1. a state of misfortune or affliction. 2. something hard to endure. 3. something that causes or entails suffering. Familiarity information: HARDSHIP used as a noun is uncommon.
A single hot flash can last anywhere from one to five minutes and may occur a few times a week for some women or daily for others. When hot flashes are severe, they may strike four or five times an hour or 20 to 30 times a day, Omicioli says.
On average, the age that menopause is reached is around 52. For most women, hot flashes last around two to five years from the beginning of perimenopause up to a few years after menopause itself is reached. However, around half of all women who experience hot flashes actually end up suffering from them for more than five years after menopause. In severe cases, around 15 percent of women studied report suffering from hot flashes for as long as fifteen years after they have reached menopause.