PMS, or PMS, has become a legend and anecdote. The fact is that many women a week before menstruation begin to behave strangely - their temperaments and preferences change. What is truth and what is myth? What are the symptoms and causes of PSM? Can PMS be treated?
Premenstrual syndrome (PMSpremenstrual syndrome ) affects80 percent ofwomen. Many of them bravely endure these ailments. Wrong! PMS can and is worth treating. Learn the truths and myths surrounding PMS.
Raging hormones are the main cause of PMS
» YES. According to doctors, premenstrual tension is mainly caused by hormonal disorders related to the woman's sexual cycle. In the first half of the cycle, estrogen levels rise, while progesterone levels rise in the second half of the cycle. If the body produces too little of this second hormone, there is ahormonal imbalanceand unpleasant symptoms.
Recently, an increasingly important role in the formation of PMS is attributed toprolactin- a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the development ofbreast gland , and at the end of pregnancy and during breastfeeding - formilk production . The level of prolactin hardly changes in our body during the menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, in some women - for some unknown reason - its concentration increases significantly .
This may lead toovulation blockage , which leads to progesterone deficiency in the second phase of the cycle and causes unpleasant symptoms. According to the latest theses, fluctuations in the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain, especially serotonin and dopamine, which guide ourmood .
There are also theories that see the causes of PMS in inadequatenutrition ,unhygieniclifestyle and even factorsgenetic(PMS is more common in women whose mothers had similar ailments).
Teenagers have the strongest PMS symptoms
»NO. PMS symptoms occur during ovulatory cycles. Because usually for about 2 years from the first period, noovulation occurs, teens rarely have these problems. They most often appear in women between20 and 30.and last - with the exception of pregnancy - untilmenopause .
Hormones must be tested to be sure it's PMS
»YES. The doctor usually orders a hormonal cytology, which consists in taking a vaginal smear in subsequent phases of the cycle, i.e. between:
- 6. a 9.,
- 13. and 14.,
- 21. and the 24th day of the cycle.
Sometimes it is also necessary to determine the level of sex hormones and prolactin in the blood serum, so it is necessary to draw blood for testing.
PMS looks the same in every woman
» NO. The researchers described close to150 of the physical and mental symptomsthat plague mature women every month. If only for this reason, each of us experiences these days in our own way. Usually, however, women experience the following symptoms:
- irritability, difficulty concentrating,
- crying attacks,
- breast pain,
- flatulence and / or constipation,
- sometimes diarrhea,
- migraine headaches,
- dizziness.
We can tell from tighter clothes and shoes thatswellingshave appeared. Immunity is also dropping, so we aremore susceptible toinfections. If we suffer from chronic diseases such as asthma or diabetes, PMS can exacerbate their course for a few days. In the most typical 28-day cycle, PMS manifests itself aroundon day 15and continues until the first day of bleeding.
The ailments preceding menstruation may be different from month to month
» YES. Not all PMS symptoms appear with the same severity and intensity in every cycle. Differences in the intensity of experiencing ailments can be explained, among others, by lifestyle (if you move more, you can go through PMS more gently), mental attitude (prolonged stress, tension and nervousness intensify unpleasant symptoms), weather conditions (lack of natural light promotes depression, therefore PMS symptoms are stronger in autumn and winter).
There are no medications that can relieve PMS
» NO. In the past, PMS symptoms were downplayed as a symptom of female hysteria. Today it is known that this is not the case. Nearly 20 percent of us have such severe ailments that treatment is necessary. Usually,vitamin and mineral preparations(especially vitamin B6 and magnesium), sedative herbal remedies (lemon balm, Kalms, Persen, Deprim) are recommended.
In the case of large swelling, the doctor mayoutsourcediuretics . In case of stronger pains in the lower abdomen and breasts, it is necessary to use painkillers and diastolic drugs, eg Ibuprofen, Panadol extra, No-Spa. Pharmacies also offer over-the-counterherbal remediesalleviating PMS symptoms, e.g. Castagnus, Feminon N, Perionorm, Mastodynon N. If necessary, the gynecologist may order it to be taken 10 days before the expected menstruationprogestogensorally or in the form of rectal or vaginal suppositories.
The use of birth control pills reduces or completely eliminates PMS symptoms
» YES. This is a good way to deal with PMS, but you need to usemonophasic drugs . They ensure a constant concentration of sex hormones in the blood. The body cheated in this way will not feel the lack of progesterone in the second phase of the cycle.
How to deal with PMS?
- Eat regularlythree meals a daya day with more vegetables and fruits (avoid only the puffers: cabbage, legumes).
- Introduce naturaldiuretics to the diet- e.g. parsley, watercress. Drink yogurt, kefir and buttermilk often, which regulate the digestive tract.
- Drink lesscoffeeand drinks likecola .
- Replace animal fat with vegetable fat. 10 days before your period, you can even switch tovegetarianism .
- Quit smokingcigarettesand drinkingalcohol .
- Get a good night's sleep - sleep at least8 hoursa day.
- Take care of pleasure - dancing, sport have a positive effect on the body.
- Takeevening primrose oilbiennial (2 capsules 4 times a day) andvitamin B6(100 mg a day).
- Save your strength - postpone important and difficult matters for the first half of the next cycle.
Source: youtube.com/ Simply Saying
The article was published in the monthly "Zdrowie"
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