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- What is PMS?
- Symptoms of PMS
- Causes of PMS
- Prevention of PMS
- Risk factors for PMS
- Complications of PMS
- When to see a doctor about PMS
- Diagnosis of PMS
- Conventional treatment of PMS
- Alternative/complementary treatment of PMS
- Living with PMS
- Caring for someone with PMS
Diagnosis of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
There are no tests to definitively diagnose PMS.
The only way that PMS can be determined is through observation. A woman who feels that she has symptoms of PMS (or even PMDD) through observation of the time and length of symptoms and whether or not there is a pattern to it that is related to the two weeks prior to menstruation (the luteal phase of menstruation).
It is advisable to create a menstruation diary and take note of all symptoms, severity and duration to determine exactly if the symptoms are due to PMS.
Use the PMS Tracker to accomplish this. Print it out and use it as your menstruation diary and take it to your doctor for discussion.
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To determine if you have PMS, answer the questions below :
- In the two weeks prior to menstruation, do you feel anxious, moody, irritable and snap at people?
- In the two weeks prior to menstruation, do you feel depressed, confused, forgetful, cry a lot and withdraw from people?
- In the two weeks prior to menstruation, do you experience bloating (especially in your abdomen and breasts) and sore or tender breasts?
- In the two weeks prior to menstruation, do you get intense food cravings and have an increased appetite?
- In the two weeks prior to menstruation, do you find it difficult to sleep properly or experience headaches/migraines?
If you can answer yes to any of the above questions then it is most likely you have PMS, especially if the symptoms occur quite regularly (for most menstrual cycles).
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