What Are Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause? Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Women's HealthMenopause

What Are Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause? Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

What Are Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause? Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
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Updated on February 23, 2026
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“Vasomotor symptoms (VMS)” is the umbrella term for hot flashes and night sweats, the most common menopause symptoms. Hot flashes and night sweats affect up to 80 percent of women going through menopause.

Signs of Vasomotor Symptoms

VMS is different for everyone, but symptoms may include:

  • An intense or mild feeling of heat, particularly in your chest, neck, and face
  • Red or flushed skin
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Feeling chilled as the hot flash goes away
  • Anxiety

Causes and Risk Factors for Vasomotor Symptoms

Decreasing and fluctuating hormone levels trigger VMS in menopause. While the exact reason isn’t entirely known, researchers hypothesize that decreased estrogen levels may cause your body’s temperature control (the hypothalamus in the brain) to become more sensitive.

Possible risk factors for an increased chance of experiencing hot flashes include smoking and obesity.

How Are Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause Diagnosed or Identified?

Healthcare professionals can usually recognize VMS just from a description of your symptoms.

Treatment and Medication Options for Vasomotor Symptoms

A variety of treatments are available for hot flashes.

Hormonal and Nonhormonal Medications

Hormone therapy is the most effective treatment of VMS.

Estrogen is the main hormone prescribed for hot flashes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed the black box warning from hormone replacement therapies used to treat symptoms of menopause.

 But risks may still vary from person to person, and they may depend on things like age or whether you’ve had a hysterectomy. (People who still have a uterus often have to take progesterone alongside estrogen to manage endometrial cancer risk.)
Two nonhormonal treatments approved by the FDA for hot flashes are the antidepressant paroxetine (Brisdelle), which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and fezolinetant (Veozah), a medication that blocks a chemical in the temperature control area of the brain.

Some medications can also be used off-label for hot flashes. ”Off-label” means using a treatment for a purpose that is not included in its official FDA approval.

 Other nonhormonal treatments a doctor may prescribe off-label include:

  • Other antidepressants, like venlafaxine (Effexor XR), paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa), or escitalopram (Lexapro)
  • Anti-seizure medications, like gabapentin (Neurontin) or pregabalin (Lyrica)
  • Oxybutynin (Oxytrol), commonly used to treat urinary conditions
  • Clonidine (Catapres-TTS-1), which is mostly used for treating high blood pressure
Talk with your healthcare professional about your particular needs. You could also see a menopause specialist who has extra training on how to care for you during your menopause transition.

Lifestyle Changes for Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause

It’s not possible to prevent hot flashes altogether, but they can be managed.

 Beyond medication, certain lifestyle strategies may lessen the effects of hot flashes, including:

  • Cutting back on smoking
  • Turning down the temperature in the room where you sleep at night
  • Drinking small amounts of cold water
  • Maintaining a moderate weight for your age and height
  • Dressing in layers that can be removed in the event of a hot flash

Diet and Dietary Changes

Avoid or limit foods that are known to trigger or aggravate hot flashes, such as:

  • Alcohol
  • Caffeine
  • Spicy foods
  • Hot beverages
Some people consume foods that contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogen) to manage the hormone changes that come with menopause.

 Phytoestrogens naturally occur in some vegetables, cereals, herbs, and legumes, including soy. While these foods are usually considered safe for most diets, research doesn’t show them to be consistently effective for managing hot flashes. Their risks and benefits are still being studied.

Herbal supplements, like black cohosh or soy isoflavones, are also not proven to help with the effects of hot flashes. In fact, they may carry risks, like liver damage.

Talk with your doctor before making changes to your diet or adding any herbs or supplements to your wellness routine.

Complementary Therapies for Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause

Other potential complementary treatments for hot flashes may include:

  • Acupuncture
  • Yoga
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Mindfulness-based interventions

How Long Do Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause Last?

The length of each hot flash can vary from one to five minutes. Frequency and intensity vary from person to person, too. Many people experience hot flashes for at least seven years, with some having them for more than 10 years.

Complications of Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause

While most menopause symptoms are transitory, VMS may be associated with an increased risk of other health issues.

VMS can cause disturbances in sleep. Lack of sleep can negatively affect someone’s quality of life, including their physical and mental health. VMS is also linked to negative health outcomes, like cognitive impairment and coronary heart disease.

The Takeaway

  • The vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopause include hot flashes and night sweats.
  • Most people who go through menopause will experience hot flashes.
  • Certain factors, like smoking or obesity, may increase the likelihood of experiencing hot flashes.
  • VMS can’t be prevented, but its effects can be managed through medication or lifestyle adjustments.

FAQ

What are vasomotor symptoms of menopause?
Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopause include menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. These sudden episodes of heat and perspiration may occur in women in and around the menopause transition, when hormone levels fluctuate.

A hot flash episode can be different for each woman. It may last one or five minutes; it may be mild or severe. Frequency varies: Some women have several per day; others have several per week. The average duration for experiencing VMS is about seven years to nine years, but for some women, it can last 10 years or longer.

In rare cases, hot flashes and night sweats are symptoms of something else besides menopause. Other causes may include medication side effects, thyroid issues, or some cancers or cancer treatments.

If hot flashes or night sweats are disrupting your life, including your sleep, see a healthcare professional to discuss possible treatments and lifestyle changes.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Wang P-H et al. Menopause Part I: Vasomotor Symptoms (I). Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. March 4, 2025.
  2. Hot Flashes: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. March 4, 2025.
  3. Hot Flashes: Diagnosis and Treatment. Mayo Clinic. March 4, 2025.
  4. FACT SHEET: FDA Initiates Removal of “Black Box” Warnings from Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy Products. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. November 10, 2025.
  5. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? National Institute on Aging. September 30, 2021.
  6. Hot Flashes. Cleveland Clinic. October 21, 2024.
  7. Moss SY et al. Advances in Pharmacotherapy for Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms. Drugs. September 30, 2025.
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Anna L. Goldman, MD

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Anna L. Goldman, MD, is a board-certified endocrinologist. She teaches first year medical students at Harvard Medical School and practices general endocrinology in Boston.

Dr. Goldman attended college at Wesleyan University and then completed her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where she was also a chief resident. She moved to Boston to do her fellowship in endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She joined the faculty after graduation and served as the associate program director for the fellowship program for a number of years.

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