Menopausal sweating

introduction

During menopause (climacteric) a woman's hormonal balance changes fundamentally. This has several consequences for the patient. On the one hand, similar to puberty, the woman's body has to adapt to very new hormonal conditions. By changing the body and the hormones, among other things, menopausal patients have to sweat more. This can be very annoying for the patient, but there are some things that can be done to reduce sweating during menopause and thus make it easier for the body to adapt.

Frequency distribution

Every woman goes through menopause between the ages of 40-50. However, not every woman suffers equally from hot flashes and sweating during menopause. Nevertheless, almost all patients are more or less affected by the increased sweating during this time. Of course, various factors play a role here, such as obesity (Obesity), Diet and exercise play a crucial role and can significantly reduce the extent of sweating (as in exercise) or increase it (as in obesity).

causes

The reason why there is increased sweating during menopause is primarily due to the hormonal change. The menopause (climacteric) lead to the fact that the patient loses more and more female hormones (e.g. estrogen). This in turn means that the patient is no longer able to procreate, since ovulation can no longer be triggered. The hormone FSH (Follicle-stimulating hormone) keeps falling. This decrease in female hormones can, among other things, lead to the fact that the patients sweat during the menopause and repeatedly have heat outbreaks. Depending on how strong the hormonal fluctuations are, there is excessive sweating during the menopause or the patient only occasionally suffers from heavy sweating.

Read more on this topic at: Causes of increased sweating such as Causes of Hot Flashes

Symptoms and duration

The severity of the symptoms during the menopause is very different for each patient. A typical symptom of menopause is increased sweat or recurring ones Hot flashes. In addition, the period the patient is absent because the body produces too few female hormones. Other symptoms that are commonly associated with menopause are Mood swings and Imbalance. Also the decreasing Sensation of pleasure (Loss of libido) is typical of menopause due to the loss of fertility the desire for sexual intercourse in women also decreases. Some women have a very dry vagina during menopause, while others have almost no symptoms at all. Which symptoms occur and how severe these symptoms are depends very individually on the patient. It is typical, however, that almost all patients sweat more during the menopause. Also the Duration of menopause is very different from person to person. This makes it difficult to assess the exact duration of sweating during menopause. Overall, a patient is going through menopause until her progesterone and estrogen concentration (female sex hormones) have reached a minimum.

It is also important to emphasize that the process of menopause is a so-called Premenopause precedes. During this time the hormonal conditions the patient has already changed, the progesterone concentration drops, while the estrogens thus appear comparatively high. After the menopause comes the Post menopausein which the hormonal balance is set. Overall, the duration of menopause plus pre- and postmenopause is up to 10 yearsmany processes going unnoticed. As the word “menopause” already suggests, this is a process of long duration, namely years. Overall, the duration of menopause and the symptoms that accompany it, such as sweating, vary widely. Most women are circa 3-8 years during menopause, with some patients having so few symptoms that they hardly notice them. It is therefore important that the patient recognizes this state of upheaval and does not try to defend herself against it or count the years until it is finally over, since the menopause can develop very individually and differently from patient to patient.

Sweating and freezing as symptoms of menopause

A very common and for many women very stressful symptom of menopause is sweating, which is accompanied by a feeling of heat. Freezing is also possible. Typically, a break in sweat is preceded by a strong feeling of heat. However, the increased liquid on the skin evaporates and thus cools the skin, which is why a slight freezing can also appear as a symptom after a sweat breakout.
This is especially the case with night sweats while sleeping. The wet sleepwear remains on the skin and cools it down. This can cause them to wake up because they start to feel cold.

Sweating at night

Sweats can occur during menopause both during the day and at night. Night sweats can be the result of an excessive response of the autonomic nervous system during menopause. The reason for this are hormonal changes associated with a drop in estrogen and progesterone.
Persistent, very heavy night sweats can also indicate other causes, such as autoimmune diseases or tumor diseases. In particular, if there are additional symptoms such as unwanted weight loss and fever, a medical evaluation of night sweats should take place.

Read more on the topic: Sweating at night

Sweating on the head

Some women complain of profuse sweating on their head or hairy scalp during menopause. Sweating on the scalp is not uncommon, especially with thick hair. As in other parts of the body, there are many small sweat glands that can also be affected by increased sweating. Thick hair and headgear such as caps or hats can also increase sweating.
But even with thin hair, the menopause can lead to increased perspiration on the head. Where and how much you sweat is ultimately a very individual matter. If you feel very stressed by sweating, a medical consultation is very useful.

Read more on the topic: Sweating on the head

Sweating on the face

There are also many small sweat glands on the face that produce increased sweat during menopause. Hot flashes and a dripping forehead or a damp bridge of the nose are therefore not uncommon.
Women with make-up in particular often have the problem that they sweat more in the face during the menopause and the make-up is unsightly. In these cases it is advisable to use light make-up, which is breathable and matting. Light textures are preferable to strongly opaque consistencies.

Also read: Menopausal hot flashes

Sweating with the slightest effort

Increased sweat production is a common symptom during menopause. Hot flashes and sweats sometimes occur in complete rest or with the slightest strain and exertion. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for this and takes on and controls important functions in the body. The increased reaction of the so-called sympathetic nerve tissue leads to the fact that you sweat more and with the slightest effort. How much sweating is pronounced varies from woman to woman. Around a third of women do not feel at all, a further third rather lightly and the last third even very strongly affected by the symptoms.

diagnosis

Whether the sweating is due to the menopause often does not have to be diagnosed by a doctor, as the patient herself notices that she is going through the menopause, as the period (Menstruation) and other symptoms such as tiredness or irritability occur. However, it is important to differentiate when sweating occurs and whether the diagnosis is really only menopause. Above all, does the patient sweat profusely at night and also sweat significantly? Weight loss has so should a doctor must be visited, as in this case it may also be a sign of a tumor. It is therefore important that the patient speak to their family doctor or the Gynecologist Talking about symptoms such as sweating during menopause, for example.

Further diagnostics are usually not necessary unless the doctor has justified it doubtthat it is not the "typical" sweating of menopause, but a illness acts. This can be the case, for example, if the patient reports that she thinks she is going through menopause because she sweats more at night. However, it is important to emphasize that sweating during menopause is not in itself a disease (pathology), just as puberty is not a disease.There is only a change in hormones, which in turn occurs Side effectshow excessive sweating can lead to menopause. Nevertheless, this is a physiological and none pathological transition. A patient would like to know for sure how far her menopause If progress has already been made, a blood test can be done, which can be used to determine the concentration of the female sex hormones progesterone and estrogen, as these continue to decrease in the course of menopause. Also a gynecological one smear can be helpful, especially if the patient has a very dry sex organ.

Therapy / what helps?

First of all, it is important to mention that menopause is not a disease (pathology) acts, which one has to treat. It is a stage in the life of every patient, such as puberty or the 30th birthday. However, since menopause is accompanied by symptoms such as increased sweating and the like, a patient may need help during the menopause. For example, many patients want help in minimizing sweating during menopause and preventing hot flashes. There are various forms of help that menopausal patients can take advantage of. The type of help depends on the individual patient's complaints. The mildest form of help against sweating in menopause is homeopathy. Since the symptoms of every patient are very different during the menopause, it makes sense to consult a homeopathic doctor, as he can prescribe the right globules for the patient individually. Only then is homeopathy a good help against sweating during menopause. The use of Schüssler salts is also without risk for the patient.

The number 1 Calcium fluoratum, the number 3 Ferrum phosphoricum and the number 7 Magnesium phosphoricum are the so-called basis of the Schüssler salts against sweating during menopause. It is also important here that the exact dosage and other possible combinations of the Schüssler salts with one doctor should be discussed. In addition to homeopathy and the Schüssler salts, which are a low-risk aid against sweating during menopause, there are also some medications. A distinction is made here herbal medications and a so-called Hormone replacement therapy. Herbal medicines include monk's pepper and black cohosh. There are various medications that help with sweating during menopause and ensure that sweating and other menopausal symptoms are minimized. These drugs show up though Side effectsHowever, like all other drugs, they neither increase that Breast cancer risk (Mammary carcinoma), nor that Uterine cancer risk (Endometrial carcinoma). Hormone replacement therapy is completely different. Here, the hormones that the patient is missing during the menopause are indirectly replaced, so that the symptoms are minimized. However, this results in the risk for breast and uterine cancer increases very sharply. Hormone replacement therapy should therefore only be used if the symptoms, such as sweating during menopause, unbearable become. Otherwise, hormone replacement therapy is essential not advised, because many patients develop a malignant tumor through this "therapy".

Which medications help against sweating during menopause?

Menopausal sweating is mainly due to a drop in the female sex hormones progesterone and estrogen. Ultimately, therefore, only hormone replacement therapy exists as a drug therapy for menopausal symptoms.
However, hormone replacement therapy with estrogens and progesterone should be carefully considered as these too can have side effects and increase the risk of breast cancer. As a rule, it is only recommended if the menopausal symptoms are very pronounced.

Read more on the topic: Medication for menopause

Home remedies to treat menopausal sweating

There are a number of home remedies that are recommended to improve hot flashes and sweating during menopause.
Sage tea is a well-known home remedy. The tea is good for some people with excessive sweating, but it should not be drunk too hot. Sage baths are also suitable, for example as foot baths, to prevent increased sweating.
Another popular home remedy for menopause sweating is to consume products containing soy. The proportion of plant-based estrogens can improve estrogen deficiency symptoms such as sweating somewhat.
Lemon-baking powder mixtures help against unpleasant smells and night sweats. These can be applied directly to areas such as the armpits or the groin and soak in overnight. In the morning you should rinse the mixture off with clear water and shower as usual.

Homeopathy / globules

Various globules are recommended by homeopathic experts against sweating during menopause. It should be noted, however, that these recommendations are neither of a uniform nature nor based on scientific or at least empirical facts.
Ultimately, the information varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer or practitioner. Acidum sulfuricum, Lachesis and Sepia officinalis, among others, are used to treat sweating during menopause.

Read more on the topic: Homeopathy for menopause

prophylaxis

There is no statistically proven prophylaxis against sweating during menopause. Nevertheless, one knows that patients with Asian Background more often have only very slight or no symptoms at all with sweating and menopause. The reason for this is the fact that there are proportionally a large number of Asian patients Soy products and less flesh eat than for example European Patients. Since soy contains estrogens, these can ensure that menopausal symptoms are minimized if the patient is relaxed years earlier mainly fed on soy instead of meat products. Even patients who regularly did endurance sports or who sauna visit and thus seem to "sweat away" your body fewer Suffering from sudden attacks of sweating during menopause. So generally practice healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and a weekly Sports workload has a positive effect on the symptoms of menopause.

Sweat smells unpleasant- what can affected women do?

Understandably, unpleasant body odors are very stressful for most people. Especially when the increased sweating occurs again during the menopause, many women feel disturbed and uncomfortable in their body feeling.
There are a few things you can do about unpleasant body odors. In order not to give bacteria a breeding ground, one should shave or permanently depilate hairy parts of the body where one sweats more often. This includes, for example, the armpits and the genital area. It is precisely there that otherwise unpleasant smells develop. Furthermore, sweat should be removed at least once a day with a damp cloth and a little soap to avoid unpleasant smells. In addition, the use of deodorants and antiperspirants makes sense.
Unfortunately, food also plays a role. Spicy foods, such as hot peppers or chilli, promote sweat production and should therefore be avoided or consumed in small quantities. The same goes for onions, garlic, and beer. Ultimately, one should pay attention to wearing clean clothes. Even if clothes don't smell bad at first - as soon as you've sweated, unpleasant odors form in the closet. Therefore, sweaty clothes should not be left lying around, but should be washed immediately.