--- title: How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? | Niyora description: Daily symptom diaries kept for at least two months are essential for accurate diagnosis. Treatment focuses on reassurance and stress management rather than co url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-1989-18effd/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? Review, 1989 # How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? Daily symptom diaries kept for at least two months are essential for accurate diagnosis. Treatment focuses on reassurance and stress management rather than correcting a single underlying problem, since the cause is unclear. Early or limited evidence Women with premenstrual syndrome (general review) ## What they did Literature review of how to diagnose and treat premenstrual syndrome. ## What they found Diagnosis requires a full history covering reproductive, psychological, and social factors plus daily diaries for at least two months. Symptom timing, not type, is essential. Patients may have classical PMS or other conditions like dysmenorrhea and cyclical breast disease. Treatment focuses on reassurance, stress management, and general well-being. Many biological, psychological, environmental, and social factors may be involved. Treatments tried include vitamins, prostaglandin inhibitors, and hormonal therapies. ## What it means for you Accurate diagnosis of PMS requires time and effort to document symptoms. Many conditions can mimic PMS, so careful evaluation is needed. The cause is unknown and likely multifactorial, so treatment should address stress and overall health rather than targeting a single problem. 2 months Minimum duration for keeping daily symptom diaries for diagnosis ## About the study Original title Premenstrual syndrome Authors Sampson GA Journal Bailliere's clinical obstetrics and gynaecology Year 1989 Study design Review What was tested Reassurance, stress management, vitamins, prostaglandin inhibitors, and hormonal therapies Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0950-3552(89)80060-4](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0950-3552(89)80060-4) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/) 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 Cohort study, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? Systematic review, 2025 Does alcohol use affect menstrual health in teenage girls? Randomised trial, 2024 Does curcumin reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea? Systematic review, 2023 How common are menstrual cycle problems and PMS or PMDD in female athletes? Systematic review, 2021 Does damask rose help reduce menstrual pain, headache, fatigue, anxiety, and bloating? Randomised trial, 2015 Which birth control pill better reduces PMS and menstrual symptoms: nomegestrol acetate or drospirenone? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗