Why is it important to treat hot flashes in men and women with cancer?
Because they very negatively impact somebody’s quality of life; and specifically, they can disrupt one’s sleep, which affects how well you can think, and how well you can do what you have to do during the day, as well as mood. Are there ways to manage hot flashes without medication? There are several behavioral things people can do, such as wearing clothes that are loosely woven and layered so they can take clothes off and on as they need to as they get hot, or having air moving to try to help keep themselves cool. For women with mild to moderate hot flashes that only last a couple years, they can do these behavioral things and tolerate it. When should a person see a doctor about hot flashes? For women whose hot flashes go on for longer than that (a couple of years) or whose hot flashes are more severe, and the behavioral things aren’t making them tolerable—women who aren’t sleeping at night because of their hot flashes or who can’t get through an hour without having to put cold water
