What is PMS and what are the symptoms?
For 10 to 14 days each month, many women experience sudden mood swings, depression, anxiety, food cravings, weight gain, headaches, acne, nausea, cramping, breast tenderness and many other physical and emotional discomforts (see table of PMS Symptoms). At least 60 percent of menstruating women endure some symptoms of PMS and five to ten percent have serious, incapacitating PMS. Occurring during the two weeks prior to the beginning of the menstrual period, these symptoms characteristically disappear by the first one to two days of menstruation. The important factor in women with classic PMS is that these symptoms recur cyclically, on a monthly basis, or almost every month. Beyond these physical aspects, the emotional component of PMS offers an opportunity to identify and work with the feelings of fear, extreme sensitivity, irritation and even anger. These feelings may have been suppressed throughout the month and can flare up disproportionately during the time of PMS discomfort. It is i
