Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a group of symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle. PMS symptoms occur 1 to 2 weeks before your period starts. The symptoms usually go away after you start bleeding.
PMS can affect menstruating women of any age and the effect is different for each woman. For some people, PMS is just a monthly bother. For others, it may be so severe that it makes it hard to even get through the day. PMS goes away when your monthly periods stop, such as when you get pregnant or go through menopause.
Pre-menstrual syndrome is a cluster of symptoms occurring every month on menstruating women i.e. ages 12 to 50 and they include:
Emotional and behavioral symptoms
- Tension or anxiety
- Depressed mood
- Crying spells
- Mood swings and irritability or anger
- Appetite changes and food cravings
- Trouble falling asleep (insomnia)
- Social withdrawal
- Poor concentration
Physical signs and symptoms
- Joint or muscle pain
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Weight gain related to fluid retention
- Abdominal bloating
- Breast tenderness
- Acne flare-ups
- Constipation or diarrhea
- lack of sleep
What Causes Pms
The real cause is not known but it’s associated with hormonal changes and some other factors e.g.
- Salty and sugary foods
- Sedentary life style
- Some behavior like alcohol and smoking
Treatment/Management
- In most cases 70% do not need medical care but 8-10% may need medical care but some home remedies may be tried.
- Chocolate eating [this helps to lower some level of hormones esp. testosterone]
- Avoid salty food as this causes retention of water
- Avoid alcohol and smoking as this alters the mood and may lead to depression
- Avoid sugary and caffeine drinks
- Try to get enough sleep
- Try some vigorous exercise 15 minutes daily like brisk walk
- Yoga and aquatic exercise will help
- Take a lot of fruits and whole grains
- Psychotherapy i.e. counseling
Medical Management
The 10% which needs medical care like depression, insomnia and suicidal tendencies and very severe pain.
- Ibuprofen for pain 400mg thrice a day not more than three days
- Severe depression sertraline [zoloft] 200mg thrice or as advised, this is to increase the level of serotonin uptake by the brain cells.
- Some form of hormonal drugs may be given to stop ovulation e.g. microgynon.
- Folic acid supplementation 400 micrograms
- Vitamins supplementation vitamins B6, E,D.