Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Menopause Hot Flashes

The Latest Treatment Options to Consider

You may have been told that hot flashes are a “natural” part of menopause, but that doesn’t mean you have to tough them out, Cohn says.

Concerns about hormone therapy following the Women’s Health Initiative findings in 2002 contributed to years of reluctance to seek or offer treatment. Since then, research has helped to clarify who is most likely to benefit, with treatment recommendations guided by age, medical history, and individual risks.

[12]

The Pre-Workout Smoothie That Does the Prep Work for You

Sunscreens Made With Bemotrizinol Are Now Available in the U.S.

“Although menopause and hot flashes may be ‘normal’ or ‘common,’ that doesn’t mean that women have to suffer through them. If these symptoms are disruptive to your life, that’s a reason to seek treatment,” Cohn says.

And you get to decide what counts as disruptive. “I don’t get to be the boss of how severe their symptoms are,” Christmas says. Whether hot flashes interrupt your sleep, interfere with work, or simply make you uncomfortable, it’s worth discussing your treatment with your doctor. Here are some options to explore.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) HRT is considered the first-line treatment for managing hot flashes.

[4]

Estrogen can be delivered through patches, gels, pills, or sprays, but if you have a uterus, you generally also need progestogen to protect its lining.

[13]

Talk to your doctor about whether HRT is appropriate for you. If you have a more complex medical history, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or an increased risk of breast cancer or cardiovascular disease, Noble says it may be helpful to consult a menopause specialist.

Nonhormonal Medications For women who don’t want hormones or aren’t HRT candidates, there are effective nonhormonal options as well, Rahman says.

These include fezolinetant (Veozah) and elinzanetant (Lynkuet), which are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for moderate to severe hot flashes. Gabapentin (Neurontin), and Oxybutynin (Oxytrol) are also off-label options that may help with hot flashes.

[6]

A low dose of paroxetine, an antidepressant, is also FDA-approved to treat hot flashes, while other antidepressants are commonly used off-label.

[4]

Behavioral and Lifestyle Approaches Try not to think of treatment in silos, Christmas says. Medication can be combined with tools, such as psychotherapy and lifestyle modifications.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help reduce how much hot flashes interfere with daily life, while CBT for insomnia addresses chronic sleep difficulties.

[14]

Wearing layers, practicing good sleep hygiene, and using a fan and lighter bedding can make episodes more comfortable, but Rahman says these measures don’t address the underlying physiology causing the hot flash.

“We don’t have to make women fail every lifestyle intervention before discussing medication,” Rahman says. “We have effective treatments.”