---
title: How should doctors approach women who come in with premenstrual complaints?
description: Doctors should recognize that not all women with premenstrual complaints have PMS as formally defined. Many have other medical, psychiatric or social problems
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-comprehensive-approach-to-premenstrual-complaints-1998/
---

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- How should doctors approach women who come in with premenstrual complaints?

Case report, 1998

# How should doctors approach women who come in with premenstrual complaints?

Doctors should recognize that not all women with premenstrual complaints have PMS as formally defined. Many have other medical, psychiatric or social problems contributing to their symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

Women presenting with premenstrual complaints to general practitioners.

## What they did

Description of a practical model to help doctors systematically assess women with premenstrual complaints.

## What they found

The model identifies four levels of factors that can contribute to premenstrual complaints. The first is the menstrual cycle itself, causing mood changes, breast tenderness and bloating. The second is other medical or psychiatric conditions. The third is social factors like relationships and work. The fourth is how the woman interprets and makes sense of her symptoms.

## What it means for you

A systematic approach helps doctors understand that premenstrual complaints are complex and may involve factors beyond the menstrual cycle. Proper treatment requires identifying these different contributing factors. The main limit is that this is a framework description, not evidence from testing whether the approach improves outcomes.

## About the study

Original title A comprehensive approach to premenstrual complaints Authors Vanselow W Journal Australian family physician Year 1998 Study design Case report What was tested None (this is a diagnostic framework, not a treatment test). Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9612999/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9612999/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

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Systematic review, 2026

What life experiences and personal factors influence how severe PMS is?

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Is self-compassion linked to PMS symptoms?

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