But some women go through natural menopause as early as age 35, while others don't experience it until their late 50s. Menopause occurs at any age with surgical removal of the ovaries. During perimenopause, estrogen production is low and the ovaries stop producing eggs. As estrogen levels decline, certain signs may appear. A hot flash is a sudden rush of heat to the neck, face, and possibly other parts of the body that may last from 30 seconds to five minutes.
Some women go from feeling hot to feeling cold.
The hot flash may begin with a sudden tingling in the fingers, toes, cheeks, or ears. The hot flash is an alteration in thermal stability, which is maintained by the hypothalamus, a brain region located above the pituitary gland on the brain's floor. The hypothalamus operates the body's temperature regulation system. Estrogen levels manipulate some functions of the hypothalamus. During menopause, as the ovaries produce less estrogen, the hypothalamus senses and responds to the lower estrogen levels by rapidly changing body temperature.