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Study, 2020

What is premenstrual syndrome and what causes it?

PMS is a group of physical and emotional symptoms caused by the body's abnormal response to hormone changes during the menstrual cycle. Symptoms always go away when the period starts.

Early or limited evidence Review article about PMS

What they did

This is a review article explaining what PMS is, what causes it, how severe it can be, when it occurs, how it is diagnosed, and how it is treated.

What they found

PMS symptoms include breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings, depression, hopelessness, intense anger, tension, anxiety, irritability, loss of interest in usual activities, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and appetite changes. Symptoms appear 1 to 2 weeks before the period and completely disappear when the period starts.

What it means for you

PMS is caused by how the nervous system responds to hormone drops after ovulation, not because anything is wrong with the body. The variety of symptoms means different women experience PMS very differently. This is a review of what is known, not a new study, so it does not test any treatment.

1 to 2 weeks

when symptoms start before period

About the study

Original title
Those few horrible days: Premenstrual syndrome
Authors
GurmeetSingh Sarla
Journal
Biomedical Research Journal
Year
2020
Study design
Study
What was tested
None
Open access
Yes

Topics