How Does Premenstrual Syndrome Affect Your Health?
Submitted by Andy_B on Wednesday, 11 October 2023 Page Views: 148
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PMS (premenstrual syndrome) is a term used to describe the symptoms the woman gets around 1 to 2 weeks before a period. Over 90% of women will get such premenstrual symptoms. In some cases, they are really severe and can lead to missing school or work. They can even lead to more serious conditions like the disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.
The problem is that PMS affects women in different ways. The symptoms one has are not the same that another woman shows. And the intensity of those symptoms also varies. In most cases, there is a predictable pattern present for the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. However, the emotional and physical changes experienced can vary from really intense to unnoticeable.
PMS Causes
It is not actually known what the real cause of PMS is. However, doctors did discover several factors that do contribute to all that happens. They are:• Brain chemical changes – Serotonin fluctuations can trigger the appearance of PMS symptoms. When your body does not have enough of this very important hormone, you can end up suffering from premenstrual depression, foot fatigue, sleep problems, and more.
• Hormone cycle changes – PMS symptoms and signs will change based on hormonal fluctuations. They will also disappear with menopause and pregnancy.
• Depression – When suffering from severe premenstrual syndrome, depression can set in.
The Effects Of PMS On Your Body
Around 50% of women who really need some relief from PMS also have some other health problem they suffer from. That health problem can be worse as the menstrual period happens. The really common effects you have to be aware of are:• Anxiety disorders and depression – These are very common and so often overlap when a woman suffers from premenstrual syndrome. The symptoms of anxiety and depression are very similar to many of those that appear with PMS. Unfortunately, they can also get a lot worse during or before the period.
• CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) – A number of women report that PMS symptoms become worse when the period ends. According to research, the women affected by these two conditions tend to have really heavy menstrual bleeding. Also, they are often having to deal with the appearance of premature menopause.
• Bladder pain syndrome – If you suffer from bladder pain syndrome, your cramps will most likely become a lot worse with more pain.
It should also be highlighted that when you have migraines, allergies, and asthma, the conditions are going to become worse when PMS appears.
What Can You Do?
When PMS is very hard to deal with, there are several things that you can do. The most important recommendations that have to be highlighted are:• Make sure that you regularly exercise. This was shown to reduce the severity of the symptoms.
• Eat a really balanced, healthy diet. Many women reported that when they eat smaller meals, like once every 3 hours, symptoms are improved than when eating large meals every day.
• Take on activities that can reduce your stress. Two very common ones you can try are meditation and yoga. But, make sure you do not go through very strenuous yoga asanas.
• Make sure you sleep as much as the body needs it. The usual recommendation is 8 hours per day.
• Painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen can help you experience less pain.
Another thing you could do is start a diary in which you record the symptoms you experience. Do this for 3 months so you record the menstrual cycles. The diary can be helpful when you go to your GP appointment.
The last thing you should be aware of is that whenever symptoms become too strong to handle, you should go to your doctor. Medication is always available.
