Overview
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has a wide variety of signs and symptoms, including mood swings, tender breasts, food cravings, fatigue, irritability and depression. It’s estimated that as many as 3 of every 4 menstruating women have experienced some form of premenstrual syndrome.
Symptoms tend to recur in a predictable pattern. But the physical and emotional changes you experience with premenstrual syndrome may vary from just slightly noticeable all the way to intense. Pains and feelings of unhappiness or anxiety that some women experience a few days before their period.
Symptoms
Most women only experience a few of these problems.
Emotional and behavioral signs and symptoms
Tension or anxiety
Depressed mood
Crying spells
Mood swings and irritability or anger
Appetite changes and food cravings
Trouble falling asleep (insomnia)
Social withdrawal
Poor concentration
Change in libido
Physical signs and symptoms
Joint or muscle pain
Headache
Fatigue
Weight gain related to fluid retention
Abdominal bloating
Breast tenderness
Acne flare-ups
Constipation or diarrhea
Alcohol intolerance
For some, the physical pain and emotional stress are severe enough to affect their daily lives. Regardless of symptom severity, the signs and symptoms generally disappear within four days after the start of the menstrual period for most women.
But a small number of women with premenstrual syndrome have disabling symptoms every month. This form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) signs and symptoms include depression, mood swings, anger, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, difficulty concentrating, irritability and tension.
When you need treatment
If you haven’t been able to manage your premenstrual syndrome with lifestyle changes and the symptoms of PMS are affecting your health and daily activities, you need to have a treatment.
Causes
Exactly what causes premenstrual syndrome is unknown, and modern medicine’s treatment for the condition is to continue taking female hormone supplements and painkillers.
In Oriental medicine
Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome begin before menstruation. Meaning, before menstruation, hormones cause more blood to be drawn to the uterus, which results in an unusual blood flow, and poor circulation and insufficient blood flow can cause physical symptoms. So, when the body is preparing for menstruation and the blood begins to flow in an unusual way (10 days to a few days before menstruation starts), symptoms start to appear.
There are three main patterns of blood flow disorders: excessive, insufficient and stagnant.
Case of excessive
Because blood flow is particularly high in the upper body, especially in the chest, face and head, the heart beats faster and the hands and feet are cold. When blood flow is more to the head, the body is more excited and can be restless, such as being angry, moving around, talking a lot, and difficulty to claim drawn etc..
Treatment
Move too much heat from the upper body and treat it so that it flows throughout the whole body. This will calm the excitement and the hands and feet will become warmer.
Case of insufficient
Insufficient blood flow lowers heat production, which leads to anaemia, low blood pressure, difficulty getting up in the morning, lack of motivation and concentration, and cold.
Treatment
There is a lack of blood density and blood volume flowing through the system, so the body does not have a high metabolism and is not energetic. Due to poor digestive function in the gastrointestinal tract, treatment is given to improve the gastrointestinal tract’s functioning. When the digestive function improves, food is absorbed and becomes energy and warms the body.
Case of stagnant
If stress and discomfort cannot be dissipated, heat builds up inside the body and blood flow stagnates. This will always leave you feeling unrefreshed, sleepless and unconnected. The skin also becomes dry and itchy. It can also cause clots in menstrual blood.
Treatment
The treatment removes heat from the inside of the body and moistens the blood. After treatment, you will feel unclogged.