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Article: Cooling down hot flashes.
- Article from:
- Women's Health Letter
- Article date:
- August 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Women's Health Letter. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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When I was a teenager, I remember my mother saying she woke up at night drenched with perspiration. Each night she had to change her nightgown and sheets. During the day -- especially in the summer -- she would perspire profusely. At that time, I didn't realize she was going through menopause; I just knew something was wrong.
My mother wasn't alone. About 80 percent of menopausal women in this country have hot flashes, some for as long as 15 years! And these hot flashes and flushes can last for a few seconds or up to five minutes.
What causes menopausal heat?
Hot flashes appear to be caused when the hypothalamus gland, which regulates your ...