Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is expression used to denote symptoms a woman may experience during menstrual cycle. These symptoms can start a couple of days before the monthly menstrual cycle (luteal phase) and usually stop when the ovulation starts (follicular phase) or shortly thereafter. Symptoms of PMS can be physical, psychological and cognitive or behavioural. Severity of PMS symptoms may vary from mild to severe. PMS does not occur in prepubertal period, postmenopausal women, anovulatory (e.g., pregnant) women or in women, who have undergone oophorectomy.
Read: Tips to Avoid Premenstrual Syndrome
Just how long does PMS last?
Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome may start at any age following the start of menstruation i.e. in teens or during the 20s or even 30s. The symptoms of PMS can start to subside after age 35, but they usually stop after menopause. In some women, PMS symptoms can worsen in the late 30s and 40s (the perimenopause phase). According to research, about 75% of women experience some symptoms of PMS (can be mild to moderate severity), about 20% to 50% find that symptoms interrupt their daily life and stop them from doing their routine activities and about 3% to 5 percent have severe symptoms which could incapacitate them.
Read: the Way to Cope with Premenstrual Syndrome
PMS doesn’t remit spontaneously prior to the menopause in many women. Women with PMS normally have symptoms during their reproductive lifetime after it starts, but with treatment (healthful diet, regular exercise and medications) most girls get significant relief. Definitive or permanent cure for PMS is surgery to remove the uterus and embryo, however, this is a major surgery with many complications and effects. Therefore, doctors prefer to treat with drugs and usually do not recommend surgery.
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