Flushing refers to a feeling of warmth and redness of the skin, often accompanied by sweating. It can be caused by various factors, including:
- Physical triggers: physical exertion, hot showers or baths, exposure to heat or cold, etc.
- Emotional triggers: embarrassment, anger, anxiety, etc.
- Medical conditions: menopause, carcinoid syndrome, mastocytosis, etc.
- Medications: certain blood pressure drugs, chemotherapy drugs, etc.
Flushing can also be a side effect of some drugs, including PDE5 inhibitors used to treat erectile dysfunction, as they increase blood flow and relax the smooth muscle in blood vessels. In some cases, flushing may be a sign of a more serious underlying condition and requires medical evaluation.