What Are Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) is the umbrella term for hot flashes and night sweats, the most common menopausal symptoms. Hot flashes and night sweats affect approximately 75 percent of women going through menopause, according to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

VMS are different for each woman and may be different based on where you live and your race, ethnicity, and other individualized factors, but they generally are described as:

• An intense or mild feeling of heat, particularly in your chest, neck, and face
• A red, flushed face
• Increased heartbeat or heart palpitations
• Sweating (this is your body’s way to try to cool down)
• Feeling chilled as the hot flash goes away
• Vertigo
• Anxiety

The length of each hot flash can vary from one to five minutes. Frequency and intensity vary from woman to woman, too. Women report having them from 10 times per day to several times per week, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Some find them mildly annoying, while others feel that their lives are seriously disrupted.

The mean duration that women experience hot flashes and night sweats is seven to nine years; one-third of women will continue to have VMS for a decade or more. For a very few, they may never stop, notes Harvard Health Publishing.

VMS in menopause are triggered by decreasing and fluctuating hormone levels. While the exact explanation isn’t entirely known, researchers hypothesize that decreased estrogen levels may cause your body’s temperature control (the hypothalamus in the brain) to become more sensitive. Certain women are at a higher risk of hot flashes than others. According to the Mayo Clinic, risk factors include:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Race Compared with white women, Black women face a higher risk, while Asian women are at less risk.
• Ongoing Stress
• Symptoms of Depression
• A History of Abuse Preliminary research suggests that abuse or financial hardship early in life is linked to worse menopausal symptoms.

Healthcare professionals can usually recognize VMS just from a description of your symptoms, your age, and how far along you are in the menopause process, per the Mayo Clinic. It’s not often that they will use a blood test to help establish the diagnosis.

The best hot flash is the one that doesn’t happen at all or as frequently or intensely. A variety of therapies can try to make this a reality.

Medications

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy (HT) is the most effective treatment of vasomotor symptoms. Risks vary from woman to woman so make sure you have a thorough discussion with your healthcare professional about your particular needs, advises the Mayo Clinic. You could also see a menopause specialist who has extra training on how to care for you during your menopause transition. The general advice about hormone therapy from NAMS (PDF) is to use the lowest dose for the shortest amount of time for menopause symptoms.

Nonhormonal Therapy

If you can’t or would rather not take HT, there are some nonhormonal options. Researchers have been finding some success with oxybutynin (Ditropan), GABAergics, clonidine (Catapres), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, notes the Cleveland Clinic. More are under development. Again, discuss with your doctor about the best fit for you.

Lifestyle Changes

• Quit smoking. Research has shown benefits regarding menopausal symptoms.
• Dress in layers and try to avoid temperature shifts.
• Drink cold beverages, advises the Cleveland Clinic, or run cool water over your face and wrists.
• Manage your weight. Studies show that hot flashes are related to body mass index.

Diet and Dietary Changes

Avoid foods that are known to trigger or aggravate hot flashes, suggests the Cleveland Clinic:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Spicy foods
• Hot beverages
• Processed sugar (candy, cookies, cakes)

Instead, try to fill your plate with these possible hot flash reducers:

• Soy foods and natural soy products such as tofu. Avoid overly processed soy foods that contain higher levels of salt, sugar, bad fats, additives, and fillers.
• Foods rich in omega-3-rich fatty acids. Salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines, and other cold-water fatty fish are all included.
• Plant-based foods are a core part of Mediterranean-style eating. With its emphasis on vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds, olive oil, and fish, and its moderate use of dairy and limited consumption of red meat, the Mediterranean Diet has been shown to reduce the risk of hot flashes.

RELATED: The Best and Worst Foods for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause

• Acupuncture may help, according to research.
• Breathing exercises may help VMS symptoms, according to a research review published in the journal Maturitas. Try each method — box breathing, pursed lip breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and slow, deep breathing — to see which works best for you.
• Stress reduction methods like yoga, meditation, hypnotherapy, and mindfulness have been shown to have potential for symptom management, notes the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Intense hot flashes can cause panic attacks, which make the flash episode worse.

While most symptoms are transitory, vasomotor symptoms may be associated with an increase risk for other health issues.

• Cardiovascular Disease Frequent VMS were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease events, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
• Sleep Problems Night sweats and hot flashes wreak havoc on sleep patterns. In turn, lack of sleep causes cognitive impairment, daytime fatigue, relationship problems, and increased likelihood of getting into a car accident, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
• Anxiety This condition is associated with VMS symptoms, notes a research review published in Menopause Review.

Experts stress that lifestyle changes aren’t enough to prevent hot flashes and night sweats from occurring. The National Institute on Aging offers these strategies to help you manage or reduce symptoms:

• Try to maintain a healthy weight.
• Quit smoking.
• Keep the thermostat lower in your bedroom if symptoms keep you up at night. Use a fan, drink small amounts of ice water before bedtime, and layer bedding so you can shed or add blankets if needed.
• Avoid foods and drinks that may trigger vasomotor symptoms, like alcohol, spicy foods, hot beverages, and caffeine.

Studies are ongoing; some research, per the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, suggests that practices such as hypnotherapy and mindfulness meditation could help with symptom management.

Hot Flashes and Cool Topics

This Facebook page, which has over 4,000 members, calls itself “a community for women in midlife and beyond who are changing the old narratives on this stage of life.”

Menopause Now

This educational site allows users to search for information by specific symptoms.

North American Menopause Society

This nonprofit organization is dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life for women via an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. It provides resources for healthcare professionals and the public.

Red Hot Mamas

Created by Karen Giblin, Red Hot Mamas is an online organization that provides education and support for women in their menopause experience. Studies show that having emotional support may help ease menopausal symptoms.