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Getting The Facts About Premenstrual Syndrome

Premenstrual Syndrome usually called PMS by most women can manifest itself in physical, mental or emotional ways during the pre-menstrual part of her monthly cycle. These symptoms of PMS usually end a few days after her menstrual flow starts. PMS is complex in its presentation as there are a various symptoms and the intensity of each symptom can change from one month to the next. Those at risk are women with intact ovaries who are aged 30 to 50 years of age who are having menstrual cycles. Women who have had a hysterectomy can still experience PMS if she has at least one ovary.

There are different processes that can contribute to the PMS symptoms, so methods of treatment will vary from one woman to the next and the prescribed treatment may include a combination of traditional medical approaches and alternative treatments. Surgery is usually a last resort, used when other methods and treatments fail to bring relief from PMS symptoms.

Women who have PMS experience symptoms during the luteal phase, which occurs after the ova (egg) has been released from the ovary and may last until a few days after the menstrual flow begins. It is believed that the shift between the hormone progesterone and the hormone estrogen causes some of the PMS symptoms.

Some medical professionals believe that not only does progesterone and estrogen play a role in PMS symptoms but other chemical changes as well. The chemical changes may be those that happen as a part of deficiencies in the nervous system (endorphin system). The endorphins are your "feel good" hormones and is what makes people feel cheerful, and in good moods. These endorphins also are responsible for taking away our ability to feel pain. When they levels of endorphins fall during the luteal phase of a woman's cycle (when PMS occurs) she can feel pain more, and she may feel nausea, and jumpy. The hormones cycling through her body affects both kidneys and other organs that control the balance of water and salt in her body. The fluid overload from the lack of balance causes swelling and weight gain, two major symptoms of PMS.

Progesterone level affects the body in many ways including the insulin level and levels of blood sugar, which influences your tolerance for alcohol and can, also trigger cravings for foods and sweets. When you eat sweets first the blood sugar goes up and then it drops down low, which may account for the crying spells and irritability, two common symptoms of PMS.

Studies have shown that women have low levels of serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates functions such as mood and sensitivity to pain. When an individual has low levels of serotonin, it can trigger depression. Popular antidepressant medications, Prozac, and Paxil work by raising levels of serotonin in the brain.

Your body produces an inflammatory substance called prostaglandins in areas of the body such as your breast, brain, kidney, gastrointestinal tract and your reproductive tract. When this occurs symptoms such as breast tenderness, constipation, cramping, diarrhea and gas can occur.