PMS - how many days before menstruation should symptoms begin. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): what is it, how many days before menstruation begins

Doctors have always tried to determine the reasons why women feel unwell and irritable in the days immediately before menstruation . In ancient times, this phenomenon was associated with various factors- and with the phases of the moon, and with the woman’s health, and with the characteristics of the area where she lived. However, the state before menstruation was a mystery to the Aesculapians. Only in the twentieth century were doctors able to understand to some extent what was happening to the ladies.

Speaking about PMS - what it is, you should know how PMS stands for - what it means is a manifestation characteristic of women in the days before menstruation. PMS is a set of symptoms that appear in women and girls a few days before the onset of menstruation.

Scientists are still researching what causes such manifestations and what this syndrome means. Those who are interested in how PMS is translated should learn in more detail what manifestations are characteristic of this condition. Each transcript of what PMS is in girls contains a description of all the characteristic symptoms and manifestations.

After all, PMS in women is a whole complex of symptoms, both physical and mental—scientists have counted about 150 of them. Approximately 75% of women experience PMS to varying degrees. menstrual syndrome.

As a rule, PMS in girls begins to appear approximately 2-10 days before the day when signs of menstruation appear. After menstruation ends, menstrual syndrome also completely disappears.

Why does PMS develop?

So far, all the studies conducted have not made it possible to determine why premenstrual syndrome manifests itself? There are many theories that explain why this condition develops.

  • The so-called “water intoxication” is a disrupted water-salt metabolism.
  • Allergic nature - high sensitivity organism to endogenous.
  • Psychosomatic – development physiological symptoms due to the influence of mental factors.

The most complete and broadest one today is the hormonal theory, according to which PMS is explained by strong hormonal fluctuations in the second phase of the cycle. After all, for the female body to function correctly, normal hormonal balance is important:

  • can improve well-being, both physical and mental, activate mental activity, increase vitality;
  • progesterone provides a sedative effect, which can lead to a depressive state in the second phase;
  • affect libido, increase performance and energy.

In the second phase of the cycle hormonal background women are changing. Consequently, the hormonal theory suggests that the body reacts inadequately to such a “storm”. Interestingly, premenstrual tension syndrome is inherited.

Since during the premenstrual period the body experiences endocrine instability , this leads to the manifestation of somatic and psycho-vegetative disorders. The main reason for this is the fluctuation of sex hormones throughout monthly cycle and the reaction to this in the limbic parts of the brain.

  • When the level increases estrogen and first increases, and then decreases the level progesterone , swelling, tenderness of the mammary glands, dysfunction of the heart and blood vessels, pressure surges, irritability and aggression in women are noted.
  • With increased secretion fluid is also retained in the body.
  • When content increases , there are vegetative-vascular disorders, digestive disorders - diarrhea, nausea, as well as headaches reminiscent of.

Thus, modern doctors identify the following factors that determine the development of PMS:

  • A decrease in level, which leads to the manifestation mental symptoms premenstrual syndrome: when this hormone decreases, sadness and melancholy are noted.
  • Deficiency leads to fluid retention, hypersensitivity breasts, mood changes.
  • A lack of magnesium leads to the development of symptoms such as, headache, desire to eat sweets.
  • Smoking – women who smoke suffer from PMS twice as often.
  • – Those with a body mass index greater than 30 are much more likely to experience symptoms of this syndrome.
  • Genetics – the tendency to PMS can be inherited.
  • Difficult childbirth, abortion, gynecological operations.

The main symptoms of PMS in women

When talking about what PMS symptoms are, how many days before menstruation do they appear in girls and women, we should take into account the individual characteristics of each organism. Basic signs of PMS before menstruation, doctors divide into several different groups. The following symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are distinguished (by groups):

  • Neuropsychiatric : depression, aggression, irritability and tearfulness.
  • Exchange-endocrine : chills, swelling due to violation water-salt metabolism, elevated temperature, discomfort in the mammary glands, bloating, blurred vision and memory.
  • Vegetative-vascular : headache, pressure changes, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, heart pain.

Speaking about what symptoms women experience before menstruation, it should be taken into account that they can be conditionally divided into several forms. However, as a rule, they are combined. So, if pronounced psycho-vegetative disorders are noted, pain threshold decreases, and the woman perceives pain very acutely - a week or a few days before menstruation.

What signs of menstruation can be observed in a week or in a few days?

Neuropsychic form Disturbances in the emotional and nervous spheres appear:
  • may develop panic attacks, causeless melancholy and depression;
  • anxiety, feeling of fear, depression;
  • forgetfulness, poor concentration, mood swings;
  • insomnia, increased or decreased libido;
  • aggression, dizziness.
Crisis form
  • There is tachycardia, pressure changes, heart pain;
  • frequent urination before menstruation, panic.
  • Those who are characterized by this form usually have heart disease, kidney disease, and poor digestion.
Atypical manifestations
Edema form
  • Characterized by negative diuresis and fluid retention in the body.
  • Swelling of the limbs and face, itching of the skin, thirst, weight gain, pain in the lower back and joints, headache, decreased urination, and digestive problems occur.
Cephalgic form Most manifest vegetative-vascular and neurological symptoms:
  • migraine, cardialgia;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • tachycardia;
  • high sensitivity to smells and sounds.

Approximately 75% of women experience increased vascular patterns and hyperostosis. With this form, as a rule, the family history includes hypertension, diseases digestive system, heart and vascular diseases.

Wikipedia and other sources indicate that each woman experiences PMS differently, and the symptoms may vary.

Scientists, having conducted a series of studies, determined the frequency of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome:

In addition, PMS can significantly aggravate the course of other diseases:

  • anemia ;
  • thyroid diseases;
  • migraines ;
  • chronic fatigue syndrome;
  • inflammatory diseases of the female genital area.

What conditions and diseases can masquerade as PMS?

To know how many days before menstruation begins, every woman needs to keep a calendar or a special notebook and write down the start date of menstruation, how long menstruation lasts, as well as the day of ovulation (to do this, just measure basal temperature). It is also worth noting the manifestation of symptoms before menstruation and how you feel during ovulation.

If a woman keeps such records over several cycles, this helps her determine how often signs of PMS appear. Also, the diary will help determine whether there is a delay in menstruation, etc.

To establish a diagnosis of PMS, the doctor determines the presence of at least 4 signs listed below:

  • , insomnia ;
  • deterioration of attention and memory;
  • increased appetite, decreased appetite;
  • severe fatigue, weakness;
  • chest pain;
  • swelling;
  • pain in joints or muscles;
  • exacerbation of chronic diseases.

This condition can also be diagnosed if at least one of the following signs is observed:

  • conflict, tearfulness, nervousness and irritability, sudden changes women's moods;
  • groundless anxiety, fear, tension;
  • feeling of melancholy without reason, depression;
  • depression;
  • aggressiveness.

To determine the severity of PMS, it is important to take into account the number of manifestations, their severity and duration:

  • Mild form - manifests itself from 1 to 4 symptoms, if these are 1-2 signs, then they are significantly pronounced.
  • Severe form - manifests itself from 2 to 12 signs, if these are 2-5 symptoms, then they are significantly pronounced. Sometimes they can lead to a woman becoming unable to work the day or several days before her period.

The cyclical nature of manifestations is the main feature that distinguishes premenstrual syndrome from other diseases. That is, this condition is premenstrual syndrome when it begins before menstruation (from 2 to 10 days) and completely disappears after menstruation. But if psychovegetative symptoms disappear, then physical sensations sometimes they turn into painful periods or migraines in the first days of the cycle.

If a woman’s sensations in the first phase of the cycle are relatively good, then this is precisely PMS, and not an exacerbation of chronic diseases - depression, neurosis, fibrocystic disease.

If pain is observed only immediately before menstruation and during menstruation, and is combined with blood discharge in the middle of the cycle, then this indicates that, most likely, the body is developing gynecological disease – , etc.

To install PMS form, hormones are examined: estradiol , prolactin , progesterone .

Can also be assigned additional methods research, depending on which complaints predominate:

  • If you are concerned about very severe headaches, tinnitus, dizziness, fainting, or blurred vision, it is necessary to perform a CT or MRI to exclude organic diseases brain.
  • If neuropsychiatric symptoms predominate, an EEG is performed to exclude epileptic syndrome.
  • If swelling is a concern, the amount of urine per day changes, tests are performed to diagnose the kidneys.
  • In case of significant breast engorgement, an ultrasound of the mammary glands should be performed, .

Women who suffer from PMS are examined not only by a gynecologist, but also by other specialists: neurologists, psychiatrists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, cardiologists, and therapists.

How to figure it out - PMS or pregnancy?

Since some symptoms during pregnancy are very similar to signs of PMS, it is important to take into account the differences that can distinguish between these conditions.

After conception occurs, the hormone increases in the female body progesterone . As a result, a woman may confuse pregnancy with PMS when the following symptoms begin to appear: breast tenderness and swelling, vomiting, nausea, mood swings, lower back pain, irritability.

Often, when you go to one or another thematic forum, you can see women’s arguments about how to distinguish PMS from pregnancy before a delay. Of course, if your periods started on time, then the issue goes away by itself. However, even pregnant women sometimes experience discharge during the day. When should your period be? There are differences between discharge before menstruation and during pregnancy - in pregnant women it is usually more scanty. But still, in order to verify the presence or absence of pregnancy, it is worth doing a test or conducting tests at the medical center. institution.

Below is a comparison of the most common symptoms during pregnancy and PMS.

Symptom During pregnancy For premenstrual syndrome
Chest pain Appears throughout pregnancy Disappears with the onset of menstruation
Appetite Taste preferences change, the sense of smell becomes more acute, and familiar smells become irritating. You may crave sweets, salty foods, there is sensitivity to smells, and there may be an increase in appetite
Back pain Worrying in the last trimester Possible lower back pain
Fatigue It appears about a month after conception. Possible both after ovulation and a few days before menstruation
Pain in the lower abdomen Brief, mild pain Manifests individually
Emotional state Mood changes often Irritability and tearfulness appear
Frequent urination May be No
Toxicosis Begins to develop approximately 4-5 weeks after conception There may be nausea and vomiting

Since the symptoms for these conditions are actually similar, and in some cases it is even possible to become pregnant during your period (at least that is the impression a woman gets if discharge appears), it is important to act correctly.

It is best to wait until your period begins. If a woman notes that she is already experiencing a delay, it is necessary to conduct a pregnancy test, which reliably determines pregnancy after a delay. For those who want to immediately verify whether conception has occurred, you can take (pregnancy hormone). Such a test accurately determines pregnancy already on the tenth day after conception.

The most appropriate thing to do in such a situation is to visit a gynecologist who will help you figure out what a woman actually has - PMS or pregnancy through an examination and an ultrasound. Sometimes the question also arises of how to distinguish pregnancy from – in this case, you also need to consult a doctor or do a test.

When should you contact a specialist?

If pain, irritability, increased tearfulness In women whose causes are related to PMS, significantly reduce the quality of life and are very pronounced, it is worth contacting a doctor and carrying out the treatment prescribed by him. The doctor may also give effective recommendations about how to alleviate certain unpleasant manifestations.

As a rule, with such manifestations, symptomatic therapy is prescribed. How to treat PMS, and whether it is worth prescribing any drugs for treatment, the specialist determines, taking into account the form, symptoms, and course of premenstrual syndrome. Can be assigned following methods treatment:

  • For mood swings, depression, and irritability, psychotherapy sessions, relaxation techniques, and sedatives are prescribed.
  • If you are experiencing pain in the abdomen, lower back, or headaches, it is recommended to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain syndrome(pills , etc.).
  • Drugs are also prescribed for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome - diuretics for the purpose of removing excess liquid and elimination of edema.
  • Hormonal treatment is prescribed if there is insufficiency in the second phase of the cycle, after testing functional diagnostics, guided by the results of the changes that were identified. Assign gestagens medroxyprogesterone acetate , they should be taken from the 16th to 25th day of the menstrual cycle.
  • Tranquilizers and antidepressants are prescribed to women who develop numerous neuropsychiatric symptoms before menstruation: aggressiveness, nervousness, panic attacks, insomnia, etc. In such cases, they are prescribed,

    Have a good rest

    You need to sleep as much time as your body needs to good rest. As a rule, this is 8-10 hours. Many women who write on any thematic forum note that it was the normalization of sleep that made it possible to reduce the severity of unpleasant symptoms. With a lack of sleep, anxiety, irritability, aggressiveness may develop, and worsen. For those who suffer from insomnia, taking short evening walks can help.

    Aromatherapy

    Provided that the woman does not suffer from allergies, you can practice aromatherapy by selecting a special composition of aromatic oils. It is recommended to use lavender, basil, sage, geranium, rose, juniper, and bergamot oils. It is worth starting to take baths with aromatic oils two weeks before menstruation.

    Physical activity

    Any reasonable load has a positive effect on the body - running, dancing, yoga, bodyflex, etc. If you train fully and regularly, the body’s content increases. endorphins . And this allows you to overcome depression and insomnia, and reduce the severity of physical symptoms.

    Vitamins and minerals

    To reduce the severity of symptoms, two weeks before menstruation you need to take magnesium and. It is also recommended to drink and. This will help reduce the severity of a number of symptoms: palpitations, insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, irritability.

    Nutrition

    It is important to include as many vegetables and fruits as possible in your diet, as well as foods containing calcium and fiber. It is worth reducing the amount of coffee, cola, and chocolate consumed, as caffeine provokes anxiety and mood swings. It is important to reduce the amount of fat in your diet.

    It is also not recommended to eat beef, which may contain artificial estrogens. You should drink herbal teas, lemon and carrot juices. It is better to exclude or limit alcohol, since under its influence reserves of minerals and vitamins are depleted, and the liver utilizes hormones worse.

    Women often wonder why they crave salty foods before menstruation. The fact is that fluctuations in appetite are normal during PMS, and sometimes you just need to “satisfy the demands” of the body in order to feel better.

    Relaxation

    You need to try to avoid stressful situations, not overwork and think positively. To do this, it is recommended to practice yoga and meditation.

    Regular sex

    Sex also has a beneficial effect on health - it helps you sleep better, overcome stress, cope with bad emotions, strengthen your immune system and increase endorphins. In addition, in the period before menstruation, a woman’s libido often increases, which contributes to an active sex life.

    Medicinal herbs

    By using herbal teas can significantly alleviate the condition of PMS. The main thing is to choose the right herbs. Tea can be made from St. John's wort, primrose, and other herbs that your doctor recommends.

    Conclusions

    Thus, premenstrual syndrome is a serious condition that sometimes becomes an obstacle for a woman to full life and ability to work. According to research, most often severe symptoms PMS occurs in female residents big cities and women who engage in mental work.

    However, with the help of specialists, as well as by practicing proper nutrition, regular physical activity Taking vitamins and minerals can significantly alleviate this condition.

Most women begin to show signs of premenstrual syndrome 10 days before their period. This period is not only feeling unwell, but also frayed nerves. What exactly are the symptoms of PMS in women?

Starting from the 21st day of the cycle and ending with the beginning of menstruation, significant changes occur in a woman’s body. The term PMS was introduced by the English gynecologist Robert Frank. Behavior of women a week before the onset critical days has been of interest to doctors for a long time. The facts were compared on how many days it took for PMS symptoms to begin to manifest themselves.

Premenstrual syndrome– this is not only a period of headaches, pulling sensations in the stomach, but also a time of unstable psychological and emotional background. It was in PMS time Most of the cases of road traffic accidents occur involving women; the fairer sex is prone to excessive shopping during this period.

The causes of the syndrome have not yet been established. Some experts are inclined to believe that this is the body’s reaction to a surge of hormones. Others think it's allergic reaction body to changes in hormonal levels. But both opinions are based on the fact that PMS syndrome is associated with hormones.

For normal functioning female body The correct hormonal balance is very important. In the second phase of the cycle, it begins to fluctuate, which leads to failures in all systems.

Main signs of PMS

How many days before menstruation do PMS symptoms begin to bother women depends on individual characteristics body. On average, they begin to appear 10 days before menstruation. The main symptoms are the following.

Weight gain

Almost all women notice weight gain before the onset of menstruation. This is due to the fact that there is an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone in the body. Fluid begins to be retained, bloating and swelling appear in the abdomen. After the end of the menstrual cycle, all symptoms disappear.

You can also gain weight during PMS because at this moment your appetite increases greatly. A woman begins to eat more as her blood glucose levels decrease.

Tearfulness, irritability, aggressiveness

These signs appear in women due to a weak psychological background, which thus reacts to hormonal imbalances.

Skin problems

Five days before their period, many women experience acne. During PMS, estrogen causes decreased performance sebaceous glands. Because of this, the skin becomes oilier. If a woman is not eating properly or is in stressful situation, the occurrence of irritation, acne and acne is possible in 98% of cases.

Pain

Women often experience headaches during the premenstrual period. Pain in the lower back and lower abdomen also occurs.

Premenstrual syndrome or pregnancy?

Many PMS symptoms are very similar to the first signs of pregnancy. How to distinguish pregnancy from waiting for your period? After conception, progesterone levels increase in a woman’s body. The same thing happens in the period before menstruation. The symptoms are similar:

  • fatigue, loss of strength;
  • painful sensations in the chest;
  • vomiting, nausea;
  • irritation, tearfulness, aggression;
  • pain in the lumbar region.

How to distinguish these states from each other? Painful sensations in the chest disappear with the onset of menstruation; during pregnancy they remain unchanged throughout the first trimester.

Lower back pain during pregnancy is normal only during last date. During pregnancy, a woman is worried frequent urination– this sign is not present in PMS.

The signs of both conditions are very similar, so deciphering what exactly to expect is very difficult. Most the right way To find out the cause of the malaise is to wait for the onset of menstruation.

If on the right day menstrual cycle has not started, you need to use a pregnancy test.

Prevention of unpleasant PMS symptoms

To reduce unpleasant symptoms before menstruation, can be done preventive measures. All methods should be prescribed only by the attending physician. Recommendations are issued upon examination of the patient and after deciphering the tests taken. If discomfort causes a hormonal imbalance, then effective treatment there will be a reception hormonal drugs. They are prescribed for a period of at least 3 months.

Experts determine how long before PMS symptoms begin to bother a woman, and can prescribe the following medications:

  1. Sedatives to help cope with depression and irritability.
  2. For headaches use Ibuprofen, Ketanov.
  3. To remove excess fluid from the body, you can take diuretics.

Sometimes all it takes to reduce PMS symptoms is lifestyle changes. Reducing your salt intake these days will help prevent swelling. Balanced diet, dieting, reducing the amount consumed fatty foods will relieve bloating, weight gain, acne. Eat more fruits and vegetables.

Healthy and complete sleep is very important these days. It is the lack of sleep that can provoke aggression and irritation.

Two weeks before the start of your period, start taking Magne B6 (magnesium with vitamin B6) - it will not cause harm, even if it turns out that you are pregnant, stabilizes the heart, strengthens blood vessels, relieves fatigue and insomnia.

If you cannot get rid of the disease on your own, and the symptoms continue to aggressively ruin your life these days, contact a specialist.

How long does PMS (premenstrual syndrome) last and why does it occur, for doctors for a long time remained a mystery. Some healers claimed that the phases of the moon had a strong influence on the female body during this period. Some attributed the malaise to the area where the woman lived. Only in the 20th century was it possible to lift the veil of uncertainty. Doctors have proven that PMS is a complex of 150 mental and physical symptoms. Almost 75% of women suffer from this syndrome to varying degrees of complexity.

Reveal specific reasons Scientists have not yet succeeded in identifying premenstrual syndrome. There are many different theories explaining its appearance:

  1. “Water intoxication”, when the water-salt balance in the body is disturbed.
  2. An allergic reaction of a woman's body to the hormone progesterone.
  3. Psychosomatic reason.

Doctors are unanimous that the most probable reasons development of PMS are:

  • decrease in the level of the “hormone of joy”, which is serotonin. Its deficiency causes depression and tears without reason;
  • lack of vitamin B6 in the body affects physical condition breast (appears);
  • smoking can double the severity of PMS symptoms;
  • excess weight with an index over 30 is the key to the appearance of the syndrome (observed 3 times more often);
  • the genetic factor involves the transmission of the disease by inheritance.

One of reasons for PMS are the consequences of a difficult birth. In some cases, the cause should be sought in existing gynecological diseases.

Hormonal theory

According to this theory, PMS is the result of changes in the content of sex hormones in a woman’s body in the second phase of menstruation. A woman's body functions normally when her hormonal levels do not change.

Hormones perform a number of important functions for the body. As for estrogens, they are:

  • improve the physical condition of the body, and also have an impact on the mental well-being of a woman;
  • increase overall tone and promote the development of creativity;
  • influence the speed of assimilation and processing of incoming information;
  • increase learning abilities.

The functions of progesterone include a sedative effect. This explains the appearance in women depressive states. Androgen hormones affect libido, improve performance and increase energy.

If the balance of hormones is disturbed, and this is typical for the period of the 2nd phase of the cycle, the body begins to malfunction. Some parts of the brain react sharply to such changes. As a result, a number of disorders occur, including a delay in the outflow of fluid.

This explains:

  • the appearance of edema;
  • disruption of the cardiovascular system;
  • breast swelling;
  • irritability;
  • gastrointestinal disorder.

Premenstrual syndrome is dangerous due to complications of a woman’s chronic diseases. Such a simple sign as the cyclicality of PMS will help to distinguish them.

It is worth regularly noting periods of poor health and their duration. They usually happen before menstruation and then go away.

Symptoms of the syndrome

How to get rid of unpleasant feelings

Subject to availability severe symptoms Doctors suggest that the woman first rule out other diseases. To do this, you need to get tested and check general condition health. It is not excluded.

If these are symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, then the course can be followed by following the recommendations of doctors:

  1. You need to sleep at least 8 hours. Full sleep restores strength and relieves irritability and aggression. If you have obvious insomnia, do not give up walking in the fresh air.
  2. Use aromatherapy. If you are not allergic to aromatic oils, then they make it much easier serious condition caused by PMS. It is recommended to take baths with oils 2 weeks before critical days.
  3. Don't give up physical activity. It could be yoga hiking, dancing, Pilates. Regular physical activity can increase endorphin levels. This will help get rid of depression.
  4. Take vitamins B6, A and E, which help with heart palpitations and fatigue.
  5. Get your nutrition in order. Include foods containing calcium and fiber in your menu. IN daily diet The following ratio should be observed: 10% - fats, 15% - proteins, 75% - carbohydrates. Herbal teas are beneficial fresh juices. Alcohol should be avoided.
  6. Relaxation practices and regular sex increase endorphins and can strengthen the immune system.

By visiting a doctor, a woman receives drug treatment. She gives everything away necessary tests to determine hormone levels. If necessary, an ultrasound is prescribed. After this, the doctor prescribes necessary medications, these are mainly hormonal “Janine”, “Novinet” and others.

According to criminal records, women commit the majority of road accidents during the PMS period. Thefts, murders and various crimes involving the fair half of humanity also occur during this period of time. In some countries, premenstrual syndrome is considered a mitigating factor when sentencing.

It is also interesting that many women in a state of PMS want to raid stores and make numerous purchases.

Most women are familiar with the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Many of them suffer not so much from the ailments of menstruation itself, but from the condition that precedes it. The reason for this is the hormonal changes that occur in the body on the eve of menstruation. Functioning is impaired various organs, and also nervous system. This leads to headaches, depression, and irritability. It is necessary to know what physiological processes they are associated with. Then it may be easier to cope with unpleasant symptoms.

After ovulation, the so-called luteal phase begins, which precedes the onset of menstruation. Preparation for it begins in the body in advance. Under the influence of hormones, changes occur in the condition of the mammary glands and genitals. The brain and central nervous system react to hormonal processes.

For most women, this results in characteristic symptoms before menstruation. For some, they begin 2 days before menstruation, for others - 10. Disorders appear with to varying degrees gravity. With the onset of critical days, they disappear. These symptoms are collectively called premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It has been noticed that PMS is stronger in women who suffer from gynecological or other diseases.

Night shift work, exposure harmful substances, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, troubles and conflicts - all these are factors that increase ailments before menstruation.

Note: There is a theory that discomfort before menstruation is the body’s reaction to the lack of conception, which is a natural end physiological processes, occurring in the female reproductive system.

Signs of approaching period

Manifestations of PMS may vary for each individual woman. The nature of the manifestations is influenced by heredity, lifestyle, age, and health status. The most obvious signs that your period is approaching include the following:

  • irritability;
  • depressed state, feeling of inexplicable melancholy, depression;
  • fatigue, headaches;
  • fall blood pressure;
  • inability to concentrate, deterioration of attention and memory;
  • sleep disturbance;
  • constant feeling hunger;
  • painful sensations in the chest;
  • the occurrence of edema and weight gain due to fluid retention in the body;
  • indigestion, bloating;
  • nagging pain in the lower back.

Distinguish light form the occurrence of PMS (the presence of 3-4 symptoms that disappear with the onset of menstruation) and severe form(the appearance of most symptoms simultaneously 5-14 days before menstruation). It is not always possible for a woman to cope with severe symptoms on her own. Sometimes only hormonal medications can help.

Types of PMS

Depending on what signs predominate in a woman before menstruation, there are following forms PMS.

Edema. With this form, women feel pain in the mammary glands more acutely, their legs and arms swell, and itchy skin, increased sweating.

Cephalgic. Every time before menstruation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and a headache radiating to the eyes appear. Often such symptoms are combined with heart pain.

Neuropsychic. Symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, tearfulness, aggressiveness, and intolerance to loud sounds and bright lights predominate.

Krizovaya. Before menstruation, women experience crises: increases blood pressure, the pulse quickens, the limbs go numb, pain appears in the chest area, and the fear of death arises.

Causes of various PMS symptoms

The severity of PMS manifestations depends mainly on the degree of hormonal changes and the state of the nervous system. The psychological attitude plays an important role. If a woman is active and busy with interesting things, then she does not feel the symptoms of menstruation as acutely as a suspicious pessimist, suffering from the mere thought of upcoming ailments. Every symptom can have an explanation.

Increased body weight. On the one hand, its cause is a decrease in the level of estrogen in the blood in the second phase of the cycle. Accumulating adipose tissue, capable of secreting estrogens, the body makes up for their deficiency. There is also a deficiency of glucose in the blood, which leads to an increased feeling of hunger. For many women, eating delicious food is a way to distract themselves from troubles and worries.

Changes in mood. The cause of aggressiveness, irritability, anxiety, and depression is the lack of “pleasure hormones” in the body (endorphin, serotonin, dopamine), the production of which decreases during this period.

Nausea. Before menstruation, the uterus enlarges slightly due to the growth and loosening of the endometrium. At the same time, it can put pressure on the nerve endings, the irritation of which causes the gag reflex. Taking hormonal medications and contraception. If a woman constantly has such a sign before her period, then perhaps this remedy it is contraindicated for her. It needs to be replaced with something else.

Warning: Nausea before your expected period can be a sign of pregnancy. With this in mind, a woman should first of all do a test and visit a doctor to clarify her condition.

Pain in the lower abdomen. Weak nagging pain in the lower abdomen is considered before menstruation normal occurrence, if a woman does not have cycle disorders, there are no pathological discharge and other signs of genital diseases. If the pain is severe and does not subside after taking painkillers, then you must definitely go to the doctor and undergo an examination to find out the causes of the pathology.

Increase in temperature. Before menstruation, the temperature can normally rise to 37°-37.4°. The appearance of more high temperature becomes a sign of presence inflammatory process in the uterus or ovaries. As a rule, there are other signs of disturbances that force the woman to visit a doctor.

The appearance of acne. This symptom occurs before menstruation as a result of endocrine disorders, intestinal diseases, decreased body defenses, violation fat metabolism substances due to changes in hormone production.

The appearance of edema. Hormonal changes cause a slowdown in the process of water-salt metabolism in the body, which leads to fluid retention in the tissues.

Enlargement of the mammary glands. Progesterone levels increase and the body prepares for the possible onset of pregnancy. The ducts and lobules swell, blood circulation increases. Breast tissue stretches, causing dull ache while touching it.

Video: Why does your appetite increase before your period?

Under what conditions do similar manifestations occur?

Women are often confused manifestations of PMS and pregnancy. Nausea, dizziness, enlargement and tenderness of the mammary glands, and increased leucorrhoea are characteristic of both conditions.

If there are symptoms and your periods are late, then you are most likely pregnant. To make sure that this is exactly the case, it is recommended to take a blood test for human chorionic hormone levels (hCG is formed after pregnancy).

Similar symptoms also appear when endocrine diseases, formation of mammary tumors, use of hormonal drugs.

Symptoms of approaching first menstruation in adolescents

Puberty begins in girls aged 11-15 years. Their character is finally established only after 1-2 years. A girl can find out about the imminent onset of her first menstruation by characteristic manifestations. Already 1.5-2 years before the onset of this event, a teenage girl begins to develop white discharge. Immediately before the first menstrual period, the leucorrhoea becomes more intense and thin.

Possible appearance of weak nagging pain in the ovaries, arising due to their growth and stretching. PMS often manifests itself quite weakly, but there may also be deviations comparable in nature to the manifestations of PMS in adult women. One of characteristic features Teenage PMS is the formation of acne on the face. The reason is fluctuations in the level of sex hormones, the influence of this process on the condition of the skin.

Video: Signs of approaching menstruation in girls

Manifestations of PMS in premenopausal women

After 40-45 years, women experience the first signs of aging and a decrease in the level of sex hormones. arise menstrual irregularities, metabolism slows down, and often worsens chronic diseases genitals. The condition of the nervous system worsens. As a result, the manifestations of PMS intensify even more.

Many women of this age experience severe headaches, dizziness, increased sweating, increased heart rate, mood swings, and depression before menstruation. Often such manifestations of PMS are so painful that to alleviate the condition, it is prescribed hormone therapy drugs that regulate the content of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones in the body.


Probably, there is no longer a person who is not familiar with the concept of “premenstrual syndrome in women,” or, as it is called for short, PMS. First of all, this syndrome is characterized by dramatic mood swings in women and girls. They can be either aggressive and irritable, or, on the contrary, tearful and sentimental. But how many days does PMS last, and does its duration depend on age?

The symptoms of premenstrual syndrome are much broader than just changes in emotional state. During the days that PMS lasts before her period, the girl manages to experience not only mental discord, but also physical discomfort.

Symptoms last from 3 to 14 days before the start of your period. This depends on many factors, including regularity and duration of the cycle. However, even with regular menstruation, it is not always clear whether PMS will occur, how long it will last and when it will end.

Does the manifestation of PMS depend on age?

Experts note that with age, the duration of and the number of simultaneously occurring manifestations of PMS. Adolescents aged 13-17 years, as well as those who have just learned what menstruation is, as a rule, do not experience psychophysical disorders. Or they are so not clearly expressed that the girl may simply not notice them.

Symptoms in older women are more pronounced and last longer. For those approaching menopause, symptoms of PMS are especially long-lasting and debilitating.

Manifestations in young girls

Whether PMS occurs in girls and how long it lasts depends on several factors. Menstruation in very young girls is still irregular; sometimes they begin suddenly and last from 2 to 7 days. And the emotional state of any teenager during puberty is extremely unstable, so girls simply do not have time to understand whether there was PMS and whether it caused at least some inconvenience.

Possible manifestations of PMS at a young age:

  • breast swelling;
  • acne on the face;
  • pain in the lower abdomen.

Over time, a girl can already determine by these signs when her period will begin. Typically, manifestations occur 3-4 days before menstruation and last until the end of menstruation.

Female PMS

Between the ages of 18 and approximately 25, the female body undergoes a restructuring, so PMS symptoms may appear brighter and last much longer. For example, sometimes headaches during the period of time that PMS lasts in women develop into severe migraines, which does not add optimism and affects emotional state. But after PMS ends, the pain goes away on its own. At this time, the menstrual cycle, as a rule, has returned to normal, and the woman can already predict the beginning of the next critical days. But I often can’t figure out when PMS will start.

The symptoms of the syndrome in women are much wider:

  • mood swings;
  • irritability, sometimes turning into aggression;
  • tearfulness;
  • aches and pains throughout the body;
  • swelling;
  • acne on the skin.

PMS in women lasts 7-10 days and goes away after the start of menstruation. But there are cases when symptoms appear 14 days before the start of menstruation and last until the end of menstruation. If we consider that the cycle is approximately 28 days, then a woman risks never getting rid of the manifestations of PMS.

PMS in women aged 40+

Forty years is the approximate age when menopause begins to approach. At this time, when PMS symptoms begin and how long they last does not always depend on the menstrual cycle.

Symptoms:

A woman experiences debilitating physical pain, which last until the end of menstruation. The body is being rebuilt again, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, so the woman often does not know when the next menstruation will begin and how long it will last.

At the age of about 50, menopause occurs, after which some of the symptoms of PMS may still appear, but all this does not last long and gradually fades away.