by Diana Perez

Created on: October 10, 2007

Coping with hot flashes depends on your level of knowledge and how well you deal with it.

Hot flashes are due to the low levels of the hormone estrogen. The nervous system is responsible for the messages received from the hormone thus creating a lowering of the body temperature. When signals are sent to the nervous system that the hormone estrogen is no longer present or is beginning to diminish, a flush of heat is experienced from the chest to the face that manifests itself out of your sweat glands to regulate your core body temperature.

How a woman copes with menopause depends on different factors. The social, cultural, educational, emotional, even medications, your outlook on life and resistance to the changes that are occurring to you may play a major role with coping with the symptoms of menopausal hot flashes.

In a social atmosphere, hot flashes can be an embarrassing situation if the episode occurs in public. It is important to educate yourself and learn what measures you can take to help you cope with hot flash incidents while outdoors. This should not mean that you stay homebound, on the contrary, iIt's how you cope with the hot flashes in public that makes the difference.

Culture plays another role in handling hot flashes. In some cultures, hot flashes are dealt with just like one would treat a headache or a fever. Some cultures face hot flashes in a fashionable way and are accustomed in treating hot flashes with folk remedies. In other cultures it is taboo to talk about it nevertheless treat it with an open mind approach.

How you experience hot flashes and educate herself can help you deal with hot flashes and not let it be a nuisance in your every day activities. Education is key to coping with hot flashes because it will enable you to teach and guide yourself with the changes that are occurring to your body.

If your are taking medications and are thinking of taking herbal supplements, ask your doctor about the new changes happening to you and what alternatives you have in choosing a remedy. Whether it be a natural remedy or hormonal replacement therapy, please be advised that HRT may have health repercussions as well as herbal remedies. Herbal remedies can also be detrimental to your health if not administered appropriately and if taken for a long period of time. More harm can do than good by taking herbal remedies and should not be taken lightly. Herbal remedies will help you cope with your hot flashes but it is imperative that you do not self diagnose

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