Taming the Once-a-Month Witch: Living With PMS
By Michi Beck
Copyright 2010 Michi Beck
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Nothing found anywhere in this book should ever be used as professional medical advice, and the author makes no representation that particular ideas or treatments will be better than others or should be used in your particular situation. Always consult a licensed professional about medical questions. This ebook is not intended to prevent, treat, or cure any disease.
What is PMS?
PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is a term for the often unpleasant symptoms that many women experience just before the onset of their monthly menstrual cycle. It is also sometimes referred to as Premenstrual Tension, though this term does not cover the broad spectrum of symptoms women with PMS suffer. These symptoms – such as cramps, mood swings, and weight gain – normally occur sometime after ovulation and vanish as soon as the monthly period arrives.
Though estimates vary widely, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists up to 40 percent of menstruating women report at least one symptom of PMS. Some studies indicate that as many as one in three women suffer from PMS, and other studies have the figure as high as 90 percent. Most women have symptoms that are mild, with around five to ten percent having a more severe form of PMS, which is called PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder).
Up until just a few years short ago, symptoms of PMS were often ignored or considered "all in a woman's head." PMS was something to be stoically endured and lived with. It is now known that PMS is a very real condition caused by certain metabolic changes within a woman's body. There are more than 150 documented symptoms of PMS. However, not every woman suffers the same symptoms or has all of the symptoms - and those symptoms may change and fluctuate in severity from one month to the next.
In recent years, great strides have been taken by medical science to pinpoint the cause and discover new treatments for PMS. If you have PMS now, you need not suffer in silence. There are so many new treatments, both medical and natural, that you should be able to find something to relieve or drastically reduce your symptoms.
What Causes PMS?
Little is known about the exact cause of PMS, except that it appears to be triggered by hormonal changes within the body. Symptoms of PMS commonly begin when there is a sudden shift in hormonal activity which creates an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. This can occur at the onset of puberty, after pregnancy, when a woman is approaching menopause, or after a hysterectomy or other surgery that may cause a sudden change in hormone levels. PMS is also likely to worsen as women enter perimenopause in their late thirties or early forties. PMS does not occur in women who do not ovulate, so women who have passed menopause or have had a hysterectomy will not experience PMS unless they are placed on synthetic estrogen or progesterone.
Estrogen levels start to rise in the body just after menstruation and reach the highest point around ovulation. The estrogen levels then rapidly drop, then rise and fall again just before menstruation. Changes in the levels of estrogen and progesterone are believed to be responsible for the myriad of physical and emotional symptoms some women experience every month.
It is not known why some women experience PMS and others have no symptoms at all. Heredity can be a factor. Women whose mothers have PMS may be more likely to have it, too. Stress can also contribute to PMS symptoms. Though stress does not actually cause PMS, it can make it worse.
Symptoms and Types
Some women experience no symptoms of PMS. These are the lucky women. If you have PMS or know someone who does, you know that the problem is very real and sometimes not easy to live with.
PMS usually begins about a week before menstruation (although it can occur as early as two weeks prior to the start of menstrual bleeding in some women), and may cause both physical and emotional symptoms. Since there are over 150 reported symptoms of PMS, a comprehensive list would fill up a page or more. The lists below cover only a few of the more commonly reported physical and emotional complaints, and symptoms vary from woman to woman.
Though most women will not experience all of these symptoms, the symptoms they do experience tend to recur with each cycle. For example, if you experience acne and mood swings, you're more likely to have these every month than a new set of symptoms each month. (This, however, varies with the individual, and some women do report that their symptoms change from month to month.)
Physical Symptoms
* breast tenderness
* bloating
* water retention
* weight gain
* acne
* cramps
* migraine headaches
Emotional Symptoms
* mood swings
* tension and anxiety
* irritability
* depression
* exhaustion