Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition that affects a woman’s emotions, physical health, and behavior during certain days of themenstrual cycles , generally just before her menses.
PMS is a very common condition. Its symptoms affect more than 90 percent of menstruating women. It must impair some aspect of your life for your doctor to diagnose you.
PMS symptoms start five to 11 days before menstruation and typically go away once menstruation begins. The cause of PMS is unknown. However, many study believe that it’s related to a change in both sex hormone and serotonin levels at the beginning of the menstrual cycle.
Levels of estrogen and progesterone increase during certain times of the month. An increase in these hormones can cause mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. Ovarian steroids also modulate activity in parts of your brain associated with premenstrual symptoms. Serotonin levels affect mood. Serotonin is a chemical in your brain and gut that affects your moods, emotions, and thoughts. The symptoms usually stop soon after your period starts.
Some of the symptoms of PMS are listed below. Your symptoms may be worse some months and better others.
It is also common for you to have some of these symptoms but not others:
- acne
- back pain
- bloated abdomen
- changes in appetite, including cravings for certain foods
- constipation
- crying spells
- depression
- fast heartbeat
- feeling irritable, tense, or anxious
- feeling tired
- headache
- hot flashes
- joint pain
- mood swings
- not feeling as interested in sex
- tender and swollen breasts
- trouble concentrating
- trouble sleeping
- swollen hands or feet
- wanting to be alone
- weight gain
If your PMS symptoms are severe, you may have a condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This is especially true if your anxiety and depression feelings are extreme.
These tips will help you be healthier in general, and may relieve some of your PMS symptoms.
- Get regular aerobic physical activity throughout the month.15 Exercise can help with symptoms such as depression, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.
- Choose healthy foods most of the time. Avoiding foods and drinks with caffeine, salt, and sugar in the two weeks before your period may lessen many PMS symptoms.
- Get enough sleep. Try to get about eight hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep is linked to depression and anxiety and can make PMS symptoms such as moodiness worse.
- Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Talk to your friends or write in a journal. Some women also find yoga, massage, or meditation helpful.
- Don’t smoke. In one large study, women who smoked reported more PMS symptoms and worse PMS symptoms than women who did not smoke
