Acupuncture for Hot Flashes
Many women suffer from hot flashes, making it difficult to carry out daily activities. Unfortunately, most women who have hot flashes continue experiencing them for several years, and the frequency of hot flashes can range from a few weeks to every several hours.
While traditional medication may help with the symptoms experienced, sometimes it is not enough. Not to mention prescription medications carry considerable health risks and side effects, prompting women to search for alternative treatments.
If you are searching for an alternative treatment to help relieve hot flashes, consider holistic medicine. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we provide acupuncture Gainesville, FL, residents can count on for a safe and natural treatment option for hot flashes.
What are Hot Flashes?
Hot flashes are quick, sudden feelings of heat that are usually most intense throughout the face, neck, and chest area. During hot flashes, it is common to experience a red, flushed face and sweating. If you lose too much body heat during a hot flash, you might also feel chilled afterward.
The exact cause of hot flashes is not known; however, they may be related to changes in circulation. Hot flashes occur when blood vessels near the skin’s surface dilate in order to cool, which is the reason why sweating is often experienced. Many women also experience a rapid heart rate and chills. Hot flashes can also occur at night during sleep and cause sweating — these are known as night sweats.
Hot Flashes Affect Many Women
Hot flashes are the most common symptom experienced during menopause and perimenopause, with over two-thirds of women experiencing hot flashes and night sweats during the menopausal transition. Hot flashes also affect many women who begin menopause after undergoing chemotherapy or surgery to remove their ovaries. Hot flashes occur during menopause because the body undergoes reproductive hormonal changes at this time. While it is uncertain what exactly causes hot flashes, certain factors can increase the risk of experiencing them, such as smoking and obesity.
Side Effects from Hot Flashes
Apart from a flushed face, intense heat, and perspiration on the upper body, hot flashes can carry a number of other side effects including:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- A feeling of suffocation
- Weakness
- Trouble sleeping, often leading to chronic insomnia
There is also some association between hot flashes and an increased risk of heart disease and bone loss.
Acupuncture Can Help with Hot Flashes
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture works by improving the flow of energy in the body. Due to certain ailments or changes in the body, channels through which energy travels can become blocked, creating a series of symptoms depending on where blockages occur. An acupuncture specialist is highly skilled in determining the areas affected by blockages and inserting fine needles into the correct points to improve the flow of energy.
Acupuncture works to alleviate hot flashes by improving circulation in the body and stimulating the production of various hormones, such as mood-regulating, stress-relieving, and painkilling hormones that can help reduce symptoms. Acupuncture can also help relieve insomnia. Improvements in sleep have been linked to reductions in hot flashes and, alternatively, a reduction in hot flashes can improve sleep.
Acupuncture in Gainesville, FL
Hot flashes can greatly affect a woman’s sleep, comfort, and quality of life. If you have been suffering from hot flashes and are in need of an alternative treatment option, visit our acupuncture clinic today. At Gainesville Holistic Healthcare, we can provide you with Gainesville acupuncture treatment you can trust.