My mother reached menopause 3 years back, and experiences hot flashes along with irritation 2-3 times a day. The problem is usually more in the night. Even though the feeling of heat radiating vanishes within a fraction of a minute, her sleep is often disturbed, and then she complains of sleeplessness. Should we consult a gynecologist?
It is heartening to note that you are helping your mother through this difficult period of her life. Most women are confused by their symptoms and suffer silently. What you have described is indeed a hormonal imbalance. When a woman stops menstruating because her hormonal production ceases, there is a disturbance in the other systems of her body as well, and the instability in the vasomotor system causes these hot flushes. This change is transient but one cannot accurately predict how long they will persist. If it is causing disruption in her normal functioning she should go to a gynecologist, have a breast exam, a pelvic Ultrasonography to check for abnormalities, do a PAP smear. The gynaec will decide whether medication in the form of Hormone Replacement Therapy is necessary. Alternately, a good diet rich in soy, exercise like walking for 1 hour, and yoga can help alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

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