Premenstrual Syndrome: Recognizing the Struggle this Mother’s Day

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a monthly challenge for most women. It can become serious enough to make daily tasks hard to complete. A lot of women have to call in sick to work or pull out of other commitments as they suffer from the emotional or physical symptoms of PMS. To honor Mother’s Day, let us talk about how women can manage the discomfort that comes with PMS.

Symptoms of PMS
PMS is a combination of symptoms which arise a week or two before the menstrual period. For the majority of women, the symptoms will disappear if menstruation has started. However, the symptoms can impact a woman emotionally and physically. Although the symptoms differ in every woman, the most common ones include irritability, headaches, bloating, constipation, acne, tender breasts, fatigue, and stomach cramps.

Treatment Options
Treatment options include medication therapy, birth control pills, and diet modification. The following are common treatment options for PMS.

Use a Pill case Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
These are used for relieving menstrual-cycle related pain such as a premenstrual headache. NSAIDs such as over-the-counter ibuprofen products and naproxen sodium are often commonly recommended for PMS.

GnRH agonists (gonadotropin-releasing hormone).
These treatments belong to a class of hormones used for temporarily shrinking fibroids and relieving endometriosis. For PMS, they work by turning off menstrual cycle because they block the production of estrogen.

Contraceptive hormones
A number of women who suffer PMS experience relief after starting to take birth control pills. The pill can be taken continuously in order to avoid having a menstrual period, therefore preventing the changes in hormones which can result in PMS. However, birth control pills that have drospirenone may sometimes cause serious side effects including blood clots in the lung and legs.

Anti-anxiety medicines
These medications can be prescribed if a woman experiences anxiety as the primary symptom associated with PMS. They can be taken during the fourteen days between ovulation and menstruation if symptoms arise.

Antidepressant medicines
These are prescribed for women who suffer from serious PMS symptoms such as depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often recommended to women who experience serious mood-related symptoms like depression and mood swings.

Calcium supplements
Extra calcium in any form can be helpful in relieving some symptoms of PMS. Main sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and milk. But calcium is also contained in rice milk, broccoli, salmon, dark greens, and tofu.

Physical activity
Exercising on a regular basis can help in relieving and preventing the symptoms of PMS. Women must exercise at least thirty minutes every day.

Because there is no single treatment that works well for all women with PMS, it is best to try lifestyle changes first and discuss the symptoms to your doctor. You can also talk to the pharmacists at 4 Corners Pharmacy, a provider of health care supplies in Spring Hill, Florida. Call us at 352-610-4355.