Women who are going through the menopause need to be more proactive about asking for treatment for troublesome symptoms, such as hot flushes, a new report has found.

According to the International Menopause Society (IMS), most women who are going through the menopause experience hot flushes or night sweats. Hot flushes occur when the blood vessels in the neck expand leading to an increased blood flow to the head, neck and trunk of the body. This can lead to sweating and a reddening of the skin. Night sweats are the same thing, except they occur when the woman is sleeping. This can lead to major sleep disruption.

In some cases, menopause symptoms can last a few years.

The society commissioned a major review of studies into hot flushes and night sweats and found that these symptoms can have a major impact on a woman's life. They can cause embarrassment, a lack of confidence and fatigue, not to mention physical discomfort. In some cases, women will avoid social situations because of the problem.

"Too often the distressing symptoms associated with the menopause are not taken seriously enough. The stresses caused by these symptoms can have a significant effect on not only a woman's life, but also the lives of those close to her, over a period of years. A woman can't just ‘grin and bear it' - if only it were that simple," commented IMS president, Dr Tobie de Villiers.

The IMS review found that HRT (hormone replacement therapy) produced the best results when it came to treating hot flushes and night sweats. In fact, up to 90% of symptoms disappeared within three months of starting the treatment.

The report acknowledged that not all women can take HRT, but insisted that alternatives are available, for example, SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors), which are the most commonly used type of antidepressant and psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

The IMS warned women against using unproven or untested treatments on symptoms. It also pointed out that while the use of acupuncture has produced mixed results in this area, no significant benefits have been linked to the use of yoga.

However, Dr de Villiers insisted that women ‘need to realise that they don't need to put up with this'.

"For most women there are ways of overcoming these problems and a woman going through a difficult menopause should make sure that she talks this over with her doctor to find the best solution for her," he said.

The IMS released the report to coincide with World Menopause Day (October 18) and details are published in the journal, Climacteric.