PMS Symptoms

October 15, 2009 - 7:36 PM

PMS Symptoms cover a wide array of potential symptoms that can be experienced by the female and can be of varying severity. While some women may complain of mild bloating, which is one condition, others may complain of bloating that is nearly debilitating or powerful migraine-like headaches.

The medical community has identified over 200 different symptoms that can affect women due to PMS. Some are related to each other, while others may be a result from a previous symptom; while others yet are completely unrelated and affect another part of the body. Because of the vast amount of symptoms, they can affect the emotional, psychological, a physical aspects of the female.

Symptoms can be categorized into different areas

Mental Process: Indecision, inability to concentrate or focus
Stomach: Bloating, diarrhea, and nausea
Skin: Abnormally oily skin, dried or abnormally greasy hair, increased acne
Pain: Joints or muscle pain, tenderness in the breasts
Mood: Irritability, anger, anxiety, depression, sadness, and frequent mood swings
Psychological symptoms: Loss of appetite, fatigue, vertigo, insomnia, hypersomnia (sleeping for extended periods of time)

Symptoms can be managed by a proper diet to mitigate PMS symptoms. Supplemental vitamins can be taken such as fish oil and vitamin E, magnesium, Calcium, tryptophan to alleviate PMS symptoms, some such as Chasteberry can be used to balance hormone levels.

A healthy diet, avoiding over-consumption in caffeine, alcohol, as well as sugary or sweet foods can help to alleviate feelings of bloating, and nausea.  In addition to proper diet, adequate sleep is necessary as well, as the body is changing and this, an imbalance of hormones can lead to irritability and mood swings.

The female may be prescribed with pharmaceutical drugs, such as contraceptives either oral in the form of pills or the contraceptive patch, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen can be used to manage symptoms. For more serious cases, Prozac may be prescribed temporarily to alleviate feelings of anxiety or depression.