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The Impact PMS Has On The Well-Being Of Women

Think about the impact that something would have on your life if it occurred for a two-week period of time every month of your life for approximately 20 years? Now imagine if this s"omething" was not a good thing but caused you to have both emotional and physical symptoms that made you unable to function in your normal everyday fashion. How would you feel? Do you think something like this would have a big impact on your well-being? This s"omething" is premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and it makes a negative impact on 70 to 90% of menstruating women.

The symptoms are both emotional and physical and can cause so much havoc in a woman's life during the week to two weeks prior to her period each month that she is unable to function normally at work, school or home. The symptoms can become so bad that she needs medication in order to have some measure of relief. She can experience PMS so severely that she develops PMDD, a condition of physical symptoms that are really severe.

Women can experience a few of the symptoms each month, maybe different ones on different months and the intensity to which they feel the symptoms can also change, mild one month and severe the next.

The most common symptoms of PMS are abdominal bloating, acne, anxiety, backache, confusion, crying spells, depression, fatigue, food cravings, forgetfulness, irritability, joint or muscle pain, trouble focusing, water retention and the resultant weight gain. The cramping that women experience before and during their period is caused by the fluctuating levels of prostaglandin's or hormones, which stimulate the muscles in the uterus to contract. You can minimize the cramps by exercising and by taking over-the-counter pain relievers.

You can experience symptoms of PMS anywhere from 11 to 5 days before your period is due to start. The symptoms typically stop a day or two after your period starts. Women who have symptoms as early as 2 weeks before the start of their period may have PMDD, which is a more severe form of PMS.

When women experience PMS symptoms 2 weeks before their period is due and the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with how they function at work, school or at home they may have PMDD. PMDD needs to be treated by a doctor so that the woman can have some relief from her severe symptoms.

Making sure the woman has a healthy diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables complex carbohydrates, and lean meats can treat PMS symptoms. She should also try to exercise at least 3 times a week for 20 to 45 minutes minimum. It is important to get enough rest at night and to avoid smoking and drinking of alcohol. Avoid salt, refined sugar and fats. The doctor may prescribe nonprescription medications to help with the pain and discomfort as well as the bloating. The doctor may prescribe prescription medications such as diuretics, oral contraceptives and SSRIs. Some women have turned to various alternative remedies to help relieve the PMS symptoms.

Alternative remedies for PMS include calcium (1,200 mg in chewable form to reduce the physical and psychological symptoms, magnesium (400 mg) to reduce fluid retention, breast tenderness and bloating, vitamin B6 (50 - 100 mg), vitamin E (400 international units) to reduce cramps and breast tenderness, herbal remedies such as black cohosh, ginger, raspberry leaf, dandelion, chasteberry and evening primrose oil. Women have also used natural progesterone creams to relieve symptoms. Women should always check with their doctor before using herbs or dietary supplements.