Hot flush

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A hot flash (sometimes referred to as a hot flush or night sweat) is a symptom of changing hormone levels often considered characteristic of menopause.

Hot flashes are typically experienced at night as a feeling of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat, and may typically last from two to thirty minutes on each occasion for older women. The event may be repeated a few times each week or up to a dozen times a day, with the frequency reducing over time. Excessive flushing can lead to rosacea.

Younger women who are menstruating or expecting to menstruate soon (premenstruation typically lasts one or two weeks) may encounter hot and/or cold flashes. These episodes do not usually last long. One minute, a woman will feel cold, the next, hot. Hot and cold flashes for younger women occur only during their menstruation or premenstruation. If they occur when a young woman is far from expecting her menstruation, then it may be a problem with her pituitary gland; seeing a doctor is highly recommended.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may relieve many of the symptoms of menopause, though there are many side effects of HRT, and several factors to take into consideration before deciding to undergo HRT. In addition to traditional hormone replacement therapies, there are also natural HRT therapies that are being chosen by an increasingly large number of women.