Severe PMS Issues…New Study Shows That It Could Be Stress!

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition that affects a woman’s emotions, physical health, and behavior during certain days of the menstrual cycle, generally just before her menses. It is a very common condition affecting more than 90 percent of menstruating women.

Symptoms can be emotional and/or physical in nature however, they usually appear as both and can include some of the following:  anxiety, depressed mood, crying spells, mood swings/irritability or anger and insomnia. Physical symptoms include: joint/muscle pain, headache, fatigue, abdominal bloating, acne flare-ups, and constipation. Severity of symptoms vary from woman to woman and can even vary from month to month.

However a recent study has been able to shed some light as to why and how women may be able to actually have a say in the severity of these issues.

The study included 250 women over the course of two cycles. Each woman was asked specific questions regarding stress levels in their lives. Women who experienced stress in 1 of the 2 cycles had more severe symptoms during that specific cycle. Of more interest however was those who had noted stress in BOTH cycles were 25 MORE TIMES likely to report worsening PMS.

Dr. Hediger, the lead researcher stated: “future studies may show that stress reduction techniques can prevent or reduce the severity of PMS”. 

These stress reduction techniques can and should include regular chiropractic adjustments which are proven to help reduce stress levels in women by reducing stress on the brain and nervous system.

Make sure you are getting adjusted regularly and please share with someone you know who may be suffering.

J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2010 May; 19(5): 959–967. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2009.1717