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제 11 호 What is PMS and PMDD?

  • 작성일 2021-08-25
  • 좋아요 Like 3
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Kicker:LIFE (HEALTH)


What is PMS and PMDD?



by Seo-Won Hong, Cub-Reporter / Yeong-Jin Choi, Reporter

eunoia1025@naver.com / pch39067@gmail.com


  Up to 75% of menstruating women have experienced some form of premenstrual syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome, which is called PMS, has a wide variety of signs and symptoms. Women whose PMS symptoms are so extreme that they cannot do the normal things have premenstrual dysphoric disorder. It is called PMDD which is more serious than PMS. Through this article, I’m going to introduce what is PMS and PMDD, each symptom and mechanism and how to respond according to symptoms. In addition, I will examine the cause of PMS and PMDD.



What is PMS?

  PMS refers to the physical and emotional symptoms that a woman experiences in the weeks before menstruation. Women get some premenstrual symptoms which start five to 11 days before menstruation and typically PMS symptoms go away once menstruation begins. The most common emotional symptoms of PMS include mood swings, depression, feeling upset, anxious or irritable, and oversensitivity. Physical symptoms of PMS can include abdominal bloating, acne, breast tenderness or swelling, digestive upsets including constipation and diarrhea, appetite changes with food cravings, tiredness or trouble sleeping.


What is PMDD?

  Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is similar to PMS but is a much more severe form of PMS. PMDD has a more significant impact on a woman’s daily life so doctors and other experts classify PMDD as a depressive disorder. While 75% of women who have their periods may have mild PMS, PMDD is much less common. Only between 3% and 8% of women get symptoms of PMDD. Women who get mild symptoms of PMS may not need a doctor’s help to cope with the symptoms. However, PMDD is a more extreme form than PMS so it may require additional treatment. Women with PMDD might need to talk to doctor. A doctor diagnoses PMDD when a woman experiences five PMDD symptoms including emotional symptoms such as depressed mood/irritability, anxiety/tension, mood swings, impatience, etc. PMDD symptoms include diminished interest in daily activities, difficulty concentrating, easily tired and decreased energy, feeling overwhelmed or out of control, appetite changes, insomnia, painful cramping, and bloating.


How are PMS and PMDD treated?

  Mild symptoms of PMS can be managed with lifestyle changes and sometimes medicines. Changingdiet to increase protein and carbohydrates and decrease sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol can help alleviate symptoms. Regular exercise stimulates the release of endorphins so this can relieve emotional symptoms. Meditation and yoga help irregular menstrual cycle. Coffee decreases blood pressure and causes irritation. Cutting back on caffeine can relieve the mood swings. Aromatherapy is also effective in coping with mood swings. PMS affects a woman’s headache when Estrogen hormones decrease. Eating beans, kidney beans, lentils, and flax seeds can help to maintain estrogen levels. Drinking enough water is necessary for abdominal bloating. Fatigue or feeling tired can be relieved by eating iron rich foods. Sometimes medicines can help manage symptoms. Women with severe symptoms of PMS or PMDD should talk to a doctor. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is one of the treatments for PMS. These medications are mood stabilizers and antidepressants. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, are prescribed to reduce pain. Diuretics also can be prescribed to reduce fluid buildup. Medicines should be prescribed by a doctor.


Cause of PMS and PMDD

  Expert claims that the exact cause of PMs and PMDD is unclear. Yet, they have defined that levels of estrogen* and progesterone* drop during the week before the period can trigger the symptoms of PMS like back pain, headaches, tender breasts, and joint pain. Changes in brain chemicals or deficiencies* in certain vitamins and minerals can also play a role in causing PMS. Intaking too much salty foods, alcohol, and caffeine can worsen the symptom as well. Caution is needed with PMS and PMDD since they can worsen the symptoms of certain chronic conditions like asthma*, allergies, depression, anxiety, seizure* disorders, and migraines*. Plus, the symptoms of PMS can be similar to or overlap with other conditions like perimenopause*, depression or anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid* disease, and irritable bowel* disease. If you are uncertain whether you are experiencing PMS or something else, try to calculate the cycle of the symptoms. If the symptoms come and go in a distinct pattern, like month after month, it is mainly considered as PMS. If you are still uncertain, visiting a doctor is highly recommended.

  What usually causes PMDD then? Just like PMS, experts are unsure of what exactly causes PMDD. It might be an abnormal reaction to normal hormone changes that happen with each menstrual* cycle. The hormone changes can cause a serotonin* deficiency, which is a substance found naturally in the brain and intestines* that narrows blood vessels and can affect mood and cause physical symptoms. If a woman has a family history of PMS or PMDD or has a personal/family history of depression, postpartum* depression, or other mood disorders, or smokes cigarettes, she has a high rate of risk factors for PMDD.


*Estrogen: A female hormone that is important in sexual development and that causes changes in the uterus.

*Progesterone: A female hormone that causes the womb to prepare for pregnancy.

*Deficiency: A state of not having, or not having enough, of something that is needed.

*Asthma: A medical condition that makes breathing difficult by causing the air passages to become narrow or blocked.

*Seizure: The action of taking something by force or with legal authority.

*Migraine: Severe continuous pain in the head, often with vomiting and difficulty in seeing.

*Perimenopause: The time in a woman’s life when changes start happening in her body that will result in the period when se gradually stops having blood flow from her uterus each month.

*Thyroid: An organ in the front of the neck that is involved in controlling the way the body develops and works.

*Bowel: The long tube that carries solid waste from the stomach out of the body.

*Menstrual: Connected with the time when a woman menstruates.

*Serotonin: A chemical in the body that carries messages from the brain that helps you feel relaxed and happy.

*Intestines: A long tube through which food travels while it is being digested after leaving the stomach.

*Postpartum: After giving birth.



Connection Between Endocrine Disruptors, PMS, PMDD

  Some studies claim that endocrine disruptors* take a part in intensifying PMS and PMDD. Xenoestrogen*, one kind of endocrine disruptor which is easily found in toiletry preparations, cosmetics, sanitary pads, and underwear has a similar structure with in-body estrogen which disturbs normal estrogens. Volatile organic compounds like polymer absorber and phthalates* are well used to make sanitary pads. Phthalates is one kind of endocrine disruptor which can also disturb unbalance on estrogens. According to the Environment International Journal in 2020, over 90 percent of feminine sanitary products contained measurable amounts of phthalates, and some products were marked highly condensed. An authoritative survey carried out by the Ministry of Environment told that many women have experienced PMS when they used disposal sanitary pads. Therefore, the Ministry of Environment suggests changing the sanitary pad into organic pure cotton pads if suffering with PMS and PMDD. Since organic pure cotton pads include no chemical biohazards*, it can help ease the pain.


*Endocrine Disruptor: A chemical that can affect the systems in the body that produce and control hormones.

*Xenoestrogen: Xenobiotics that cause an estrogenic or an antiestrogenic effect in Metazoan.

*Phthalates: A chemical compound used in making plastics, which is believed to be dangerous to health.

*Biohazard: Something, such as a disease or a chemical, that may harm people, animals, or the environment.



  Even though lots of women go through their periods or experience extreme pain, and sometimes are unable to focus on their daily lives, women themselves consider that their pain is obvious and what they must endure. Yet, there is a lot of research made in the area of PMS and PMDD, and experts are trying hard to help ease women’s pain. What I want to emphasize is that it is very important to directly understand what can cause PMS and PMDD, what actions we can take to prevent the symptoms, and what can we do if we face PMS and PMDD. There is an old saying, “If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it”. How about we do not enjoy the pain but try to wisely avoid it this time?


Sources:

https://url.kr/umnt91

https://url.kr/q4e916

https://url.kr/3o4p1a

https://url.kr/f4kdqn

https://www.healthline.com/health/premenstrual-syndrome#symptoms

https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd

https://news.naver.com/main/read.naver?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=004&oid=366&aid=0000298549

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/premenstrual-syndrome-pms#symptoms-of-pms

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/premenstrual-syndrome-pms