---
title: How is severe PMS (PMDD) diagnosed and what treatments do doctors recommend first?
description: Doctors use specific symptoms to diagnose PMDD. Several treatment options exist, though some common supplements haven't been proven to help.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-clinical-pattern-diagnostics-and-therapeutic-approaches-2017/
---

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- How is severe PMS (PMDD) diagnosed and what treatments do doctors recommend first?

Study, 2017

# How is severe PMS (PMDD) diagnosed and what treatments do doctors recommend first?

Doctors use specific symptoms to diagnose PMDD. Several treatment options exist, though some common supplements haven't been proven to help.

 Early or limited evidence

Women of reproductive age with PMS or severe PMS (PMDD)

## What they did

Reviewed current information about diagnosing PMS and PMDD and what treatments doctors prescribe.

## What they found

Severe PMS (PMDD) is diagnosed when a woman has 5 or more specific symptoms during the week before her period, and these go away a few days after her period starts. This pattern must happen for at least 2 menstrual cycles. Vitamins B6, vitamin E, and calcium have not been confirmed to help. The first treatments doctors prescribe are antidepressants or birth control pills with drospirenone. Doctors also try hormone-related medications. Regular physical activity is recommended as an initial step.

## What it means for you

This explains the standard diagnostic criteria doctors use and what they typically prescribe for severe PMS first. The main limitation is that this summarizes existing medical practice, not new research comparing which treatment works best for different women.

5

Symptoms required for PMDD diagnosis

2

Menstrual cycles symptoms must occur in

## About the study

Original title PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME: CLINICAL PATTERN, DIAGNOSTICS AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES Authors Lale Guliyeva, Svetlana V Yureneva Journal Meditsinskiy sovet = Medical Council Year 2017 Study design Study Participants 5 What was tested Diagnostic criteria and treatment options Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.21518/2079-701x-2017-2-106-111](https://doi.org/10.21518/2079-701x-2017-2-106-111)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Calcium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-calcium/)[Vitamin B6](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-b6/)

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

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