PMS is a group of changes that can affect a woman’s emotional and physical health as well as behaviour. These changes come 1 to 2 weeks before your period and go away soon after they start.

Emotional and behavioural symptoms could include emotional outbursts, anxiety, depression, crying spells, mood swings and irritability, food cravings, change in sleep patterns or trouble falling asleep (insomnia), social withdrawal (don’t want to be around people) and feeling overwhelmed or out of control.

Physical symptoms could include joint or muscle pain, cramps, headache, fatigue, swollen hands and feet (weight gain due to fluid retention), abdominal bloating, sore breasts, pimples or acne flare-ups, constipation or diarrhoea.

The exact cause of PMS is still unknown. Your symptoms could worsen if you are a smoker, don’t exercise, don’t sleep enough, are under lots of stress, or drink too much alcohol. Keeping a diary or using a calendar to keep track of your symptoms and period every month is another way to determine if you have PMS. If your symptoms start around the same time each month, PMS is a likely cause.

Your doctor can advise you a wide range of options to relieve your PMS symptoms. Depending on the severity of your PMS, your doctor could suggest vitamin B6, omega fatty acids, oral contraceptive pills or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Lifestyle modifications like exercising about 30 mins daily, eating healthy food, avoiding alcohol and smoking, getting enough sleep are some of the ways to manage PMS. You can visit your doctor if you have moderate to severe symptoms. You may also try pain relievers if the symptoms persist (after consulting your doctor).

PMDD is a severe form of PMS symptoms that interferes with a woman’s daily life with work or personal relationships. Symptoms may include severe mood swings, irritability, anxiety or stress, sleep deprivation and problems concentrating. Drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help treat PMDD in some women. These drugs are commonly used to treat depression.