How many people do you know that have told you that when they or their significant others is experiencing PMS that their relationship suffers as a result? While a woman’s menstrual cycle is a part of nature, it is not normal or nature that causes a good number of women to damage their relationship during this time, yet many women does it. PMS and hormonal issues are no excuse for acting like a jerk and treating people around you in a rude and hostile manner. If you or someone you know is dealing with being on the receiving end of someone going though PMS, you should make an effort to put an end to it early.

Many women are surprised and taken off guard by how much PMS negatively affect them emotionally. Obviously, when you are not 100% physically or emotionally, your condition is going to affect your interactions with other people. The great thing about PMS, if there is such a thing, is that it is predictable in that it comes at about the same time every month, which will allow you to plan ahead for the emotional swings that you will experience. Because you know when your PMS comes around, you can plan ahead for it so you can take action to lessen the impact the symptoms will have on your relationship.

If you are in a relationship that is being ruined by your negative behavior, you need to acknowledge that the PMS is not an excuse to treat another person badly or to be treated badly. Instead of accepting the negative behavior as something that just is, you need to compensate and actively make changes to your behavior or pattern of behavior that occurs when you expect the symptoms of PMS around the same time each month.

If you are a women suffering with PMS, you need to talk to your doctor. Sometimes a birth control pill or even a mild antidepressant can help you deal with the hormonal changes that cause some of the emotional changes. The medical assistance will help you to carry on with your everyday life as normally as possible and help keep your relationships intact, even in those days before you begin menstruating. There are other alternatives besides birth control pills and antidepressants, so be sure to talk to your doctor and discuss the various options that will work best for you to help you live a better life with PMS.

If you are on the receiving end of poor treatment from someone suffering from PMS, you need not tolerating it and put an early end to any abusive behavior. Make it clear to your girlfriend or wife that while you are sympathetic that they don’t feeling well, you are not going to be their whipping post. Let them know that you need them to get help or otherwise you cannot remain in a relationship with them.

If you are affected by your PMS, you need to be open and tell the people in your life what is affecting your behavior. Many times the people around you aren’t sure what is going on, so in the days leading up to when you usually struggle, be honest about it. If you are honest people will have more understanding and empathy and your honestly will perhaps help you overcome your struggles with a bit less guilt and more ease.

The point is that PMS is no excuse for you to treat people badly or to settle for being treated badly. There are options out there that will help you deal with your struggles with your PMS in a productive manner so that you can carry on with your life as normal as possible. PMS can be a serious problem but it doesn’t have to adversely affect your life and the lives of the people around you.

Researchers estimate that there are between 50 and 80% of women who suffer from some symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. There are over 150 identified symptoms that range from physical, psychological and emotional symptoms, mild to severe, that can have very negative effects on a woman’s life for 2 weeks out of each month.

PMS symptoms can include breast tenderness, weight gain, bloated feeling, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, anger, depression, anxiety, emotional instability, tension and irritability, mood swings, and headaches. These symptoms are vey similar to the symptoms of early pregnancy.

Women who experience the symptoms of PMS may find their symptoms change from month to month and can also change in intensity. Simple natural treatments for PMS usually involve changes in lifestyle choices, improved diet, exercise program, and stopping the use of tobacco, alcohol and caffeine.

One big dilemma that women who suffer from PMS face is the additional emotional stress at the end of their menstrual cycle when they are awaiting conformation that they may be pregnant. This is especially difficult for women who have difficulty becoming pregnant and suffer from similar symptoms of early pregnancy at the end of each month.

However, because of the serious side effects associated with many of the medications prescribed today for treatment of PMS, women who suffer from these symptoms must stop treatment while they are trying to get pregnant. Women who suffer from PMS should look to alternative methods of treatment for their symptoms that won’t cause harm to a potentially developing baby.

Many women may believe that alternative remedies for treating PMS would include using natural herbs but the true is that natural does not always mean safe. Drugs that are made in the laboratory often will use preservatives, produce side effects, and will require the use of other drugs to counteract with the side effects of the first drug. On the other hand, most medications are derivatives of natural herbal supplements anyway, and since pharmaceutical companies are not allowed to trademark or patent natural herbs, they make them in the lab and add other ingredients to make a product.

Because of the risk associated with medications and even natural herbs, women looking for some PMS relief should first look to lifestyle changes, diet, exercise and elimination of ingestion of harmful substances before considering any alternative medications. Keep in mind that these lifestyle choice changes may take several months to see results with your PMS symptoms, but the wait can mean relief from your PMS symptoms, an improvement for your overall health, ability to become pregnant and carry the child full term.

PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is really a group of physical, psychological and emotional symptoms, numbering over 150, which affects approximately 75% of women in the United States. It is believed by most researchers that premenstrual syndrome may be the result of women’s sensitivity to hormonal changes which take place each month during the menstrual cycle. These same scientists also believe that at the same time, the hormonal changes decrease the brains ability to make use of serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in the brain which is responsible for controlling mood swings, anxiety and weight gain.

In several studies done within the past 10 years researchers have found that women who experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome had lower levels of calcium than women who don’t. The studies also found that women who took calcium supplements reduced the severity of their PMS symptoms. In one study, researchers found that 300 mg of calcium carbonate, taken four times a day throughout the menstrual period appreciably reduced depression, mood swings, food cravings and bloating.

Another naturally occurring mineral, magnesium, has shown good preliminary results for relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. In one study, 32 women use 360 mg of magnesium three times a day from Day 15 to the beginning of their menstrual period. These magnesium supplements were found to significantly improve there are emotional changes. In another study researchers found that magnesium significantly reduced weight gain, swelling and bloating, and breast tenderness.

Women diagnosed with heart or kidney disease should consult their physician before taking any extra calcium or magnesium since the minerals have the potential to interfere with medications that is already being taken. Excessive amount of magnesium and calcium also have side effects which include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, and confusion.

Although there is no scientific evidence to show any benefits in the use of acupuncture for premenstrual syndrome, there have been reported case studies that indicate that acupuncture, in combination with an exercise program and breathing exercises, will help to lessen the symptoms of PMS.

Another important natural remedy that can be used, and should be used, for the treatment of premenstrual symptoms is dietary changes and lifestyle choices. By reducing sugar and salt intake, eating smaller frequent meals to stabilize blood sugar, eliminating caffeine which can aggravate anxiety, depression and breast tenderness, increasing fruits and vegetables, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and reducing the intake of fatty foods can decrease the degree and severity of the symptoms of PMS.

Regular aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, cycling or swimming have been found in studies to decrease the experience of emotional and physical symptoms of PMS. The studies also found that it was the frequency of the exercise is not the intensity that matter in reducing the PMS symptoms. Strenuous exercise at least 30 minutes three times a week is enough to improve cardiac health and reduce the risk of stroke and peripheral vascular disease as well as diabetes and high blood pressure

To minimize the symptoms of PMS, women should also avoid empty calories such as soft drinks, sweets containing refined sugars, and reduce dairy products from the diet each day since lactose tends to block the body’s ability to absorb magnesium which helps to regulate estrogen levels in the body.

More importantly women should shut themselves in and isolate themselves from contact with the outside world, believing that they are the only ones experiencing the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Acknowledging that they are suffering from premenstrual syndrome with their spouses, friends or coworkers, can help to lower the emotional stress of all concerned, as well as help them maintain relationships with friends and relatives. It may be that some women will find it beneficial to get the support of premenstrual syndrome self-help groups to share their experiences.

PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is responsible for a whole host of symptoms that are believed to be set off by the hormonal changes in a woman’s body in the weeks leading up to her menstrual period. Most women have experienced PMS at some point during their childbearing years. Keeping the symptoms under control is a constant struggle, with some months worse than others. Women wind up scheduling their personal lives around the cramping, bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, fatigue, food cravings, trouble concentrating or remembering, and headache about one week out of the month.

Not only do women with PMS have to deal with the physical discomforts, they have to contend with the emotional turmoil it causes as well. PMS symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability, and mood swings can disrupt relationships and making the lives of those around them extremely difficult.

Fortunately, there are ways to control some of the symptoms so that the monthly PMS experience is a little less painfully and disruptive, and more manageable.

Women affected by PMS have had their symptoms alleviated in the past with lifestyle changes, such as improved diets, stress reduction educations, exercise regimens, and traditional medication.

Nutrition is certainly a good starting point for dealing with your PMS: it is safe, relatively inexpensive, effective, and puts you in control of your own treatment. There is no doubt that what we eat has a tremendous affect on our physical and mental health, so it stands to reason that what you eat can also affect your menstrual cycle.

Turns out, a proper diet with the right nutrients can help you in reducing the symptoms of PMS. Scientific studies have shown that a diet consisting of foods with low saturated fats, low sugar, high fiber, low salt, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help to relieve PMS symptoms. For those women who have PMS symptoms that are not severe enough to require a doctor’s care, following a certain diet and eating certain types of foods may alleviate the discomfort associated with common PMS symptoms.

Decrease saturated fats from your diet to help balance your hormone levels – Cut down on dairy products and red meats, which have high amounts of saturated fats that can cause an increase the levels of estrogen in the blood resulting in an imbalance in hormone levels. Along with decreasing saturated fats, limit trans-fatty acids found in most processed foods. Trans-fatty acids are difficult for the liver to process, which also decreases the body’s ability to balance hormone levels. Hormonal imbalance can lead to mood swings including irritability and depression.

Reduce your consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates to manage blood sugar levels – Sugar makes the body’s job of processing estrogen more difficult, causing the sugar levels in the blood to increase too rapidly. This can lead to high insulin levels and the retention of sodium in the body, which may result in swelling of the hands and feet. Eating a diet with complex carbohydrates slows the release of insulin and can prevent many of the water-retention symptoms associated with PMS.

Decrease salt in your diet to reduce bloating and swelling – If bloating is a problem for you during your menstrual period, cut your salt intake. Salt or sodium makes the body retain water and causes bloating or swelling of your hands and ankles. Keep in mind that processed foods contain large amounts of sodium, so read the labels. The best time to reduce your salt intake is the week prior to your period and the first day of the period. At the same time that you reduce your salt intake, it is important to increase your potassium intake. High potassium foods include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Lean toward a more vegetarian diet as it may help balance your hormones – Fruits and vegetables contain lots of fibers that attaches to estrogen and aids in its elimination from the body. Swapping saturated fats in your diet with more fruits and vegetables can help balance your hormone levels, improve digestion, and help in weight control. Eating more fruit and vegetables will alleviate the common problem of premenstrual constipation.

Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids in your diet – Research suggests a correlation between fish oil intake and decreased PMS symptoms including inflammation, uterine cramps and pain. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include albacore tuna, salmon, sardines, scallops, algae, broccoli, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, canola oil, and walnuts. A vegetarian diet is likely to provide a significant source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Decrease caffeine consumption to alleviate PMS symptoms – Decreasing the consumption of caffeinated beverages, such as tea, coffee and chocolate, may help to alleviate breast tenderness. In addition, caffeine is a known aggravate of sleep and tension which may already be upset by PMS. Too much caffeine also lowers the body’s ability to absorb some important minerals in such as calcium. The tannin in tea also hinders the absorption of certain minerals such as iron and calcium. Too much caffeine can also exacerbate hot flushes and mood swings.

You do not have to live with PMS symptoms. Try these simple suggestions, and you will improve your overall health as well as decrease your PMS symptoms. If your PMS symptoms are severe then you and your doctor may have to consider additional treatment with the use of medications, but starting with a few simple dietary changes is definitively a step in the right direction.

PMS only affects women still in their childbearing years because symptoms are brought on by the changing hormone levels due to menstruation. While scientists are uncertain of the exact cause of PMS, they do have some clues as to its characteristics and can identify symptoms associated with it. Unfortunately, because scientists are unable to identify an exact cause, they also have trouble developing an examination to diagnose the condition accurately.

Perimenopause is that period of time during a woman’s life when her body is transitioning toward menopause, or the cessation of menses. The period of perimenopause covers the years leading up to menopause, which can last anywhere from two to ten years. According to Steadman’s medical dictionary, menopause is the permanent cessation of menses. The condition is only diagnosed after a woman has missed 12 consecutive menstrual periods. Although this diagnostic criterion is pretty cut and dried it doesn’t help the woman who is in the process of perimenopause and menopause. It’s a natural part of aging that signals the ending of a woman’s reproductive years.

For most women, menopause will begin at the age of 50-55, however the perimenopause symptoms may begin troubling women starting in their late 30′s to early 40′s, when a woman’s hormones are decreasing in strength and number but she continues to have regular menstrual periods. This is a transitional period from normal menstruation to no periods at all and can take up to 10 years. During these transitional years a woman can experience a combination of PMS symptoms and menopausal symptoms all at once. For some women, who have never experienced PMS during their childbearing years, they can all of a sudden be hit with a full set of symptoms they’ve never experienced before.

It is important to make a distinction between your symptoms of PMS and perimenopause because the symptoms are treated differently. While there is no definitive test for diagnosis of PMS, your doctor can test for your hormone levels to determine if you are undergoing the process of perimenopause.

The first step to a diagnosis is for your doctor to review the medical history of your family. Your doctor can find clues in the PMS and menopause experiences of your mother and sister. By determining the ages of menopause and the history of PMS in family members, your doctor can make a fairly accurate prediction of the probability of the onset of your perimenopause and start of menopause.

While perimenopause symptoms usually begin to appear in women in their late 30′s to early 40′s, environmental factors such as exposure to environmental toxins (for example, smoking and birth control use) and stress, may accelerate the age at which you will first begin to experience symptoms of perimenopause. Women who experience menopause before the age of 40 is relatively rare however, perimenopause can begin before the age of 40 because it is a process that can take up to 10 years.

Some degree of depression is common in both diagnoses of premenstrual syndrome and perimenopause. While depression is not caused by menopause, the condition can be aggravated by the hormonal fluctuations brought on by menopause. Depression and PMS can occur together and it’s not uncommon for depression or anxiety to worsen during the week before a woman’s menstrual period.

After reviewing your medical history and family history as well as taking a physical examination, your physician will probably ask you to keep a running historical calendar for two to three months in order to document both physical symptoms and emotional symptoms you may be experiencing during that time frame.

Until you have reach menopause – after 12 months since your last period – you continue to ovulate and still can get pregnant and should practice appropriate birth control. By becoming more familiar with your premenstrual syndrome and perimenopause symptoms, and the time of the month in which they occur, you and your gynecologist can draw up a treatment plan to address the symptoms of pre-menopause, perimenopause, premenstrual syndrome or menopause that is appropriate for your particular symptoms.

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS for short, is a condition that comes about up to two weeks before a woman has her monthly period, which comes with it a few mental and physical symptoms that can make life miserable. Among some of the PMS symptoms are abdominal cramps, headache, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, weight gain, mood swings, as well as many other symptoms. These changes are associated with hormonal changes in a woman’s body.

As women ovulate each month, the estrogen level in some women goes up, which triggers an increase in the levels of aldosterone. When aldosterone levels goes up, the hormone limits the kidneys’ ability to release fluid in the body resulting in the body water retention, which produces that bloated feeling associated with menstrual period. The water retention is also responsible for the weight gain during this time.

This weight gain is normally not wide spread but concentrated to several areas of the body including the legs. This is due to gravity pulling down on the fluids, preventing the fluids from circulating, and pooling in the feet, ankles, and legs. Try to elevate your legs frequently to alleviate the swelling in these areas.

Water retention can be very uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to minimize the severity of the bloated feeling and other symptoms of PMS. One of the first steps to take immediately is to change your diet. What you eat is very important to your overall health and well being. The following remedies have proven to be effective in reducing water retention:

Salt – One food item that contributes to water retention is sodium. Excess salt intake causes an increase in water retention. Fast food and processed foods usually are made and prepared using large amounts of sodium to preserve and add flavor the foods. Limiting salty foods and eliminating adding extra salt to your foods around the time of your period will reduce that bloated feeling. It is recommended that sodium intake be limited to 1000 milligrams (mg) a day.

Potassium – Eating bananas is a natural and healthy way to reduce water retention. Bananas are good source of potassium, which stimulates the kidneys to expel fluids and toxins from the body. Other foods rich in potassium include salmon, melons, almonds, potatoes and spinach. Grapefruit juice is also high in potassium but is not recommended for people who are also taking diuretics.

Calcium – Studies have shown that taking 1,200 to 1350 mg of calcium a day may help reduce water retention, cramps and other physical symptoms of PMS. Calcium rich foods include dairy products, dark green vegetables, nuts, grains, beans, and canned salmon and sardines.

Magnesium – A daily dose of 200 mg to 400 mg of magnesium each day has shown some benefit to alleviate bloating. Sources of magnesium include whole grains, nuts and seeds, including almonds, peanuts, and cashews, leafy greens such as spinach and kale, beans and legumes such as black beans, and ‘hard’ tap water.

Diuretics – You can talk over-the-counter medicine, sometimes called water pills, for water retention that are very effective. These are usually diuretics that help rid your body of sodium and water by stimulating your kidneys to produce more urine, and flushing excess fluids and sodium from your body. However, long-term use of diuretics can cause the loss of important minerals, such as magnesium and potassium that can cause damage to the kidneys. You can also use natural diuretics such as dandelion, ginger and juniper. Other foods that act as diuretics are cabbage and cranberry juice. Natural diuretics have only modest effectiveness, compared with conventional medications.

It may sound strange to be advised to drink more water when you are already suffering from water retention and feel bloated. But water is a PMS sufferer’s friend. Water actually helps flush out the toxins in your body and help to reduce that bloated feeling. Water is also important to keep your body hydrated. If you are dehydrated, your internal organs will conserve fluids and will make you feel swollen all over. Be sure to drink 8 to ten glasses of water everyday, more if you are copiously sweating due to exercise and other strenuous activities. If your water retention is caused by other medical conditions, be sure to consult with your doctor before drinking extra water, as too much water can cause imbalance in your electrolytes that is fatal.

Other nonfood related steps you can take to lessen your bloated feeling in your legs is to rest your legs in an elevated position when possible and not to cross them when sitting, which cuts off the circulation and promote fluid pooling. Reducing or stopping alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking will also help in alleviating water retention and other symptoms of PMS.

Not everyone suffers from fluid retention or many of the 150 or so PMS symptoms. Your doctor is the best person to diagnose your symptoms if you think you are suffering from PMS. The doctor’s diagnose will be based on your specific symptoms. If you feel that you are experiencing symptoms of PMS and have been affected by water retention, consult your physician who is best qualified to follow your progress and make any needed adjustments to your treatment program. Your doctor can guide you in the right direction to help you get PMS relief and live your life to its full.

Women who cry at silly television shows, are happy one minute but angry the next, and complains of being bloated, tired, and headachy may be suffering from premenstrual syndrome. Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome include both physical and emotional factors that take place around the time of your period. Some of those other symptoms include anxiety, depression, fatigue, breast tenderness, weight gain, mood swings, and food cravings.

Although premenstrual syndrome affects millions of women each year researchers are still unsure of the precise cause of this condition. There are theories that PMS is the result of shifting hormone levels in women who are more hypersensitive to those changes or may have some connection to neurotransmitters in the brain.

While PMS affects millions of women, and has no particular identifiable cause, doctors are aware of a number of treatments that help women to diminish their symptoms. These treatments usually involve changes in lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, switching to eating low-fat diets and getting plenty of exercise. Some women do respond well to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a class of drugs used to treat depression, because the medication inhibits the action of serotonin in the brain, which affects mood, appetite and anxiety.

Premenstrual syndrome causes many symptoms that affects all aspects of a woman’s life and can wreak havoc on her personal relationships. In some studies, more than 150 symptoms were identified that are associated with premenstrual syndrome. Most women experience only a handful of the symptoms but some may experience up to a dozen or more at one time. PMS symptoms tend to appear about midway through your menstrual cycle and continue until your period has begun. PMS can affect any woman of child bearing age at any time and, unfortunately, will continue until after menopause.

For a long time, premenstrual syndrome have been thought to be entirely a woman’s issue, but recent research has identified Irritable Male Syndrome or IMS, which is also believed to be linked to hormonal changes in the man. It is estimated that approximately 30 to 50% of men experience some symptoms related to Irritable Male Syndrome which include depression, fatigue, irritability, headaches and back pain. Physicians believe that this condition is brought on by periods of stress and high fat diet in combination with their fluctuating hormones during the month. In order to reduce symptoms of male PMS, or IMS, stress reduction and a low-fat, balanced diet is often recommended.

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS as it is often referred, is a group of symptoms that usually start around 14 days before a women’s menstruation period. The symptoms usually stop soon after the period begins. Girls and women have to deal with premenstrual symptoms all of their reproductive lives.
There are over 150 symptoms associated with PMS and the number, type, and severity of symptoms vary among women. They may also be different in the same woman from month to month, making correct diagnosis difficult at times. In addition, the exact cause of PMS is not yet known and thus prevents a specific diagnostic test to be developed that can be used to confirm PMS.

Some scientists believe that the many women exhibit symptoms of PMS as a reaction to the hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle, but more studies are needed in order to pinpoint the exact causes of the PMS symptoms.

PMS symptoms usually appear just before the beginning of a woman’s menstrual cycle and completely subside shortly after menstruation begun. PMS symptoms are both physical and emotional and can range from mild leg cramps to severe depression. For small percentage of women their symptoms are so severe as to interfere with their daily life activities.

Some common symptoms of PMS include feeling tired, appetite changes including food cravings, constipation, crying spells, depression, fast heartbeat, feelings of irritability, or feeling anxious, headaches, hot flashes, joint pain, muscle pain, mood swings, decreased interest in sex, tender or swollen breasts, trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping, swollen hands or feet, acne, back pain, bloating, not wanting to be as social as usual, and weight gain.

There is no known cure for PMS, but keeping a healthy life style by eating right, exercising regularly and taking PMS medications may alleviate some of the many symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe medicine for you, depending on your particular symptoms and their severity. Finding the right remedy may mean trying a few before finding the ones that will work to alleviate your symptoms.

Some women will try home remedies first before going to the doctor for prescriptions. Many women have found PMS relief with changes in their diet, aerobics exercise, acupuncture, relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation and vitamin and mineral supplements including calcium supplements and magnesium supplements. Over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen have been used effectively to treat headaches, backaches or stomachaches associated with PMS.

When home remedies and over-the-counter medication are not enough, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants to deal with the anxiety, irritableness and depression common to PMS. Usually antidepressants are taken every day. The doctor may also prescribe diuretics to help rid the body of the extra sodium and fluid that contribute to the bloating, weight gain, and breast tenderness, in addition to the stomach cramping. Diuretics works best when used before the symptoms occur in the menstrual cycle.

Your doctor may also prescribe hormonal treatment for PMS symptoms, such as birth control pills that work to balance out the hormone levels throughout the entire menstrual cycle. Even though the pill usually makes the PMS symptoms less severe, the pill can have negative side effects. For some unknown reason, some women do not feel any relief for the PMS symptoms using birth control pills.

Your PMS symptoms will determine the treatments that your doctor will prescribe and he may change the treatments as your symptoms change so be sure to keep he up to date of any changes. There is no cure, but effective treatments are available that will bring about PMS relief.

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a condition that affects women, young and old, who are still of childbearing years. A recent report indicates that PMS is common in young girls, and their symptoms are similar to those reported by older women. The study suggests that the commonly accepted myth that adolescents suffer more from dysmenorrhea, or menstrual cramps and pain, and older women suffer more from PMS is not true. The 6- month study has a subject pool of 94 girls, aged 13 to 18 years, who kept a Daily Symptom Report. Thirty-one percent of the girls had self-reported and confirmed PMS, while 54% had self-reported PMS but not confirmed PMS, and 15% reported no PMS.

At the present time, researchers estimate that up to 80% of menstruating women under the age of 20 experience some signs and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Unfortunately, these symptoms are often ignored, because of the girl’s age and because the mood swings, irritability and anxiety are attributed to the emotional and physical changes of adolescence, instead of being diagnosed as premenstrual syndrome.

Parents and educators often reason that a teenager’s mood swings are due to hormonal changes, and will assume that a depressed teenage girl is going through a normal stage of life. However, if you are experiencing a pattern of depression, physical discomfort or disruptive behavior that declines or disappears when menses begins, you may actually be experiencing premenstrual syndrome.

Teenage girls who experienced premenstrual syndrome will also find that their behavior affects their relationship with family and friends as well. Parents of teens with PMS report increased tension in the home and a deterioration of family relationships during the daughters weeks prior to menstruation. Other symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia and lack of focus can also negatively impact your educational and after school activities.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that affects not only women but also teenage girls. Approximately 5 to 10% of women who experience PMS also experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder. If you believe you may fall into this category you should seek medical advice because treatment is available and there is no reason to suffer in silence. What’s more, prolong depression or aggressive behavior in teenage girls can be symptoms of other more serious underlying conditions than just premenstrual syndrome. Not treating the underlying medical condition can have significant negative consequences for your future health.

Other signs and symptoms of premenstrual disorder in teenagers includes bloating and weight gain, tension, anxiety or crying spells, depression, breast tenderness, fruit cravings, joint or muscle pain and nausea or vomiting. Other symptoms include headaches, trouble with concentration and fatigue.

Fortunately, there are actions you can take to alleviate or avoid the symptoms of PMS. One thing is to eat correctly. While it may take several months for some results to be noticeable, the sooner any preventive actions are taken the sooner you will see any differences in your symptoms. It is suggested that you eat more frequently but eat smaller portions, take calcium supplements of at least 1200 mg per day, 200 mg of magnesium per day and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains products. It’s important that you cut out salt, caffeine and alcohol from your diet, as these items will increase your irritability and breast tenderness.

Exercise is an important addition for any successful treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Aerobic exercise of 20 to 30 minutes three times a week will help to boost your overall health and well being and can reduce the feelings of fatigue, depression and moodiness.

If you think you may be suffering from premenstrual syndrome, keeping a record of your symptoms, or a Daily Symptom Report will help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis of your PMS and to prescript the best treatment for you. In your diary keep records of what the symptoms are, when the symptoms occur and for how long, when the symptoms go away, and on a scale of one to 10 how the symptoms make you feel.

Although most women and young girls with PMS will likely experience some symptoms as long as they continue to have normal menstruation periods, researchers believe that even severe form of teenage PMS may improve with time as a girl’s menstrual cycle because more regular.

PMDD, or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, is the most severe form of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). Similar to PMS, PMDD typically occurs one to two weeks before your menstruation and disappears when menstruation begins. PMDD symptoms go far beyond what are considered manageable or normal premenstrual symptoms. PMDD is distinguished by severe monthly premenstrual mood swings and physical symptoms that get in your way of living a normal life, especially your relationships with family and friends.

The symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are believed to come about because of a woman’s response to her body’s hormonal changes during her menstrual cycle. While researchers do not know yet the exact triggers of premenstrual syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder they can identify the symptoms.

Besides premenstrual mood swings, the most common symptoms include irritability, depressed mood, anxiety, sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating, angry outbursts, breast tenderness, bloating and mood swings. PMDD is diagnosed only when five or more of these symptoms are present.

PMS affects up to 80% of women of who continue to have normal menstrual periods, and don’t have irregular menstrual cycles, experience some level of premenstrual syndrome. Of the 80%, another 3% to 10% also have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Women with a personal or family history of mood swings, including major depression or postpartum depression, are at a higher risk for developing PMDD.

While the exact causes of PMS and PMDD remain unclear, several hypotheses have wide acceptance. One theory is that these conditions are the results of women having abnormal reactions to otherwise normal monthly hormone changes that occur with each menstrual cycle, rather than due to abnormal levels of hormones or some type of hormonal imbalance.

This may include a woman’s reaction to fluctuation of the level of the hormones estrogen and progesterone that normally occurs with menstruation. Changes of estrogen and progesterone levels appear to cause a serotonin deficiency in some women.

Recent studies have suggested a link between the PMDD conditions and low levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps conduct nerve signals in the brain and is thought to be responsible for controlling mood, concentration, sleep and pain.

Stressful events in your life and your family history of PMS or PMDD may increase the your chance of getting PMDD.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is diagnosed only when five or more of the typical symptoms associated with PMDD are present. Prior to a diagnosis of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a doctor would conduct a comprehensive review of a woman’s symptoms and medical history. The doctor normally will also perform a physical examination and a gynecological examination to rule out other underlying medical conditions, which may be the source of the symptoms. A basic set of laboratory tests would include cell counts, electrolytes, liver, and kidney profile and thyroid function tests.
Unfortunately, at this time there is no specific test for premenstrual disorder or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Diagnosis of PMDD is done by ruling out other underlying medical conditions of these conditions or by diagnosis of exclusion.

Many women will gain relief from the symptoms of PMDD with some lifestyle changes. For women with mild symptoms, lifestyle changes should be used before resorting to drug treatments. While there is no evidence to link certain foods with PMS or PMDD, doctors generally recommend that women decrease or eliminate the intake of caffeine, sugar and sodium and switching to diets with high-fiber and low fat. Other possible lifestyle adjustments include limiting alcohol and nicotine use and making certain of getting adequate sleep every night. In addition, a regular aerobic exercise program has been shown to reduce the emotional and physical symptoms of PMS and PMDD.

Taking certain nutritional supplements have been effective to alleviate PMS and PMDD symptoms. Calcium supplements have been shown to considerably lessen both the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS. Studies have also shown that calcium supplements appear to be effective in ease mood swings, decrease fluid retention and pain. Calcium also has the added benefit of lowering a woman’s change of getting osteoporosis.

Vitamin B6 has also shown to have beneficial effects in women with PMS, although research results have been mixed. In any case, dosage of vitamin B6 should be limited to no more than 100mg daily to avoid vitamin poisoning.

Limited clinical evidence suggests that magnesium and Vitamin E can provide modest relief of symptoms such as breast tenderness due to PMS. However, the effectiveness of these supplements is still unclear.

For woman who’s PMS or PMDD symptoms do not respond to lifestyle changes, or if the PMDD symptoms are so severe that they interfere with her responsibilities or relationships, her doctor may prescription medications for PMDD symptoms. The drugs prescribed will depend on the types of symptoms that most experienced by the woman.

The choices are diverse and represent two major classes of anti-depressant medications: the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) and the tricyclic antidepressants. The SSRI’s include medicines such as Prozac, Effexor, and Zoloft. They are generally well tolerated, work quickly, and reduce or eliminate disturbing emotional symptoms for many women, often at doses considerably lower than those required to treat full blown depression. A recent study showed that this type of antidepressant medication worked much better for the treatment of PMDD than the tricyclics, although tricyclics (e.g. Pamelor, Elavil) have been shown to be effective in treating women with severe insomnia or those with combined depression and PMS.

There are many advocates and followers of “natural” progesterone therapy for PMS and PMDD. However past clinical trials of progesterone in different dosages has not show any significant benefit for the treatment of physical or emotional symptoms of PMS.

Besides conventional treatments, many women with PMDD report that they have experienced reduced symptoms with alternative treatments such as biofeedback, relaxation techniques, acupuncture, light therapy, massage and herbal remedies.

The symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder can affect your relationships and your ability to work and maintain employment. If you believe you are experiencing these symptoms and they appear to disappear when your period starts you may have either premenstrual syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Sisorder. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder you must consult with your primary care physician or gynecologist in order to get an accurate diagnosis and to rule out any other underlying medical conditions that may be life threatening.