushes of heat that can sweep through the body, causing redness and sweating.  They can last for a few seconds to a few minutes, up to fifteen in some cases.  This doesn't sound too bad, but these flashes can also be accompanied by dizziness, headaches, intense emotions, and perhaps the most troubling of all, sleep disturbance.  A night sweat is a hot flash that occurs at night and the person experiencing it may also feel anxiety or even terror.  Although there's an idea that hot flashes and night sweats are just a normal symptom of menopause, the truth is it can happen to people of all ages and doesn't have to accompany menopause.  Although hot flashes occur in response to certain hormonal imbalances, it's not clear what exactly causes them.  Conventional Western medicine treats hot flashes and night sweats as a symptom of decreased estrogen levels even though it is not absolutely certain this is the case.  However, there are many factors that can contribute to or prevent hot flashes, and knowing these can aid in adopting habits and behaviors to lessen or prevent them.  It can be confusing and difficult to find help for hot flashes and night sweats if one doesn't know where to look, and this guide is intended to help the person suffering from this condition to find out what options they have in treatment.

We've already mentioned that while it's not known exactly what causes hot flashes and night sweats, they are thought to be related to fluctuations in levels of certain hormones.  The specific hormones involved are FSH and LH, two hormones related to reproduction in women.  Because estrogen levels tend to decrease as women age, it's thought that the mechanism behind hot flashes may be due to the elevation of levels of FSH and LH in an attempt to raise the estrogen levels in the body.  Following this reasoning, conventional medicine attempts to treat this condition through the use of HRT, or Hormone Replacement Therapy.  This therapy involves injecting drugs into the body that aim to artificially boost hormone levels.  This therapy may be successful for some, but it can also be dangerous.  The best course, in my opinion, is to take the alternative route first and see if natural, gentler therapies can work. 

Natural remedies start with certain changes that you can make in your life.  There are certain foods that are thought to increase the incidence of hot flashes and night sweats, for example, and you should avoid these.  These include spicy and/or acidic foods, hot drinks, intoxicants including caffeine and alcohol, white sugar, and hydrogenated and saturated fats as found in meat and junk food.  Stress and intense exercise can also contribute to a higher incidence of hot flashes, as can anger, especially when repressed.  Hot weather can also trigger hot flashes, as can hot tubs and saunas.  Avoiding these things may offer all the relief for hot flashes and night sweats you need.

However, there are many natural cures for hot flashes and  night sweats, and these work quite well for many people.    First try eliminating the foods that can trigger hot flashes from your diet.  Then, if you don't already, start an exercise program that you can enjoy.  Exercise can go a long way to reducing hot flash symptoms as it lowers levels of FSH and LH in the body and raises endorphin levels, which fall when hot flashes occur. 
Many people will turn to herbs as a remedy for hot flashes and night sweats, and this is a strategy that has yielded good results for many people.  There are several over-the-counter herbs that you can pick up in places like natural food stores.  Some, like chickweed, violet, and elder have the effect of generally cooling the body.  Others, like black cohosh, have been used for centuries by natives and have been found to decrease LH levels.  This herb has several contraindications, however, and women who may be pregnant or who have menstrual flooding should not use them.  There are other contraindications, too, so make sure that this herb is safe for you to use. 
Safer herbs include motherwort, which is called that name for a good reason- it is very helpful for a whole host of women's health issues and is gentle.  Chaste berry is also an herb that has been shown to be helpful in lessening hot flashes, though it does take time to work and needs to be taken for a long period. 
Some have found essential oils to be effective in controlling hot flashes, so you may wish to try this inexpensive remedy.  Basil and thyme oils are good oils to try.
If you are experiencing hot flashes and would like to try plant-based cures, it may be best to consult with an herbalist or naturopath.  Chinese medicine also has herbs and treatments for hot flashes, and acupuncture may also be helpful in balancing the body's functions.