Hot flashes, or a feeling of sudden heat running through the body, are a common symptom of menopause. Menopause refers to the time when the menstrual cycle comes to an end permanently, and women ...

Primary and review articles published in English were identified by a MEDLINE (1966-June 2003) search using the MeSH terms "hot flashes," "hot flushes," "menopause," and "serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

But menopause is more than the pop culture stereotype featuring women in their 50s having hot flashes. Symptoms can start much earlier — during perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause ...