Review, 1990
What is PMS and how is it treated?
PMS is a group of physical and emotional symptoms that start 5 to 8 days before menstruation and disappear 34 to 48 hours after the period begins. Many treatments including hormones, vitamins, and other medications can help.
What they did
This is a review article discussing what PMS is, how it presents across different cultures, possible causes, and treatment options.
What they found
PMS causes symptoms including headache, breast swelling, abdominal swelling, weight gain, irritability, fatigue, depression, and difficulty in relationships. These symptoms start 5 to 8 days before menstruation and disappear 34 to 48 hours after the period begins. Cultural background greatly influences how women experience these symptoms. Several treatments can provide relief, including adjusting estrogen and progesterone levels, using diuretics, taking anti-inflammatory medications, vitamin B6, and taking psychiatric medications. Most patients experience significant improvement with these treatments.
What it means for you
This review confirms the typical timing and symptom pattern of PMS. Cultural background shapes how much women report their PMS symptoms. Different treatments may help different women, though the review does not compare which approaches work best for different groups.
5-8
days before menstruation when symptoms start
34-48
hours after period begins until symptoms disappear
About the study
- Original title
- [The premenstrual syndrome]
- Authors
- Thonet C
- Journal
- Revista medica de Chile
- Year
- 1990
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- Not applicable - review article
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2152723/
Topics
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