What is premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?
Rose May Pimentel in Health
Sep 08, 2020 • 3 min Read
Mood swings, headaches, bloating, food cravings — periods can be frustrating especially during pre-menstrual syndrome, or commonly known as PMS. 85% of women around the world experience it. But what is PMS and how one will be relieved?
PMS is a combination of physical and emotional symptoms that many women get about a week or two before their period. PMS is attributed to the changing hormone levels during a woman’s menstrual cycle. For some women, these symptoms may be so severe that they missed work or school, but other women are not bothered by milder symptoms.
Emotional symptoms of PMS include mood swings, irritability, anxiety, sadness and crying spells, trouble concentrating or remembering things, and compulsive eating. Its physical symptoms include bloating, swollen or tender breasts, cramping, headaches, backaches, acne, constipation or diarrhea, tiredness, and sleep problems (too much or too little).
Here are some tips from the Office on Women’s Health, that will help you be healthier in general, and may relieve some of your PMS symptoms.
* Get regular physical aerobic activity throughout the month. 15 minutes of exercise can help reduce symptoms such as depression, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.
* Choose healthy foods. Avoid foods and drinks with caffeine, salt, and sugar two weeks before your period to lessen many PMS symptoms.
* Get enough sleep. Try to get about eight hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep is linked to depression and anxiety and it can make PMS symptoms such as moodiness worse.
* Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Talk to your friends or write in a journal. Some women find yoga, massage, or meditation helpful.
* Don’t smoke. In one large study, women who smoked reported more PMS and worse PMS symptoms than women who did not smoke.
Over-the-counter medicines can also help treat some PMS symptoms. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin can help lessen the physical symptoms such as cramps, headaches, backaches, and breast tenderness. Some women find that taking an over-the-counter pain reliever before their period starts to lessen the amount of pain and bleeding during their period. But all medicines have risks, talk to your doctor first.
Studies have also shown that certain vitamins and minerals may help relieve some PMS symptoms, such as:
* Calcium. Studies show that calcium can help reduce some PMS symptoms, such as fatigue, cravings, and depression. Calcium is found in foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and have calcium-fortified in orange cereal, and bread. You can also take a calcium supplement.
* Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 may help with PMS symptoms, including moodiness, irritability, forgetfulness, bloating, and anxiety. Vitamin B6 can be found in foods such as fish, poultry, potatoes, fruit (except for citrus fruits), and fortified cereals. You can also take it as a dietary supplement.
But again, talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
Having PMS shouldn’t ruin your good day. Take control, try these tips, and conquer the pains and emotional rollercoaster that come with PMS. Go girl! Stay healthy and safe!
CTTO of the Featured Image
