Hot Flashes in Young Women

Hot flushes or hot flashes in women are a sudden rise in the body's temperature that causes excessive flushing and perspiration. Being a common symptom of menopause and perimenopause, hot flashes are usually accompanied with a feeling of intense heat with sweating, fast heartbeat that may typically last from few minutes to half an hour or so. Hot flashes can be of two types: standard hot flashes and slow hot flashes or ember flashes. Standard hot flashes occur rapidly, last at full intensity for a few minutes while ember flashes also occur instantly but are less intense and last for a half an hour or so. The sensation of heat mainly begins in the face or chest region and then gradually spreads throughout the entire body. Severe hot flashes may cause sleepless nights, night sweats, intense reddening of the face, etc. which may lead to mood swings, impaired concentration and many other health problems.

Hot flashes is commonly seen in menopausal women, aging somewhere between 40 to 50, when their childbearing years come to an end or they don't have menstruation for 12 consecutive months. Perimenopause meaning 'around menopause', is the time leading to menopause when the woman starts experiencing hot flashes. During this time the body's production of hormones, estrogen and progesterone begins to decline, and the woman might also experience significant changes in her menstrual cycle. However, hot flashes in young women, may sound little unusual, are quite common and normally affect women in their mid to late 30s.

Causes

• Estrogen Crash: Estrogen crash is a condition when there is a sudden decline in the production and levels of estrogen hormones in the body, affecting woman aged between 15 - 44 years.
• Hyperthyroidism: Hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid is another common reason of hot flashes in young women when they are in their early 20s and 30s.
• Diet: Hot flashes can also occur due to certain types of foods like meat containing nitrites and wine comprising sulfites. Over consumption of these food items can increase the risks of hot flashes.
• Complete Hysterectomy: It is a condition in which the woman undergoes a complete hysterectomy, i.e. a surgical removal of the uterus along with both the ovaries due to medical reasons.
• Pituitary Glands: Abnormal conditions or problems in the pituitary glands can lead to hot flashes which need not have any relation with their menstrual cycles.
• Other Reasons: Other health problems like diabetes, HIV, tuberculosis, etc. can also cause hot flashes. Stress, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, white sugar, spicy food, energy drinks, medications, etc. are some other reasons that can trigger hot flashes in young women.

Treatment

Normally if the flashes are mild, no treatment is required but if hot flashes are occurring frequently and disrupting your daily life, one should consult a doctor for necessary medications. Antidepressants, like prozac, zoloft, paxil, and effexor or epilepsy medication, like gabapentin, can alleviate hot flashes in women. Conventional treatments like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is considered to be premiere treatment for hot flashes. But due to its many side effects like breast cancer, stroke, and dementia, it is advisable to start with the lowest dose and gradually increase the dosage as per the patient's response.

However, the best way to treat these hot flashes is to control the factors that trigger their occurrence like smoking, alcohol abuse, extreme temperatures, caffeinated beverages, chocolates, hot spicy food, etc. Regular exercise and wearing lose cotton clothes especially in summers are also helpful in relieving discomfort caused due to hot flashes in women.