What causes Hot Flushes?
The exact mechanism is not known. Hot flushes are believed to be due to a change in oestrogen levels which influences the hypothalamus (steering centre in the central nervous system) in its control of the temperature-regulating area in the midbrain. The severity and frequency of hot flushes are directly correlated with the reduction of oestrogen levels over time. A premenopausal woman with a sudden drop of circulating oestrogens, for example due to operative removal of the ovaries, is more likely to experience hot flushes compared to a woman who has a gradual decrease in oestrogens while entering her climacteric time frame.
