What Is Pms?

Each month like clockwork, most of women come down with a
strange collection of symptoms Crying spells, mood swings,
bloating, headache, fatigue, cramps, and the list goes on One
minute you like to take a bite of chocolate, pizza the next
They snap at their family or bite their friends’ head off at the
slightest provocation, and then break down to tears because they
feel bloated and simply hate the way they look Most people,
especially the male population, are quick to dismiss it as “that
time of the month” Women’s mood swings had become stereotyped
as PMS, an excuse use to justify giving in on their food
cravings and acting like a shrew
However, doctors nowadays recognize PMS as a real medical
condition with physical and psychological symptoms PMS or
premenstrual syndrome is a set of hormonal changes that generate
a variety of both physical and emotional symptoms in women It
usually occurs between 7 to 14 days before actual “period” and
then disappears once the menstruation begins Women may
experience PMS during her childbearing years or sometimes even
after menopause
Bloating, cramps, fatigue, breast tenderness, and irritability,
does this sound familiar? Well you are not alone for studies
shows that about 95% of women experience some of over 150
symptoms associated to PMS The degree of severity varies, some
women felt only minor discomfort while for others the symptoms
are unbearable enough to interfere with their lives The
symptoms may differ from one person to another and may change
from cycle to cycle
Normally, the psychological symptoms of PMS include mood changes
like crying spells, depression, anxiety, anger, sadness or
irritability Psychological symptoms may also include some
changes in mental functioning such as difficulty in
concentrating or remembering as well as changes in sex drive
On the other hand, a wide range of physical symptoms are
associated with PMS Some of the most commonly observed physical
symptoms would include fatigue, insomnia, headache, acne,
cramps, breast tenderness, bloating, joint or muscle pain
Occasionally, some women experience upset stomach, diarrhea, or
constipation Women with PMS also tend to give in to their food
cravings especially for carbohydrates, chocolate or other sweets
Although real test to diagnose PMS has not yet been created,
doctors may conduct tests to rule out other conditions that
cause similar symptoms When the symptoms assent with the
monthly cycle and the woman’s tests are negative for other
conditions, then PMS is generally determined to be the cause of
her symptoms
There are several conditions to rule out when considering PMS
That includes anemia, diabetes, hypothyroidism, perimenopause,
endometriosis, dysmenorrhea and autoimmune disorders
On the other hand, some of the psychological conditions that
should be ruled out include eating disorders, alcohol abuse,
personality disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome Oral
contraceptive side effects should also be ruled out when
considering PMS To further confirm doctor’s diagnosis, keeping
a monthly diary of symptoms would also be helpful
PMS is still considered as a largely mysterious phenomenon by
the medical community and had been a subject for research and
some ongoing studies Since there has been no single cause of
PMS identified or accepted by the medical community, it is
likely that PMS is due to a variety of factors, as well as
because of genetics, environment and lifestyle factors like
nutrition and stress

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