--- title: What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? description: PMS involves 1-4 symptoms or 5 or more physical or behavioral symptoms. PMDD requires 5 or more symptoms with at least one mood symptom like irritability or m url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-and-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? Cohort study, 2022 # What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? PMS involves 1-4 symptoms or 5 or more physical or behavioral symptoms. PMDD requires 5 or more symptoms with at least one mood symptom like irritability or mood swings. Treatments include exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications like SSRIs and hormonal contraceptives. Moderate study design Women of reproductive age ## What they did Review of diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches for premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder based on guidelines from the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders. ## What they found PMS is very common in women of reproductive age and involves physical, behavioral, and mood symptoms during the luteal phase. Symptoms resolve after menstruation starts. PMDD is distinguished from PMS by the presence of affective symptoms. Multiple treatment options are available depending on symptom severity and whether a woman plans pregnancy. ## What it means for you Clear diagnostic criteria help doctors distinguish PMS from PMDD, which is important for choosing the right treatment. The main limit is that this describes existing medical knowledge rather than testing a new treatment. 1-4 Number of symptoms for PMS 5+ Minimum symptoms for PMDD including mood symptoms ## About the study Original title Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Kovács Z, Hegyi G, Szőke H Journal Orvosi hetilap Year 2022 Study design Cohort study What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1556/650.2022.32496](https://doi.org/10.1556/650.2022.32496) Original abstract Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most common problems for women of reproductive age. The physical, mental and behavioural symptoms recur during the luteal phase of the cycle in daily life and cause a deterioration in the quality of life, affecting the patient's social, work and family relationships. Symptoms typically disappear spontaneously within a few days after the onset of menstruation. The onset and severity of PMS are determined by the cyclical functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and the combined presence of other physiological (e.g., chronobiological and circadian) and psychological stressors, which interact with each other. The diagnosis of PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is based on the following criteria, as recommended by the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD): in PMS, the woman has 1-4 symptoms, which may be physical, behavioural or affective/psychological, or at least five symptoms, which may be physical or behavioural. However, if a woman has 5 or more symptoms, and one of these is affective (e.g., irritability, mood swings, anger) in addition to physical or behavioural symptoms, a more accurate diagnosis of PMDD can be made. Since, in addition to the general and gynecological history, the prospective scales (e.g., Prospective record of the impact and severity of menstrual symptoms - PRISM; Daily record of severity of problems - DRSP) completed daily by the physician are helpful in confirming the diagnosis of PMS and PMDD, it is important to take into account the severity of symptoms, the woman's plans for conception or contraceptive needs, her other associated medical conditions, her response to previous treatment methods, and her history of other medical conditions when formulating a treatment plan. Therapeutic options include regular aerobic exercise, stress relief, cognitive behavioural therapy, drug treatments (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - SSRIs, combined oral estrogen-progestin contraceptives - COCs, GnRH agonists), -depending on the severity of PMS and PMDD. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Cognitive behavioral therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-cbt/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/) 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 Study, 2022 What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD? Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? Study, 2026 What treatments work for PMDD? Review, 1999 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder a distinct clinical disorder? Randomised trial, 2023 What does research show about PMDD neurochemistry? Case report, 2023 Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗