Systematic review, 2007
What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?
Many treatments have been studied for PMS, but researchers face a major challenge: there is no standard way to measure symptom severity, making it difficult to know which treatments truly work.
What they did
Systematic review that searched 4 major medical databases up to November 2006 for all systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies on PMS treatment. 52 studies met inclusion criteria.
What they found
The review examined 52 studies testing treatments including acupuncture, exercise, SSRIs, hormonal therapies, supplements, and surgery. Premenstrual symptoms occur in 95% of women of reproductive age, and severe debilitating symptoms occur in about 5%.
What it means for you
Many options have been tested for PMS. However, because there is no standard way to measure symptom severity and because PMS is cyclical, it is difficult to compare which treatments actually work best. Talk to your doctor about what makes sense for your specific symptoms.
95%
of women experience some premenstrual symptoms
5%
of women experience severe debilitating PMS
52
studies reviewed
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Kwan I, Onwude JL
- Journal
- BMJ clinical evidence
- Year
- 2007
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- multiple treatments including drugs, hormones, psychological interventions, physical therapies, dietary supplements, and surgery
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s1744-1870(07)70008-2
Topics
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