Nearly every woman during her lifetime may have undergone annoying symptoms prior to the menstrual date. These symptoms usually begin 7 to 10 days before the expected date of menstruation. PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome. A syndrome is a group of symptoms. PMS involves variety of symptoms. They are both mental as well as physical. Few symptoms such as muscle pain, backache and bloating are common few days before menses, but they are not severe.
When symptoms become out of proportion and it affects her day to day routine activity the problem becomes medical and it is labeled as premenstrual syndrome.
Often PMS can be problematic to diagnose because other conditions can also underlie some or many of the symptoms that are common in premenstrual syndrome. To overcome this difficulty, health care providers often recommend tracking her symptoms and menstrual periods.
Symptoms Of Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome occurs in the luteal phase, it is the last part of menstrual cycle. In order to be diagnosed as PMS, symptoms need to follow this cycle with consistency. Further, a diagnosis of PMS is only made when symptoms present during this period interfere with a woman’s life.
Although there doesn’t appear to be a clear cut cause for premenstrual syndrome, it is believed that PMS is related to hormones.
Other symptoms of PMS include
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Craving for foods
- Anxiety and anger
- Abdominal swelling
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Frequent mood swings
- Wants to remain alone
- Pimples and acne
- Aches and pains in the legs, joints or back
PMS Symptoms Breast Tenderness
Though breast soreness may not be a serious symptom of PMS, but all the same it may be the most uncomfortable symptom. In some women, even touch of clothes becomes painful episode. Breast soreness is often accompanied with other symptoms such as bloating, fluid retention and weight gain.
The reason for it is suspected to be due to fluctuations in estrogen and prolactin hormones before the menstrual period. Tenderness disappears after menstruation begins.
The best way to deal with breast tenderness that is experienced before menses is:
- Eat healthy and nutritious food.
- Exercise daily and reduce stress.
- Incorporate essential fatty acids and fiber food in daily diet.
- Restrict salt in food since salt retains fluid in the body.
- Avoid eating meat and other foods containing saturated fats as they are known to increase the level of estrogen and aggravate PMS symptoms.
- Avoid caffeine containing items which include coffee, tea, chocolate etc as they contain a chemical known as methylzanthines, which is known to cause dilatation of blood vessels. This may precipitate fluid retention in breast and produce breast soreness.
- Wear a supportive bra.
Can Diarrhea Be A Symptom Of PMS?
Many women complain of diarrhea as one of the premenstrual syndrome. Now what is the reason for diarrhea? The blame is again on hormonal fluctuation. Normally after ovulation, the progesterone level rises and estrogen level drops. However, when both levels fall it results in cramps and diarrhea.
Fluctuation in another hormone prostaglandin is suspected to produce diarrhea. This hormone is responsible for cramps in uterus and smooth muscle of intestine before menses. Excess of peristaltic movement of intestinal muscles then produces diarrhea. The condition can be resolved at home effectively by the following remedies:
- Stay hydrated. Drink more water and fluids.
- Eat bananas, rice, toast, porridge etc during this period to reduce diarrhea and nausea.
- Evening primerose oil is recommended by practitioners of alternate medicine. It is also used by them in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome etc.
Diagnosis Of Premenstrual Syndrome
During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle symptoms of other conditions can be worsened complicating a diagnosis of PMS.
For example, women who are depressed may have more profound depression during this time. Another example of a condition that is negatively influenced by the influx of hormones after ovulation is chronic fatigue syndrome. This all underscores the importance of tracking symptoms throughout the cycle and to do so for at least three months.
Symptoms of chronic conditions may be more intense before a period, but they will be present all month long while PMS symptoms end during menses. Conditions such as cramping and pain that lasts beyond the onset of bleeding may be a sign of other problems.