Pre-Menstrual Syndrome – PMS Debunked

I am surprised with the number of teenage girls and women that I have spoken with who do not know how to cope with Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, or PMS, as it is known. At some time or other most women suffer the effects of PMS, which can upset their social, school and business lives as well as their general health. Education in this important area of personal health is now timely for all women suffering the debilitating symptoms of PMS.

PMS is a culmination of various debilitating symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle of women and is rampant among eighty to ninety percent of menstruating women. The frequency of symptoms seems to be highest among women in their twenties and thirties.

This syndrome activates many disruptive and debilitating symptoms up to a fortnight before the start of menstruation. In most women, these symptoms disappear after the onset of the menstrual period, however, some experience symptoms until the end of their period. Symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome vary across several areas of a woman’s holistic wellbeing. Disturbances have been linked to psychological, physical and emotional upsets.

Although hormonal changes appear to play a significant role in PMS, it is not clear why some women experience unbearable symptoms while some experience none. For those sensitive to decreasing levels of estrogen, the effects can be traumatic. Perhaps one of the most readily recognized symptoms of the hormonal changes is how it affects affect a woman’s emotional state, often causing irritability or a very low threshold of tolerance to emotional triggers.

There are many other notable symptoms of PMS. Some women complain of severe headaches, a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen and lower back, painful joints, abdominal cramping, panic, fatigue, depression, backache, anxiety, heart palpitations, fluid retention, constipation, decreased work performance, lack of coordination and uncontrollable spells of crying. While all of these symptoms rarely occur at the same time, most women can relate to experiencing many of them on a regular basis.

PMS has been linked to depression in many women, particularly in post-pregnancy. Symptoms are more severe in women with a history of depression in their families, and it is well for family members to notice if depression is becoming a regular state with a post-natal mum, and find help before depression sets in.

There are many strategies women can learn and implement to alleviate the symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. You will find extensive research results and answers to your questions at http://www.womenshealth-pms.com.