You're angry, you cry for no reason, your breasts hurt, your head is spinning. If you have these symptoms every month and it starts around the middle of your cycle, you probably have premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

monthly "Zdrowie"

Doctors dealing with this syndrome (in EnglishPMS- premenstrual syndrome) have detected more than 100 of its symptoms. Some of them have half of mature women for a few days a month. In 20 percent of women, the symptoms are so severe that they require treatment. They usually first appear between the ages of 20 and 30. Then they make themselves felt - with the exception of pregnancy - until the menopause.Premenstrual syndrome(PMS) begins around day 15 of your cycle and continues until the first day of your period.

PMS - symptoms, causes

Each of us experiences PMS-related symptoms in our own way. Usually, however, we become irritable, we find it difficult to concentrate, we cannot control the attack of crying, we have chest pain, we have flatulence and either constipation or diarrhea, we suffer from migraine headaches and dizziness. From tighter clothes and shoes, we can tell that there is swelling. We are losing our immunity, so we are more susceptible to infections. If we suffer from chronic diseases such as asthma or diabetes, PMS can exacerbate their course for a few days.

In the past, these symptoms were downplayed as a symptom of female hysteria. Today, PMS is considered a disease. Unfortunately, its causes are not fully understood. According to doctors, premenstrual tension is mainly caused by hormonal disturbances related to the woman's sexual cycle. In the first half of the cycle, estrogen levels rise, and in the second half of the cycle, progesterone levels continue to rise (both are sex hormones secreted by the ovaries). If, for any reason, the body produces too little progesterone, the hormonal imbalance occurs and trouble begins. An increasingly important role in the formation of PMS is assigned to prolactin - a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the development of the mammary gland, and at the end of pregnancy and during breastfeeding for the production of milk. The level of prolactin in our body hardly changes during the menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, some women get significantly worse for some unknown reasonincreases. This can block ovulation, leading to a progesterone deficiency in the second phase of the cycle and causing unpleasant symptoms.

According to new theories, the development of PMS is also influenced by fluctuations in the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain, especially serotonin and dopamine, which guide our mood. This syndrome can probably also be inherited - premenstrual tension is more common in women whose mothers also suffered. Not all symptoms need to be present in every cycle, simultaneously and with the same severity. The differences in their perception are explained, among others, by lifestyle. Doctors have proven that active women who practice sports suffer from PMS much less frequently.

Mental attitude is also important. English scientists say that pessimists do not take the second phase of the cycle worse, and the fear of being unwell often makes it worse. As it turned out, meteorological conditions also play a role. The lack of natural light favors depression, which is why PMS symptoms are usually stronger in the fall and winter.

PMS - treatment

After the tests, the doctor recommends an appropriate treatment. Initially, he usually prescribes vitamin and mineral preparations (especially vitamin B6 and magnesium), calming herbal remedies, e.g. lemon balm or kalms, persen or deprim. If there is severe swelling, your doctor may order you to take diuretics. In case of stronger pains in the lower abdomen and breasts, it is necessary to use painkillers and diastolic drugs, e.g. ibuprofen, cephalgin, apap, no-spa. Pharmacies also offer over-the-counter herbal remedies for the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, e.g. N feminon, N mastodynone or the newest perionorm, which regulates disorders of the menstrual cycle and normalizes the secretion of prolactin and sex hormones. If necessary, the gynecologist also recommends taking progestogens orally or in the form of rectal suppositories or vaginal globules 10 days before the expected menstruation. A good way to fight PMS is to use monophasic contraceptive pills. They ensure a constant concentration of hormones in the blood. The organism deceived in this way does not feel the lack of progesterone in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. If you are taking three-phase pills and have PMS, ask your gynecologist what he thinks about switching to monophasic pills.

Important

If you have acute PMS symptoms and they do not go away with the onset of bleeding, don't underestimate it. They may be heralds of other, dangerous diseases (e.g. inflammation of the reproductive organ, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids). Besides, it's bettervisit a doctor in advance than torment yourself and your loved ones with your moods every month. The gynecologist will first examine you and, if necessary, do a hormonal cytology, which involves taking a vaginal smear during the next phases of the cycle, which is between 6 and 9, 13 and 14 and 21 and 24 days. Sometimes it is also necessary to determine the level of sex hormones and prolactin in the blood serum.

PMS - advice for your man

You have no influence on the appearance of PMS. This is not your whim, but physiology. Therefore, your loved ones should help you. Show this article to your partner. He will certainly understand your mood swing better, and our advice will also make his life easier.

  • Don't be surprised she cries for no reason.
  • Don't be stubborn. In a few days, her tension will end.
  • Help her out in harder activities.
  • Compliments (just don't overdo it).
  • Buy her flowers or a small gift.
  • Convince her to spend some time relaxing together.
  • Don't criticize. Don't say the soup is too s alty.
You must do it

  • Eat regularly three meals a day with more vegetables and fruits (except for flatulent ones, e.g. cabbage).
  • Introduce natural diuretics into your diet, e.g. parsley, watercress.
  • Drink yogurt that helps to regress the digestive tract.
  • Limit coffee drinking.
  • Replace animal fat with vegetable fat. You can even switch to vegetarianism 10 days before your period.
  • Put away the cigarettes and alcohol.
  • Get enough sleep (at least eight hours a day) and relax.
  • Don't give up on pleasure and hobbies; dancing, sports have a good effect on the body.
  • Take evening primrose oil (2 capsules 4 times a day) and vitamin B6 (100 mg a day).
  • Put important and difficult matters aside for the first half of the cycle.
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