---
title: Does progressive muscular relaxation help premenstrual syndrome symptoms?
description: Progressive muscular relaxation helped reduce leg cramps and irritability. However, the control group also improved without treatment, so it is unclear how mu
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-pmr-on-somatic-and-psychological-symptoms-of-premenstrual-syndrome-2018/
---

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- Does progressive muscular relaxation help premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2018

# Does progressive muscular relaxation help premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Progressive muscular relaxation helped reduce leg cramps and irritability. However, the control group also improved without treatment, so it is unclear how much the relaxation itself helped.

 Moderate study design

60 women with premenstrual syndrome

## What they did

Sixty women were randomly assigned to either progressive muscular relaxation therapy (tensing and slowly releasing muscles) or no treatment. Researchers measured PMS symptoms using a pain scale.

## What they found

The relaxation group showed significant improvements in leg cramps and irritability. The control group also showed significant improvements in irritability and crying spells even though they had no treatment.

## What it means for you

Relaxation therapy may help some PMS symptoms. Since the control group also improved, it is unclear if the relaxation itself or just paying attention to symptoms caused the improvement. This was a small study with limited details.

60

women in the study

2

groups (treatment and control)

## About the study

Original title EFFECT OF PMR ON SOMATIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME Authors Veena V. Jasuja, Jayant Makwana, Ebbie Thomas Journal Journal of Evidence Based Medicine and Healthcare Year 2018 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Progressive muscular relaxation therapy Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.18410/jebmh/2018/713](https://doi.org/10.18410/jebmh/2018/713)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)

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

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