PMS and Mood Swings

Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS is a physical and emotional disturbance that is faced by 90% of the menstruating women. PMS is caused due to a biological process that causes mood swings in women. Women's health depends a lot on the hormonal balances in her body. Let's first understand this biological process known as menstruation.

What is Menstruation
Women are blessed with the gift of giving birth to a new life. But as with every blessing, this has a catch, reproduction in women is linked with the monthly process of menstruation. Menstruation refers to the biological phenomenon that occurs only in the female species of the human race. It signifies puberty in girls and is a sign that a girl is now a woman. The start of periods or the menstruation cycle is known as menarche. Menarche happens when the girl's reproductive system has matured and starts working together. The uterus is the exclusive reproductive organ of the female body. The fallopian tubes and ovaries are associated with the uterus, that lies in the pelvic region of the abdomen. Every month a tiny egg is released by the ovaries, that travels down the fallopian tube and gets attached in the uterus. Hormone estrogen is released, that helps stimulate the uterus to make its wall thick by lining it with extra blood and tissue. It is a natural response to accommodate an embryo, if the egg gets fertilized by a sperm. If the egg is not fertilized, the uterus sheds the egg, the extra blood and the tissue lining out of the body. This monthly shedding by the uterus through the vagina, is known as the menstruation cycle or menstruation period.

What is PMS and Mood Swings
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is seen when ovulation occurs and the start of menstruation. There are many symptoms of PMS that can be mild or very severe. PMS symptoms disrupt the personal and professional life of women for a few days, before the start of her periods. This emotional and physical disturbances are the body's signal to a woman that she has ovulated and will be starting her monthly periods. PMS has over 150 recognized symptoms, and mood swings are a part of PMS.

PMS and mood swings are caused due to fluctuating levels of hormones in the body after ovulation. These fluctuating hormones cause the normal tenderness in breasts, bloating or headaches in women. It is seen that if there are below normal levels of serotonin, a chemical in the brain, it may result in symptoms other than physical, like mood swings.

Symptoms of PMS and Mood Swings
As mentioned above, there are number of symptoms that are associated with PMS and mood swings. These symptoms vary in duration and severity from cycle to cycle and woman to woman. The following are the common symptoms associated with PMS and mood swings.

• Anxiety
• Tension
• Feeling of anger
• Depression for no apparent reason
• Feeling of crying
• Oversensitivity to minor issues
• Exaggerated mood swings
• Changes in sexual desires
• Loss of attention
• Confusion
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty to concentrate
• Becoming clumsy or having butter fingers

There are a few common physical symptoms associated with PMS like:

• Breast tenderness
• Bloating
  
• Swelling in arms and legs
• Migraines
• Back pain
• Temporary insomnia
• Energy level changes
• Nausea
• Acne
• Weight gain
• Change of appetite and craving for certain foods

PMS and mood swings can be easily distinguished from other similar psychological and physiological symptoms in other clinical illnesses. PMS and mood swings are seen only during ovulation and before the start of the menstruation cycle. The rest of the days are symptom free.

Treatment for PMS and Mood Swings
PMS and mood swings can be treated by various methods, with medical help. It is seen that not all medical approaches are useful to all women. Women can follow a healthy lifestyle that will help manage PMS and mood swings like:

• Regular exercises
• Avoiding salty food before menstruation
• Reduction in caffeine intake
• Stop smoking and avoid alcohol
• Reducing the intake of refined sugars
• Increase calcium and magnesium intake in diet
• Having St. John's wort, a herb
• Drinking 'Pulsattilla' pills with water
• Drinking chamomile tea.
• Natural estrogen replacement herbal remedies to help restore the hormonal balance
• Yoga is the best way to relax and calm the feelings of anxiety and depression. It also helps restore the hormonal balance.

In case your mood swings are severe, visit a medical practitioner who can prescribe drugs that will help balancing the serotonin levels and ease the mood swings. Women should always eat a balanced and healthy diet to counter these biological upheavals occurring in their bodies every month. Women although termed as weaker sex, are stronger than the supposedly stronger sex as they face and overcome many physical, emotional and psychological challenges bestowed upon them by mother nature. The next time you are frustrated, irritable and facing an uncontrolled emotional turmoil, blame it on your hormones!