PMS (Premenstrual) syndrome affects around 90% of women aged twenty to fifty. PMSsyndrome is any one or more of a multitude of emotional and physical symptoms. These include anxiety, sadness, depression, mood swings, insomnia, food cravings, fatigue, lethargy, lack of sex drive, clumsiness, dizziness, decreased concentration and indecision, headache, breast tenderness, muscle pain, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, fluid retention, weight gain and problem skin and hair.
PMS syndrome strikes during the final two weeks of the menstrual
cycle and lasts for anywhere between one or two days to ten or more days.
Every woman's PMS syndrome is unique, as it is the consequent impact of PMS syndrome on her life. Some (incredibly lucky!) women experience no PMS syndrome, for others its impact on life is only mild. For some women however, PMS syndrome can be so severe that normal function is impossible once PMS syndrome hits. Treatment for PMS syndrome depends on the severity of its symptoms. Modifying diet and lifestyle, taking vitamin and herbal supplements and over the counter pain medication may be all that's required for making life easier during PMS for some women. For severe PMS syndrome however, more aggressive medical intervention may be required through prescription anti-depressants and hormone-based drugs.
The cause of PMS syndrome remains unknown, but research shows that women who suffer from PMS, particularly severe PMS syndrome, have an increased sensitivity to the hormonal changes and demonstrate an altered response to pain and stress that during the last two weeks of the menstrual cycle. No matter the cause, PMS syndrome is very real and without intervention or treatment, significantly affects the quality of life of many women.
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