What are Hot Flashes?
Hot flashes or sweats are most common menopause symptoms, and so are
mostly associated with women.
However, there are many men who suffer from hot flashes, while not considering any
treatment for this condition. So, male hot flashes by definition and appearance
are very similar to the female hot flashes. However, the main difference is
based on the different sources.
The hot flash is definitely an abrupt and extreme feeling of heat
impacting the face, neck as well as upper body, resulting in a chilly, clammy
sweat all of which lead to distress. In regards to rate of recurrence, male hot
flashes often occur 6 to 10 times during the day and range from a few minutes
to an hour. The experience can cause anxiousness, a quickened pulse rate,
becoming easily irritated and nauseated.
The symptoms of hot flashes can be mild to severe. The mild signs of hot
flashes are less discomforting than the severe ones.
- The signs
typically start with the face and spread to the neck and chest area,
lasting for seconds to minutes.
- The hot flash
can start with a feeling of warmth spreading in the upper body, with skin
redness and mild perspiration to excessive sweating.
- Finally the
person will get a cold, clammy and uncomfortable feeling, if the hot
flashes are occurring during night they can interfere with sleeping.
- Other uncomfortable sensations like dizziness, weakness, heart palpitations and pressure feeling can also be experienced along with the hot flashes.
Causes of Hot Flashes in Men
There are several potential causes for the Hot Flashes in Men. Among
them:
- Andropause: Andropause is probably
the main general cause of the Hot Flashes in males, as the common symptom
of the male menopause. Other symptoms which usually go hand-in-hand with hot
flashes are substantial weight gain, trouble at sleeping, and slow hair
growth.
- Infections: Certain infections like HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis can also be giving
men hot flashes or can also cause night sweats.
- Tumor/Cancer: If you are experiencing hot flashes along with testicular pain,
immediately contact a doctor as this could be a sign of cancer. Males can
also experience hot flashes due to a tumor present in pituitary gland or
hypothalamus.
- Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: The growth of prostate cells is
stimulated by testosterone, and treatments that reduce levels of the
hormone or block its actions in the body can help treat the disease.
Androgen deprivation can be a temporary measure to boost the effect of
radiation therapy (neoadjuvant therapy), or it can be a long-term
treatment for advanced prostate cancer. About 70%–80% of men who receive
androgen deprivation therapy experience hot flashes.
- Hormone Level: Sudden hot flashes may also occur as a hormone imbalance symptom,
like when there is a sudden and substantial lowering in the level of the
testosterone, which is the sex hormone or the androgen hormone. Hormones
fluctuation is a general reason for the negative health conditions,
usually associated with Andropause, but it can come early and might be a
sign for the undergoing medical processes in your body, which should be reported
to the professionals for detailed investigation.
- Reaction to Food/Medicine: Reaction to MSG, that is, mono sodium glutamate can also cause hot flashes. This is a food additive, and one need to check their diet for MSG. A person can also experience hot flashes as an allergy to certain medications, like nifedipine, niacin, calcitonin, etc.
Why it Happen?
Male menopause hot flashes occur since the low levels of androgenic
hormone or testosterone confuse the hypothalamus gland (the thermal center of
the mind) into believing the body is overheated. Consequently, the hypothalamus
transmits signals to broaden blood vessels in the pores and skin so that you
can force this particular “fictional” excess warmth out of the body. Male hot
flashes signify your body’s effort to maintain cool and not get too hot. So, the
nervous system sends out signals that cause blood vessels in the skin to widen,
producing flushing and warmth. To counter the rise in skin temperature, the
body rapidly converts a warm flush to a cold, clammy sweat.
Hot Flashes Treatment
It is important to get yourself diagnosed, to know the exact cause behind the occurrence of hot flashes. The doctor will suggest a blood test to check the deficiency of testosterone, which most probably will be giving you the hot flashes. After the underlying cause has been identified, a person can get rid of hot flashes with the appropriate treatment. The treatment involves mostly changing the medications or testosterone therapy.
Considering that testosterone may activate prostate cancer development,
an integral remedy towards the disease is androgen deprival therapy. While this
is a highly effective way for inhibiting most cancer growths, it can result in
negative effects. The procedure effectively puts a man into male menopause and
nearly 80% of times results in male hot flashes.
Andropause hot flashes could be properly taken care of as well as
absolved with bioidentical androgenic hormone or testosterone replacement
therapy. For males with prostate cancer, little doses of the feminine answer to
hot flashes, of estrogen, often decreases the issue.
Hormones can help, but newer treatments may be just as successful with
fewer side effects. Two approaches have helped both men and women. One involves
antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as paroxetine
(Paxil) have been effective, as has a related antidepressant, venlafaxine
(Effexor). Both types are well tolerated; venlafaxine can sometimes raise the
blood pressure, and SSRIs can cause sexual dysfunction, but that’s not an issue
for most men on androgen deprivation.
The other recent treatment uses the antiseizure medication gabapentin
(Neurontin). The first reports of success were in men, but it rapidly gained
wider use in women. In one study, the drug reduced the severity and frequency
of hot flashes in women by 70%; dizziness is the most common side effect.
Men's health is often lightly taken, and needs to be given a serious
thought. So, if your symptoms are mild, you can use the prevention tips and
reduce the severity of hot flashes. However, if you have been experiencing hot
flashes for some time or experience hot flashes with other pain symptoms; it is
important that you get yourself diagnosed to treat the underlying cause.
Acupuncture
Several new studies confirmed good results in using acupuncture for men treatments,
who experienced hot flashes associated with hormone therapy. Acupuncture, a
popular form of alternative medicine, involves inserting ultra-thin needles
into the skin to treat various medical conditions and health ailments. The
results of the latest study were overwhelmingly positive, with the study
participants reporting 80.3 percent improvement of hot flash symptoms, even
after eight months of therapy. Compared to the commonly used drugs to treat hot
flashes, acupuncture produced no side effects.
While more research needs to be performed to confirm that link between
acupuncture and relief of hot flashes, the study gives new hope to the many men
undergoing prostate cancer treatment and actually may even have long-term
health benefits to boot. Acupuncture has been touted for increasing mental
clarity and physical well-being through the rebalancing of the body’s energies.
Lifestyle Changes
If the symptoms are not too severe, or you would like to consider the
prevention techniques for the hot flashes appearance in your life, you may
consider the following recommendations, which will reduce the severity and
discomfort caused by hot flashes:
- Be cool during the day! Dress up in light and loose-fitting clothes. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Be cool
during the night! Use a fan and keep the windows open at all times if
possible. If you suffer from hot flashes during night, drink a glass of
water to prevent dehydration.
- Try to avoid stress and learn general relaxation techniques. Consider yoga, moving meditation, or martial arts to get recharged.
- Exercise
regularly. Weight gain, estrogen and hot flashes are all very closely
related. Hot flashes are typically caused by elevated estrogen levels. Men
who have high estrogen levels are more prone to weight gain. Conversely,
men who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience elevated
estrogen levels. While relationship between weight and hormonal imbalance
is still not entirely understood, many studies suggest that men who
exercise regularly can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of
hot flashes.
- Consider healthy diet. Hot flashes can also be caused by diet. For instance, spicy foods, such as peppers, curry and chili, can overstimulate nerve endings and cause blood vessels to dilate, resulting in a hot flash. Simple sugars and carbohydrates are also well-known triggers. Sugars and carbs trigger hot flashes by elevating blood sugar, which causes a spike in body temperature. In an effort to cool itself down, the body attempts to “flush” out the heat. Alcohol is another big one. A drink here and there is fine. But excessive alcohol consumption actually raises levels of estrogen within the blood over time, making you more susceptible to symptoms of hormonal imbalance, such as estrogen.
Sources
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