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Study, 1945

What symptoms do women experience with premenstrual tension?

Premenstrual tension causes many different physical and emotional symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including nervousness, irritability, depression, headaches, nausea, and bloating.

Early or limited evidence Women with premenstrual distress (numbers not specified)

What they did

Described the range of symptoms and signs women experience with premenstrual tension.

What they found

The most common complaints are nervousness, irritability, depression, emotional instability, headache, nausea and tenseness. Common signs are bloating and swelling under the skin. Some women also report skin tightness, itching, vulval swelling, and stomach problems like vomiting, diarrhea or cramps. Rarely, women experience loss of consciousness, convulsions, increased sexual desire, or joint and nerve pain. Some women with existing conditions like asthma experience worsening during this time.

What it means for you

This describes the wide variety of symptoms women with premenstrual tension experience, from mild to severe. It shows how differently the condition presents in different women. The main limitation is that it describes symptoms without reporting how common they are or testing treatments.

About the study

Original title
THE TREATMENT OF PREMENSTRUAL DISTRESS, WITH SPECIAL CONSIDERATION OF THE ANDROGENS
Authors
S. CHARLES FREED
Journal
JAMA
Year
1945
Study design
Study

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