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PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome is a set of physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms that occur during the latter part of the menstrual cycle of a woman, mostly around a week or two prior to the period.
Premenstrual symptoms are different for different women. Some women feel little to no discomfort apart from slightly tender breasts or a sweet craving during the days leading up to their periods. But many women experience several physical changes such as tender breasts, bloating, severe fatigue, and several behavioral and emotional changes such as extreme mood swings, irritability, and bouts of sadness.
Like periods, PMS is also a natural part of a woman’s menstrual cycle. PMS symptoms usually last for a few days and go away as soon as your periods start.
Even though every woman experiences PMS differently, right from the PMS duration to its severity and symptoms, there are a set of common physical and emotional symptoms that have been attributed to PMS.
Physical signs and symptoms of PMS include but are not limited to bloating, PMS cramps, fatigue, joint pain, hunger pangs, acne, a disturbed sleep schedule etc. While the emotional symptoms can manifest themselves in the form of oversensitivity, extreme mood swings, anger, irritability, anxiety, depression, etc.
Just as PMS symptoms vary from woman to woman, their duration and severity can vary from cycle to cycle for the same woman. For some women, PMS symptoms are known to alleviate postpartum and aggravate as they age and approach menopause. This informative video on PMS can help you to better understand the symptoms of PMS.
Even though it is estimated that three out of four women experience PMS symptoms in some or the other form, the exact causes of PMS are unknown. This is mostly because of the wide range of symptoms experienced by different women which makes it difficult to arrive at a concrete diagnosis.
That being said, several studies suggest that PMS is mainly caused due changes in cyclic hormones during your menstrual cycle. The interaction between the hormones and serotonin, a chemical produced by the brain that is responsible for your mood states, is also considered to be a contributing factor.
A few other factors such as smoking, stress, alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation, depression etc., are also known to affect PMS and its severity, however, they do not cause it.
Although PMS cannot be completely cured, there are several PMS treatments and home remedies that can help you manage your PMS symptoms. These are:
As a general rule, it is best you paid a visit to your gynecologist if:
Deciding when to visit your doctor can prove to be slightly tricky since the symptoms of PMS are largely similar to the early symptoms of pregnancy and other disorders. An effective tool that can help here is maintaining a menstrual record. Simply document the symptoms over a few months and check for any anomalies. For example, if the symptoms consistently occur prior to your periods and vanish as you begin to menstruate, then the symptoms indicate PMS.
However, if the symptoms are erratic and follow no particular pattern, there can be another underlying cause that can only be diagnosed by a health care professional.
Your gynecologist may ask you questions relating to the symptoms, your menstrual cycle, your overall health and whether you are on any other medications (to rule out the possibility of a possible side-effect) and they may also prescribe some blood work.
Based on the diagnosis, they can then prescribe a suitable course of medication to ease your symptoms.
PMS is as normal and as natural as your periods. Most PMS symptoms can be treated using home remedies and incorporating lifestyle changes and are not a cause for alarm. If you are suffering from severe symptoms, it is best to consult your health care professional.