Awareness is the first step to healing. Even though there are over 150 symptoms classified under PMS, each woman’s experience is different. It is important to identify your own symptoms, especially those that affect your quality of life and relationships in a significant way.
There are two simple steps to help you get in touch with your symptoms.
First, identify the symptoms you experience that are most distressing to you.
Generally, PMS symptoms fall under the following categories:
Mood-related symptoms
These include anxiety, nervousness, restlessness, anger or hostility, tension, mood swings, impatience, irritability, oversensitivity, and feeling overwhelmed (the “Turmoil Symptoms”).
And feeling depressed or sad, crying easily, loneliness, a lowered desire to talk or move, feelings of unattractiveness, low self-image, and sleeping more than usual (the “Blue Symptoms”).
Pain/discomfort symptoms
These include bloating, swelling in the hands or feet, breast tenderness, abdominal or pelvic pain, headaches, joint aches, backaches, and muscle stiffness.
Somatic/cognitive symptoms
These include fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, gas, acne, skin itching, weight gain, forgetfulness, confusion, poor judgment, night sweats, and hot flashes.
Behavioral/functional changes
These include increased appetite, food cravings, overeating or bingeing, feeling out of control, acting compulsively, poor coordination or clumsiness, distractibility, being disorganized, sleep disturbances, decreased sexual desire, and lowered work performance.
Most women experience a combination of mood and behavioral changes, along with some physical or cognitive symptoms.
Research has found that the mood symptoms and behavioral changes are generally the most distressing for women.
How about you? Which category do most of your symptoms fall under? Which ones are most distressing to you?
Second, determine if your symptoms are indeed premenstrual.
PMS may be a disguise for other health-related issues. To be diagnosed as PMS, symptoms must meet the following criteria:
1. They must be present every month for at least the previous two menstrual cycles.
2. They must occur during the premenstrual phase and cannot start before ovulation.
3. There must be a complete absence of symptoms after menstruation for a minimum of seven days.
Recommendations:
1. Track your PMS/PMDD symptoms for at least two cycles, because this is the only way to get an accurate diagonsis.
3. Making positive lifestyle changes outlined in the following five steps. 99% of women who followed these steps have noticed significant improvements on their moods and PMS symptoms.
4. If you decide to seek professional help, your tracking information will prove to be valuable to your doctor and other healthcare professionals.
5 steps to finding PMS relief and live vibrantly!
Intro — PMS is tough. You are tougher!
Step 1 — Get in touch with your symptoms
Step 2 — Enlist your powerful mind
Step 3 — Develop new heath habits
Step 4 — Cultivate supportive relationships
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