What is Premenstrual Tension Syndrome?

As menstrual bleeding approaches, 75% of women experience some complaints due to changing hormone levels.

• In half of these women, the complaints are mild. In the other half, much more serious complaints, including depression, occur.

• Premenstrual complaints may be physiological or psychological and may be affected by cultural differences.

• Almost all women with PMS symptoms experience breast tenderness and slight temporary weight gain. Other symptoms include digestive system disorders, headache, rashes, muscle and joint pain, weakness, bleeding gums, palpitations, balance disorders, hot flashes, extreme sensitivity to sounds and smells, agitation, and insomnia.

• Painful or heavy menstrual bleeding, that is, dysmenorrhea, is not considered PMS.

• Emotional hypersensitivity is very common in PMS. There may be many different emotional states, from depression to anxiety and extreme irritability.

• Mild memory loss may be observed in some women. Concentration impairment is a not uncommon condition in PMS. The state of depression, restlessness and tension seen in some women is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

• Studies aimed at finding the causes of PMS have not fully revealed the factors underlying this picture. However, there are some theories. If some hormones that suppress ovulation are administered, PMS symptoms regress. Accordingly, reproductive hormones may cause PMS, but what this role is has not been explained.

• There is strong evidence that PMS occurs as a result of the joint action of these hormones and some substances that provide transmission in the nerves. has. The most accused substances are the hormones called GABA and serotonin.

• Some researchers believe that the imbalance of calcium and magnesium causes PMS. The distribution of these two minerals in the body may cause the condition by affecting the communication between nerve cells.

• Another cause of PMS is stress hormones. Excess of these hormones causes complaints to be more intense. n.

• As age increases, the severity of the complaints decreases, but the severity increases with the number of children. Complaints are also more common in women whose mothers have PMS.

• PMS can also increase the severity of some diseases. For example, in women with migraine, most of the attacks occur in the premenstrual period.

• Again, in diabetic patients, blood sugar levels and insulin need vary in the premenstrual period.

• Asthma attacks are more common and many chronic diseases have exacerbations.

• During this period, the person's harmony with his/her environment is disrupted, with the people he/she interacts with at work or at home, and with his/her children. may be disrupted. The tendency towards suicide may increase in young girls during adolescence. Eating disorders may be encountered.

• The diagnosis of PMS is not based on positive findings. The most reliable way for diagnosis is to record complaints for 2-3 months and score their severity. Complaints should be divided into physical and psychological, and when they start and end should be recorded regularly.

• Since the cause of PMS is not fully known, its treatment is not certain. There are many different treatment approaches on this issue.

• Diet:- There are reports that eating small and frequent meals reduces complaints. During the premenstrual period, consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, avoiding red meat and frozen oils, and not consuming foods containing additives can sometimes be beneficial. Likewise, reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption may also be beneficial.

• Exercise:- A study found that PMS is more common in women who do not exercise. A 30-minute walk every day may be beneficial.

• Calcium and Magnesium:- A study reported that daily 1200mg calcium intake reduced complaints by half after 3 months. has. Some women have benefited from magnesium supplementation.

• Vitamins: Although it has been suggested that vitamins A, E and B6 cause PMS, there is no definitive proof. There are no symptoms.

• Other treatment options Drugs related to serotonin metabolism, hormone drugs, psychiatric drugs such as antidepressants and anxiety, diuretics, and male hormones can be counted among them, but none of them have any proven benefit.

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