---
title: Do the same premenstrual symptoms happen every month in the same woman?
description: No. Most symptoms vary from month to month. Only 3 menstrual symptoms (backache, headache, cramps) and 5 premenstrual symptoms (backache, cold sweats, fatigue
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/concordance-of-perimenstrual-symptoms-across-two-cycles-1985/
---

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- Do the same premenstrual symptoms happen every month in the same woman?

Survey study, 1985

# Do the same premenstrual symptoms happen every month in the same woman?

No. Most symptoms vary from month to month. Only 3 menstrual symptoms (backache, headache, cramps) and 5 premenstrual symptoms (backache, cold sweats, fatigue, depression, tension) showed consistent reporting across two months.

 Early or limited evidence

63 presumably healthy women

## What they did

Researchers asked 63 healthy women to record their symptoms daily in health diaries for 2 months. They checked which symptoms appeared during menstrual and premenstrual phases in both months.

## What they found

Only 9 symptoms total showed consistency across both cycles. In the menstrual phase: backache, headache, and cramps were consistent. In the premenstrual phase: backache, cold sweats, fatigue, depression, and tension were consistent. Many other symptoms appeared throughout the cycle, not just during menstrual or premenstrual phases, which explains why most symptoms did not repeat the same way in both months.

## What it means for you

Symptoms change from month to month. Tracking symptoms for only one month as a baseline or to evaluate treatment may give inaccurate results.

63

women tracked for 2 months

9

symptoms consistent across both cycles

## About the study

Original title Concordance of perimenstrual symptoms across two cycles Authors Shaver JF, Woods NF Journal Research in nursing & health Year 1985 Study design Survey study Participants 63 What was tested None - symptom diary Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/nur.4770080403](https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.4770080403)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)

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.

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