PMS-ing -- Give Me a Break!
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That’s what many of us wish for during our “special” time -- a break. Especially is it true when your cramps are on level 10, your belly has grown five inches from all the bloating, and you’ve got that "I’m mad as heck and I ain’t gonna take it anymore" attitude, but for the life of you, you can’t figure out why.
PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome. In short, it is a group of symptoms that is directly connected to the menstrual cycle. The sneaky thing about PMS is that symptoms may start one to two weeks before you actually start bleeding. So it’s very handy if you keep a calendar to mark off when your period (bleeding) starts. This will make it easier to keep up with the start of your symptoms as well.
Researchers feel that a number of reasons may actually cause PMS. The number one reason is the change in hormones. But then, a low level of vitamins and minerals and/or eating large amounts of certain foods (salty foods -- which make you bloated, or alcohol or caffeine -- which may affect your mood) have been pointed out as the possible culprits as well.
It’s also important to remember that different people experience different things during PMS. Symptoms can include developing:
• Acne
• Swollen or tender breasts
• Feeling tired
• Trouble sleeping
• Upset stomach, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
• Headache or backache
• Appetite changes or food cravings
• Joint or muscle pain
• Trouble with concentration or memory
• Tension, irritability, mood swings, or crying spells
• Anxiety or depression
Is there a cure?
No one treatment works for every woman. It may be a trial and error process for you that may include changes in your lifestyle, trying different medications or alternative therapies made available to you. These may include increasing exercise, eating healthier foods with less salt, avoiding sugary foods along with caffeine and alcohol, getting eight hours of sleep, cutting stress down to a minimum and stopping smoking. For intense cramps, Dr. Susan Haas, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University, was quoted by Huffingtonpost.com, "Your uterus is a muscle, and it squeezes really hard.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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The doctor quoted from the Huffington Post was talking about cramps, which can happen during the period, or premenstrually too. But cramps is only one PMS symptom, and often the most troublesome and debilitating are not a result of anything to do with the uterus, but instead are related to hormones and to brain chemistry, which are certainly impacted by the factors mentioned above.
September 8, 2011 - 9:22pmIt seems like there is so much confusion out there about PMS, PMDD, and menstrual cramps - some people even confuse them with menopause!
Also, even though there is plenty of research showing great results from natural remedies like vitamins, minerals, and herbs, so few articles ever seem to mention it - as if drugs were the only possible solution. Well, there are lots of things you can do for PMS and PMDD, and I've seen many many women recover from terrible PMS and PMDD using an all-natural approach.
Best of Health,
Dr. Daniel Heller
www.pmscomfort.com
www.drdanielheller.com
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