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Causes
What causes hot flashes?
Hot flashes are related somehow to the drop in estrogen before and after menopause, but no one knows exactly how or why.
It's not low estrogen itself that causes hot flashes, because the hot flashes usually stop within a year or two after menopause for most women, while estrogen levels are still dropping. Scientists believe that estrogen may somehow affect the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls body temperature.
When estrogen levels drop or fluctuate, this somehow causes your hypothalamus to overreact to heat. Your brain thinks that your body is too hot and that it has to get rid of the excess heat. As the blood vessels to your arms, legs, and head widen (or dilate), you will begin to feel hot and flushed. Later, as the blood vessels narrow (constrict), your body will feel cool again.
Which women are more likely to suffer from menopausal hot flashes?
Some women never have them at all, while others may have them as often as every hour or even several times an hour, or as infrequently as once a week or once a month. Women who have their ovaries removed surgically may experience much more intense menopausal hot flashes than do most other women, probably because estrogen levels drop so suddenly. The hot flashes can be more frequent and also more severe. Hot flashes are unpredictable and highly individual — each woman seems to follow her own pattern.
