--- title: How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? | Niyora description: PMS is diagnosed by tracking cyclical symptoms that appear 2-14 days before menstruation and disappear when menstruation starts. Both hormonal treatments like url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-symptoms-diagnostics-phytotherapy-clinical-lecture-2020/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? Randomised trial, 2020 # How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? PMS is diagnosed by tracking cyclical symptoms that appear 2-14 days before menstruation and disappear when menstruation starts. Both hormonal treatments like birth control pills and non-hormonal treatments like Vitex extract have been shown in research to be effective. Early or limited evidence Clinical review about PMS diagnosis and treatment in women generally, not a specific study population ## What they did This is a clinical review article that summarizes how to diagnose PMS using standard criteria, how to distinguish it from other conditions, and what evidence shows about treatment options. It is not a primary research study but rather a summary of existing medical knowledge and recommendations from randomized controlled trials. ## What they found PMS diagnosis is based on the cyclical pattern of symptoms occurring in the 2-14 days before menstruation according to ICD-10 criteria, analyzed over two menstrual cycles. Important to rule out other conditions like depression, anxiety, hypothyroidism, anaemia, endometriosis, and autoimmune diseases. Both combined oral contraceptives and non-hormonal treatments containing Vitex have shown effectiveness in research studies and clinical practice. ## What it means for you Women with suspected PMS should see a doctor for proper diagnosis to make sure symptoms are actually PMS and not another condition. Several treatment options exist, both hormonal and non-hormonal. The main limitation is that this is a review article summarizing other research, not a new study with original data. 2-14 days When PMS symptoms typically appear before menstruation 2 cycles Period needed to diagnose PMS ## About the study Original title Premenstrual syndrome: symptoms, diagnostics, phytotherapy (clinical lecture) Authors V N Prilepskaya, Elmira R. Dovletkhanova Journal Meditsinskiy sovet = Medical Council Year 2020 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Not applicable; clinical review discussing multiple treatment approaches including oral contraceptives and Vitex extract Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.21518/2079-701x-2020-13-106-115](https://doi.org/10.21518/2079-701x-2020-13-106-115) ## 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/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Endometriosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-endometriosis/)[Thyroid disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-thyroid/) 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 Study, 2026 Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? Cohort study, 2012 How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms? Review, 1999 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder a distinct clinical disorder? Study, 2022 What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗