Premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of emotional symptoms with or without physical symptoms related to a woman's menstrual cycle.
Symptoms resolve once the woman’s period begins and there is usually at least one symptom-free week before the symptoms return.
It is thought that most menstruating women have premenstrual symptoms, ranging from relatively mild (in 75 per cent of women) to severe (in 20 to 30 per cent of women). For eight per cent of women with severe symptoms, PMS is associated with reduced quality of life.
PMS is a complex condition that includes physical and emotional symptoms. The latest research points to changes in brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the time after ovulation and before menstruation. Life stressors and a genetic link may also play a role. Although the cause isn’t conclusively known, PMS can be managed with medication and other strategies.
