Table of Contents
Introduction:
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition that occurs a few days prior to a menstrual cycle.
Premenstrual Syndrome affects most women in their reproductive age both physically and mentally. Some women even take PMS medication to relieve the symptoms.
In this article, let’s discuss in detail about PMS remedies, PMS mood swings, premenstrual syndrome treatments, causes and everything about it in brief.
What is PMS?
PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome. It refers to a set of physical and emotional impacts a woman has a few days before her menstrual cycle.
Although these symptoms might vary from person to person, most women have at least one symptom before their period.
What is PMDD?
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a type of PMS but the severity is higher.
A small percentage of women are affected by PMDD where they need medical help to relieve the symptoms.
PMDD is also a mix of both physical and menstrual issues like Premenstrual Syndrome. It is a severe form of PMS that affects a smaller percentage of women.
A woman is tested for PMDD when her PMS symptoms are too severe and unbearable.
Symptoms of PMS
Premenstrual syndrome symptoms include:
Physical symptoms
- Bloating
- Breast tenderness
- Fatigue
- Muscle/ joint pain
- Lower back pain
- Headaches or migraines
- Change in appetite or food cravings
- Weight gain
Emotional Symptoms
Emotional symptoms of PMS include:
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Depression
Causes of PMS
Although the exact cause of PMS is not found yet, it is said that it could be due to the hormonal changes a woman undergoes during or before her menstrual cycle.
The hormones progesterone and estrogen levels rise and fall rapidly before the menstrual cycle.
How is PMS diagnosed?
Although PMS is a common term used by women, it is a medical condition and the healthcare expert diagnoses it based on the symptoms and severity.
The healthcare expert does a pelvic examination followed by a few other tests to diagnose it.
Treatments for Premenstrual Syndrome
Although some women have manageable PMS where they do not require any home remedies or medical help, there are other women who have severe symptoms and might require some kind of treatment to soothe the pain.
PMS treatment includes:
- Heat pads: Heating pads or heating patches is one of the best ways to relieve abdomen or muscle cramps during PMS.
- Medicine: The gynecologist might prescribe birth control , hormone therapy or over the counter medicine according to the severity of the symptoms.
- Healthy lifestyle: Apart from medications , it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise in order to ease the pain. Although exercise would be the last thing on everyone’s mind when dealing with PMS, it is said that pelvic exercises can reduce the cramps to a greater extent.
Apart from this, one can also try out natural remedies for pms including:
- Herbal teas
- Hot water bags
- Adequate rest
- Stress relief
How to prevent PMS?
While it is difficult to prevent PMS as we do not know the exact cause of it, we can take some precautions to reduce the severity of it including:
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
- Limiting caffeine intake it can worsen the symptoms
- Engaging in yoga or any other physical activity
- Managing stress levels for pms mood swings relief .
- Consulting with a gynecologist
When to Consult a Gynecologist?
If you face bad pms mood swings, or PMS depression consult with a gynecologist immediately as it can be a sign of underlying health conditions.
It is also important to talk to a health care expert when the PMS symptoms are significantly higher or when the severity of the pain is higher.
The gynecologist can diagnose and treat your conditions and prescribe medicines to control the symptoms.
For consultations with the best gynecologist in Chennai Dr. Deepthi Jammi, contact Jammi scans at 7338771733 for easy appointments.
Conclusion
Although PMS is a commonly used term around women, it is important to consult with a gynecologist and get adequate treatments based on the severity.
Apart from that, it is equally essential to get a routine gynecological check up done once in every 6 months to ensure reproductive health.
Chennai Women’s clinic is now Jammi scans
FAQ
1. What age does PMS start?
PMS usually starts after a woman hits puberty( first period). Sometimes, it may even start in the later stage too.
2. What foods are good for PMS cravings?
It is better to have healthy whole foods during PMS as junk food can aggravate the symptoms. One can have fibroids, fruits, veggies, nuts like almond, walnut , pistachios and dates to keep the sugar cravings at pace.
3. How many days before the period does PMS start?
Although PMS can start anytime before one’s menstrual cycle, it typically starts about 5 days prior to one’s menstrual cycle.
4. What is the difference between PMS and PMDD?
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is similar to PMS but is more severe when compared to PMS. Women with PMDD have significantly severe symptoms of PMS and they require medical help.
5. Why do I feel so crazy before my period?
As the hormonal levels are erratic before menstruation, it is common for women to feel crazy. Since the estrogen and progesterone levels go up and down rapidly, it can lead to anxiety, mood swings and irritability.
