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Summary
Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a group of symptoms that start one to two weeks before your period. Most women have at least some symptoms of PMS, and the symptoms go away after their periods start. For some women, the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with their lives. They have a type of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD.
Common PMS symptoms include
- Breast swelling and tenderness
- Acne
- Bloating and weight gain
- Pain - headache or joint pain
- Food cravings
- Irritability, mood swings, crying spells, depression
No one knows what causes PMS, but hormonal changes trigger the symptoms. No single PMS treatment works for everyone. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen may help ease cramps, headaches, backaches and breast tenderness. Exercising, getting enough sleep, and avoiding salt, caffeine, and alcohol can also help.
Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health
Treatments and Therapies
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Black Cohosh
(National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
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Chasteberry (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
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Evening Primrose Oil (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
Related Issues
- Mittelschmerz (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) (American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Different from PMS? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Water Retention: Relieve This Premenstrual Symptom (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Premenstrual Syndrome (National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Evaluation of female athlete triad and gynecological complaints in young...
- Article: The Difference in the Severity of Premenstrual Symptoms between Users...
- Article: Personality Traits of Suicidality Are Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome and...
- Premenstrual Syndrome -- see more articles
Reference Desk
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Normal Female Reproductive Anatomy (National Cancer Institute)
Find an Expert
- womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Coping with Common Period Problems (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) (Children's Hospital Boston) Also in Spanish
