---
title: How should doctors diagnose and treat premenstrual syndrome? | Niyora
description: Diagnosis requires tracking symptoms for three consecutive cycles to confirm they occur only after ovulation with a complete symptom-free week after menstruat
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-approaches-to-diagnosis-and-treatment-1985/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- How should doctors diagnose and treat premenstrual syndrome?

Study, 1985

# How should doctors diagnose and treat premenstrual syndrome?

Diagnosis requires tracking symptoms for three consecutive cycles to confirm they occur only after ovulation with a complete symptom-free week after menstruation. Treatment depends on whether symptoms are mild, moderate, or severe.

 Early or limited evidence

Not applicable - this is a review article

## What they did

This is a discussion article about how to define, diagnose, and treat premenstrual syndrome. It reviews symptom patterns, diagnostic criteria, and treatment approaches.

## What they found

PMS symptoms commonly occur at three different timing patterns: during the late premenstruum only; at ovulation and during the premenstruum; or at ovulation, gradually increasing through the time after ovulation. Diagnosis depends on the timing of symptoms rather than the specific types present. Rational treatment programs are proposed for mild, moderate, and severe cases.

## What it means for you

The key point is that diagnosis requires careful symptom tracking to confirm the timing, not just identifying which symptoms are present. The main limit is that this is a discussion of approaches rather than a study testing whether any specific treatment actually works.

3

Consecutive menstrual cycles required for diagnosis

1 week

Symptom-free period required after menstruation for diagnosis

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual syndrome: approaches to diagnosis and treatment Authors Simkin RJ Journal Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien Year 1985 Study design Study What was tested Not applicable Open access Yes Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21274209/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21274209/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)

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.

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗