Hot flashes are an annoying and exhausting part of perimenopause and menopause for many women. Perimenopause is the time when hormone levels decline and menstrual cycles become erratic. Menopause begins when a woman has not had a period for one year. Over 75 percent of women in North America experience hot flashes during some part of the transition into menopause. The entire experience varies greatly among women. Hot flashes, episodes of intense heat sensation, sweating and flushing, can be accompanied by palpitations and anxiety and can last a few seconds or several minutes. Some women experience them hourly while others have them only occasionally. The majority of symptomatic women have hot flashes for 1 to 2 years but over 15 percent may have persistent hot flashes for up to 30 years. (1) The transition into menopause is a unique experience for each woman and can be supported by different treatment options, individually designed for the needs of each woman.
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