How long hot flushes menopause

Women in the SWAN study who experienced hot flashes for a longer time tended to be current or former smokers, overweight, stressed, depressed, or anxious. Ethnicity also played a role.

African American women reported the longest duration of hot flashes averaging more than 11 years , while Japanese and Chinese women had hot flashes for about half that time. The "reality check" the SWAN study provides on hot flashes should encourage women to seek solutions. Hormone therapy steadies the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body.

It is a very effective treatment for hot flashes in women who are able to use it. They can also help with vaginal dryness , sleep , and maintaining bone density. Hormone treatments sometimes called menopausal hormone therapy, or MHT can take the form of pills, patches, rings, implants, gels, or creams. Patches, which stick to the skin, may be best for women with cardiac risk factors, such as a family history of heart disease. There are risks associated with taking hormones, including increased risk of heart attack , stroke , blood clots, breast cancer , gallbladder disease, and dementia.

Women are encouraged to discuss the risks with their health care provider. The risks vary by a woman's age and whether she has had a hysterectomy. Women who still have a uterus would take estrogen combined with progesterone or another therapy to protect the uterus. Progesterone is added to estrogen to protect the uterus against cancer, but it also seems to increase the risk of blood clots and stroke.

In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, hot flashes were reduced by almost half for 50 percent of women over eight weeks of acupuncture treatment. Hot flashes are an unavoidable part of being a woman. But with lifestyle choices and perhaps help from your gynecologist, you can manage them with minimal disruption to your life. One of the best things you can do to protect and improve your health is to stay informed.

Health Home Wellness and Prevention. Did I just have a hot flash? I'm 44! Q: What is a hot flash? Q: How long will I get hot flashes? Some hot flashes and night sweats begin. For some, perimenopause starts in the 30s. Hot flashes tend to be most frequent in the two years after menopause.

Research suggests that women who have hot flashes may have an increased risk of heart disease and greater bone loss than women who do not have hot flashes. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview A hot flash is the sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body, which is usually most intense over the face, neck and chest. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Hot flashes adult. Mayo Clinic; Santen RJ, et al. Menopausal hot flashes. Accessed Feb.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.