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The Face of PMS - Symptoms, Characteristics and More

It's hard to believe that the face you see in the mirror every morning could turn into Mrs. Hyde when PMS rolls around. However, as many parents, boyfriends, husbands and partners can attest, PMS is real and it can get real ugly unless the symptoms are managed. Premenstrual Syndrome is the fancy term for it but PMS is the general term cursed among females.

Scientists and doctors have noted over 150 distinct symptoms related to PMS and of course, not every woman is going to get them. The most common symptoms groused about by women include cramping, mood swings and fatigue. It is important to note that the same symptoms do not always appear each month. In fact, some months you may not experience any problems at all. There may be no rhyme or reason as to why PMS symptoms come and go on a biological whim.

Some symptoms of PMS read like a laundry list of symptoms for other ailments except for the fact they disappear right around when you period appears only to return during the next cycle. Here is a listing of the most commonly reported PMS symptoms: cramping, headaches, bloating, gas, mood swings, depression, fluid retention, backaches, constipation, anxiety, clumsiness, low sex drive, fatigue, joint aches, general irritability and heart palpitations.

When you break out the symptoms of PMS, there are four main concentrations of symptoms that the above listed are usually grouped in. There may be some broad treatments that can be prescribed based on these four main groups of symptoms. Here they are:

1. Anxiety induced symptoms - Variable mood swings are captured in this broad category and usually includes irritability and crying for no apparent reason. Basically, emotional ties are sensitive thus playing into the crying and irritability. During PMS, women may also have a rather sharp tongue, not thinking of others feelings before speaking.

2. Biological cravings - There are many cravings that PMS-ing women have during "that" time of the month but some of them can actually exacerbate them! Chocolate is a big craving but it has caffeine, an ingredient that should be avoided as it can cause fluid retention and bloating. The same symptoms apply to the consumption of alcohol and whole milk dairy products. Salty items should be avoided as well because the salt causes fluid retention.

3. Headaches and lethargy - Because the chemicals in your brain may become a bit unbalanced during PMS, these changes can cause headaches, even migraines in worst case scenarios. Some doctors theorize that the fluid retention is a contributing factor. Weight gain, bloating and breast tenderness are associated with fatigue and lethargy.

4. Depression and absent-mindedness - In a small percentage of cases, depression can occur in PMS-ing women. Worst case scenarios often run through their head and very rare occasions, suicide or the death of loved ones may be obsessed over. Primarily, you might be clumsy and forgetful and on occasion, a bit paranoid.

The majority of women find relief from PMS with over the counter pain relievers, heating pads, massage, exercise, diet restriction and even the use of herbs. If you fall into that small percentage of women who suffer each month without an alleviation of symptoms, a gynecologist specialist may needed to be consulted to see if there are any deeper health issues that may be contributing to the problem.