Menopause hot flashes or flushes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. It affects more than fifty percent of women in the US.

The symptom of a hot flash is merely a sudden sensation of intense heat in the upper or whole body. The face and neck can become flush, or have red blotches. These blotches can also appear in the chest, back, and arms. What happens next is a sweating along with chills as the body begins to regulate itself. A hot flash can last anywhere from thirty seconds, to thirty minutes.

Hot flashes can appear sporadically and, often, years before menopause sets in. With age, these hot flashes will eventually decrease, and diminish altogether.

It is estimated that eighty percent of women suffer from menopause hot flashes for up to two years or less, but a small percentage of women can suffer for up to five years.

Unfortunately, hot flashes can happen at anytime during the day or night. They can be as mild as a blush, or so severe that it can wake you from even the deepest sleep.

Hot flashes have been linked to insomnia and some women find that caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, and even hot drinks can trigger a menopausal hot flash. Stress and traumatic events can even trigger a hot flash, but even avoiding such triggers your body going through menopause will still have the symptoms.

Hot flashes are a direct result in the decreased levels of estrogen in the body. As a result to the diminished estrogen level, your body then releases other hormones that affect the brain’s thermostat causing the body temperature to fluctuate.

Vitamin E has been known to help decrease hot flashes, as it causes the body to produce estrogen. HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) is also a great way to alleviate hot flashes.

Other suggestions in fighting the symptoms of menopause hot flashes are to dress in layers so that you can remove them during a flash. Drink a glass of cold water or juice on the onset of a flash. At night, keep a thermos of cold water next to your bed so that if awakened you can refresh yourself during the hot flash. Also, using pure cotton sheets and pajamas is a good way to allow your skin to breath.

Associated symptoms that follow hot flashes are headaches, insomnia, nausea, and difficulty concentrating,

Estrogen is the most commonly prescribed treatment of hot flashes, and is the third most commonly prescribed medication in America. Side effects to taking estrogen can be breast cancer, and irregular bleeding.

If there is a history of breast cancer in your family, and estrogen is not an option for you, there is a natural way to treat and relieve the symptoms of menopause hot flashes. It is a root called, Black Cohosh. It is also known as, Squaw Root, Black Snake Root, and Rattle Weed.

Black Cohosh is a North American forest plant that can grow up to eight feet tall. The part of the plant that is used is the rhizome, and has been used by the American Indians to treat various female illnesses giving it the name, Squaw Root.

Studied in Germany have shown that this root has substances that bind estrogen receptors in both animals and humans.

There are no reports of anything toxic in this root, but with any natural remedy it will take time to work in the body, and it is always important to speak with your physician to make sure that there are no interactions with other medications.

Related Articles:

Top rated Natural Menopause Products -> Natural Menopause Products

Natural Herbs for Menopause

Technorati Tags: Menopause, natural menopause

Different cultures and nationalities have different methods in treating various illnesses. Something that is interesting to note is that Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Acupuncture are becoming more and more popular in helping to control menopausal symptoms.

Traditional Chinese Medicine views menopause as a time for a woman’s body to shut down the natural reproductive cycle in order to conserve her life energy, so that while she ages, she can retain all her resources.

A difference in Eastern culture, in comparison to Western culture, menopause is quite uneventful. The reason it is so different between cultures is that western women live a more fast-paced life, have more stress, and eat a poorer diet, thus exacerbating the symptoms of menopause.

Another believes in Traditional Chinese Medicine is that menopause is not a syndrome, but that the imbalance of hormones is wreaking havoc on the female body.

Acupuncture works through the belief that there are over 2000 acupuncture trigger points in the body. These triggers are all linked together in a group of 20 different pathways. Each pathway is responsible for conducting life force between the surface of the body, and the internal organs. It is believed that once the pathway is able to keep the life force flowing between these links, the body and the mind stay healthy.

Using acupuncture to control menopause symptoms varies from woman to woman. The acupuncturist will access which of the symptoms of menopause the woman is suffering from and then use the pathways to relieve her symptoms. Only certain pathways are used to relieve the individual symptoms a woman is experiencing. Every menopausal woman is treated as unique based on her symptoms.

Acupuncture is administered by the use of thin, solid needles that are inserted in targeted trigger points. The purpose of the needle is to help stimulate the pathways to encourage life force production. This could be done by placing the needles to the shoulders, arms, legs, and even the feet. When the needles are inserted correctly, there should be no pain, or bleeding, however, you may experience a slight tingling, or numbness that dissipates quickly. Treatment is known to be very relaxing and usually lasts about thirty minutes. It is also wise to remember that each woman and her symptoms are different. Using acupuncture as a means of treatment is usually a long, ongoing therapy. You may feel the effects right away or it may take months for you to feel the advantages of using acupuncture to treat your symptoms.

If you plan on using acupuncture to treat your symptoms of menopause, make sure that you visit a licensed acupuncture therapist to determine the most realistic, and productive course needed to treat your symptoms.

Can acupuncture help relieve the symptoms of Menopause? Yes, it can. It has been proven to relieve symptoms of hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, stress, and anxiety.

As with any treatment, make sure you research every method available and speak to your physician to make sure that you are getting all the treatment needed to maintain your hormonal imbalance during the transition of menopause.

Related Articles:

Top rated Natural Menopause Products

Weight loss during menopause

Technorati Tags: Acupuncture, menopause & symptoms, natural menopause

Menopause, the word brings back memories for those women who have been through it and for those who are going through do not find this particular time in woman’s life comfortable. Though it is just a single name, it brings around a complete change in the persona of the woman when it occurs.

For some women, menopause can be light and they really do not realize many changes, however for others, this particular time can be troublesome. Menopause brings out a stoppage in monthly periods in a woman. This does not happen easily though, the process starts because a woman’s hormones are giving signals of menopause. Women generally experience hot flushes, exhaustion, hyperactivity, depression, weight loss, loss in interests, etc. they can get angry at slightest provocation, in short there is a complete temporary change in the woman’s attitude.

Periods come to a stop during this time, however before stopping these start becoming unpredictable, at times the flow may be heavy and periods may occur on time, at later times, the flow is lesser, periods may come earlier. It could also happen that periods have not really arrived for a couple of months and in the third month these are heavy and exhausting.

This is the time when there is a drop in production of eggs, which means loss of fertility. Therefore, women start feeling depressed, this time also changes the way they look and feel. Women become more quiet, matured and peaceful after menopause. You should know however, that after the menopause period is over you will be feeling normal and get on with your life thinking of menopause as a small troublesome period.

If you are heading towards the menopausal age which is 45 and above (age depends on genetic factor, for some it comes early and for some women it comes very late), you should take care of your health. You can start some exercise form like the Yoga, which will not just exercise and relax your body, meditation part will also help you control emotions and anger flashes.

Ensuring proper nutrition is a must during this period of time. Lack of nutrition can add up to the health problems; therefore women should ensure that they eat absolutely healthy and nutritious food. Liquid intake will help you avoid hot flashes; they should take life slowly and if symptoms get troublesome seek physician’s help in time.

For those who have the menopause symptoms under control, can start up with some health supplements if you want to retain energy levels. There are many natural health supplements that can replenish lost nutritional elements in your body. However, you can check these out with your physician to ensure these are really useful.

You will need your family’s help throughout this period, the menopause can go on from 3 months time to a year or more at times. Physical and emotional support as well as an understanding of your condition from your family is a must. During menopause you are most likely to lose interest in sex, therefore, you should ensure that your partner knows everything about your problem and that he will support you come what may.

Related Articles:

Top rated Natural Menopause Products

Natural Supplements for Menopause

Technorati Tags: Menopause, natural menopause