What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Symptoms of PMS

We can divide them into emotional changes and physical changes: The most frequent emotional changes are:

• Sudden changes in mood
• Irritability

The most common physical changes are:

• Swelling of the breasts
• Weight gain and
• Headache
• Exhaustion
• gastrointestinal symptoms

The cause of PMS is probably linked to the physiological hormonal changes of the cycle but has never been proven.

Symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Syndrome

To establish a diagnosis, the woman must have five or more of these symptoms:

• You feel depressed.
• You feel tense, anxious, or "on edge."
• Is moody or cries often.
• She is constantly irritable and angry to the point of conflict with other people.
• He has lost interest in what he used to enjoy.
• You have trouble concentrating.
• You have low energy.
• You have changes in appetite, eat too much, or have a strong craving for certain foods.
• You have trouble sleeping or are sleeping too much.
• You feel overwhelmed.
• You have physiological symptoms such as tender or swollen breasts, headaches, joint or muscle pain, abdominal bloating, and weight gain.

There are no tests that allow us to make an objective diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, but it must be done with a medical history and with the help of a symptom record that the patient can write down along with her menstrual cycles.

Changes in lifestyle

In some cases it is only necessary to make a few lifestyle changes to improve symptoms. The changes that usually help are:

• Fast walking, running, swimming, and cycling help improve symptoms of tiredness.
• Relaxation: practicing relaxation therapies, yoga, meditation, massage, improves tension and insomnia.
• Establish sleep schedules: having regular sleep habits, getting enough sleep and always at approximately the same times reduces insomnia and the feeling of waking up tired.
• Make dietary changes: Eating a balanced and healthy diet can help improve symptoms. In this sense, it is advisable to eat five meals a day, increase the consumption of through fruits, vegetables and whole foods due to their ability to improve intestinal transit, as well as increase the intake of calcium (dairy, almonds, sesame, vegetables of green leaf, fish with thorns ...) as it helps to improve symptoms. On the contrary, it is convenient to limit fats and sugars, as well as caffeine and alcohol, as they can aggravate them.
• Dietary Supplements: Studies have shown that a calcium supplement can improve the physiological symptoms of PMS. Magnesium supplements, on the other hand, help reduce the sensation of abdominal bloating and vitamin E supplements also improve some symptoms of PMS.

Pharmacotherapy

If the changes in lifestyle do not work and the woman is not able to lead a normal life the days before menstruation, medical treatment should be considered.

• In some cases, birth control pills improve symptoms by modulating hormones during the menstrual cycle.
• diuretics, always under medical prescription, can improve the symptoms of fluid retention, such as the sensation of swelling of the breasts, increased abdominal volume ...
• Anti-inflammatories improve headache and back pain and abdominal pain before your period.
• Finally, if these treatments do not improve, the possibility of antidepressants that reduce the drop in mood during the days before the period and the feeling of anxiety should be considered.

• • This disorder is characterized by more intense symptoms than the usual premenstrual syndrome.
  • They can range from feeling depressed, anxious, irritable, with low energy, sleep disturbances, appetite changes, lack of energy and poor concentration ...
  • Healthy diet, exercise, relaxation techniques, a nutritional supplement ... can help relieve symptoms. If they are not enough, the specialist will recommend medical treatment.