Hot flashes appear under the influence of physiological causes (hot and spicy food, alcohol, stress), but more often they are a sign of diseases of the reproductive, endocrine, nervous or cardiovascular system. Given the variety of etiological factors, diagnostics requires instrumental studies - ultrasound, X-ray, electrophysiological, laboratory tests (hemogram, blood biochemistry, hormonal profile). Treatment of hot flashes involves a combination of medication, physiotherapy and psychotherapy. The surgical approach is rarely used, mainly for neoplasms.
Hot flashes are manifested by a sudden feeling of heat, redness, and excessive sweating. Usually, discomfort is localized in the region of the upper half of the trunk and head: the skin in this area “burns”, while in other parts of the body the skin is of a normal color and may even be cool to the touch. Less often worried about diffuse heat at normal temperatures: heat gradually spreads from the trunk to the limbs or immediately covers the entire body.
It becomes difficult for a person to breathe, there is a feeling of lack of air. Headaches of varying intensity, dizziness are observed. Sweating is expressed to such an extent that sweat flows down the skin in trickles, and linen and the underlayer of clothes get wet through. Hot flashes are often accompanied by increased anxiety and irritability, an inexplicable feeling of fear. The average duration of paroxysm is 5-3 minutes.
Patients mainly complain of heat and redness of the skin of the upper body. Symptoms begin suddenly and last 5 to 2 minutes on average. Hot flashes are predominant at night, causing the patient to develop insomnia. Hot flashes are accompanied by increased sweating, anxiety or nervousness, and dizziness. Common factors that cause hot flashes only in women:
Hot flashes
Patients feel increased blood flow to the head, a strong feeling of heat and stuffiness, while the skin becomes red, hot to the touch. Unpleasant sensations are accompanied by bursting or pressing headache, dizziness. Symptoms can occur in healthy people under the influence of external factors, but are more often a pathological sign. The main reasons for which the heat rushes to the head:
The symptom is characterized by an intense sensation of warmth in the body, which is combined with reddening of the skin, increased sweating. The condition occasionally develops as a physiological reaction of the body to provoking factors. In this case, the sensations of discomfort pass quickly and are not supplemented by other symptoms. Regular paroxysms indicate the presence of the disease. Heat in the body at normal temperature is caused by the following reasons:
With complaints of hot flashes, it is necessary to visit a general practitioner (family doctor), who conducts an initial examination and refers the patient to a specialized specialist. Women aged 45 and older who experience hot flashes should see a gynecologist, as most symptoms are caused by menopause. To find out the causes of paroxysms are assigned:
As additional methods, a general and biochemical blood test is recommended, which makes it possible to exclude metabolic disorders and inflammatory processes. Women are shown an examination by a gynecologist: vaginal examination in the mirrors, examination of the mammary glands. If the patient has signs of emotional disturbances or inappropriate behavior, a psychiatric examination is performed.
Drug therapy is selected based on the underlying disease
To alleviate the condition during a hot flash, you need to open a window or go out into the fresh air, remove tight clothes, drink cool water. You need to calm down, because the excitement increases the uncomfortable symptoms. To prevent attacks of heat, doctors recommend avoiding stuffy rooms, excluding spicy and spicy foods from the diet, and reducing the consumption of strong coffee and tea. If you experience recurring hot flashes, you should seek medical attention.
Drug treatments are selected based on the underlying disease, a symptom of which are hot flashes. Often, the condition occurs against the background of hormonal dysfunctions, so the endocrinologist is engaged in therapy. Women in menopause are prescribed drugs with sex hormones that improve well-being, relieve hot flashes and other unpleasant symptoms of menopause. When the thyroid gland is affected, antithyroid drugs, iodine preparations are used.
Hot flashes associated with vegetative-vascular disorders are treated with sedatives of plant or synthetic origin. With severe psycho-emotional problems, treatment is supplemented with tranquilizers or antidepressants. In cardiovascular diseases, etiopathogenetic treatment is selected: antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, antianginal drugs.
To normalize the functioning of the nervous system and improve the emotional background, relaxing techniques are shown: neurosedative massage, balneotherapy, aromatherapy. Reflexotherapy, medicinal electrophoresis are less often carried out. Complex therapy of hot flashes includes exercise therapy, spa treatment. With emotional factors that provoke paroxysms, the help of a psychologist is required.
Surgical interventions are recommended extremely rarely, mainly for tumors of the brain or peripheral endocrine glands. Neoplasms of the hypothalamic-pituitary system require neurosurgery in combination with hormonal or radiation therapy. In case of thyroid neoplasia, a node resection or hemithyroidectomy is prescribed.