Is PMS normal?

Approximately 9 out of 10 women have at least one symptom of PMS around the time of menstruation,¹ so it’s certainly a problem for many females. Fortunately, there are many ways to keep PMS in control.

What happens in PMS?

PMS is the name that’s been given to a group of physical and mental symptoms that affect the  body (see table).² If you are a PMS sufferer, you may notice these changes for a couple of weeks before you menstruate and that you start to feel better once your period begins.^2,3

Although there are many different symptoms of PMS, most women only ever experience a few of these.³ Some girls and women who have PMS find that their symptoms are different every month, while others find their symptoms are the same. However there may be some months where the symptoms seem worse than others.³ Over time you will begin to recognise which of these symptoms is most common for you. It may help to keep a diary for a few months to track your symptoms.

Common PMS symptoms^1-4

It’s not really understood why most women and girls get PMS, but it is thought to be connected to the hormone changes that happen during the menstrual cycle.⁵

If you are overweight, or smoke, then you may be more likely to have PMS.^1-3 Smokers are twice as likely to have severe PMS symptoms.²

Getting to grips with PMS

It might seem hard to control your emotions when you have PMS, but there are a lot of things that you can do to help you feel better:^1,3,4

• Do more exercise – Exercise regularly, at least 3 times a week and try to exercise daily in the premenstrual period.
• Eat a healthy diet – reduce the amount of salt, caffeine, sugar and alcohol and switch to healthy foods, like fish, chicken, nuts, seeds, pasta, fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
• Eat smaller meals more often – try 6 small meals instead of 3 main meals.
• Eat calcium-rich foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt.
• Manage any stress in whatever way works best for you, try yoga, massage, walking or gardening.
• Try a complementary remedy: calcium and vitamin B6 can help reduce both the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS;^4,5 magnesium may help reduce bloating, breast tenderness and mood symptoms;^4,5 while some women may find their breast tenderness is eased by evening primrose oil.⁵

Finding the right approach to manage PMS may take some time. If after trying these changes the symptoms persist, it might be worth talking to your doctor. There are medicines that may help.

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