Menstruation - Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)

Menstruation is the monthly (usually 28-day cycle) shedding of the uterine lining. The blood and tissues leave the body through the vagina. Menstruation is a normal, natural process that occurs in all healthy adult women who haven't reached the stage of the menopause. Girls can begin to menstruate at any time between eight and eighteen; women might reach the menopause anywhere between forty and sixty. Some women have their period every eighteen days, some every thirty-six; some women bleed for two or three days, some for seven or eight; all these and everything in between are quite normal.

The various cultures of the world have taken a wide variety of attitudes toward menstruation, seeing it as a sacred time, an unclean time, and everything in between. Western societies tend towards the "unclean" end of the spectrum. Menstruation is "the curse"; or something dirty.  There is a culture that we can watch pad and tampon ads on the television, but we can't let anyone know we're actually using them.

Many women are embarrassed about their bleeding, an attitude which our society encourages.  But menstruation isn't a shameful thing, any more than eating or sweating or sneezing or urinating is. It's a normal process that happens to all of us.

---

What is premenstrual tension?

Premenstrual tension or PMT, also known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is a mixture of symptoms that women can experience for up to two weeks before each menstrual period. The bodily symptoms are accompanied by emotional changes, and PMT is more common in women over the age of 30 years. The symptoms usually stop when a period starts.

No one knows the exact cause of PMT,  but some conclusions about it are:

---

What are the common symptoms and complications of premenstrual tension?

A long list of symptoms have been attributed to PMT. Symptoms tend to begin about a week to 10 days before the start of the next period. Some of the more common ones are:

A more severe form of PMT is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), in which the emotional symptoms, such as depression, mood swings, anxiety and tension are exaggerated. It occurs in only a small percentage of women with PMT.

---

How do doctors recognise premenstrual tension?

If a woman goes to see her doctor with these symptoms, she is given a full examination by the doctor to check that no problems have developed with her womb or ovaries. No specific tests are available for PMT, but the doctor may take some blood tests to measure hormone levels. It may help the doctor if the woman keeps a diary of her symptoms before the first visit or between subsequent GP visits. If the doctor feels that a woman has PMDD, a referral may be suggested to a specialist.

---

What is the treatment for premenstrual tension?

A woman can do several things that to reduce the problems of PMT, such as:

---

Medicines

Many different remedies have been tried, which include:

---

What is the outcome of premenstrual tension?

PMT is a debilitating disorder that can significantly affect the lifestyles of women. Many women tolerate PMT believing it to be a normal part of being female. PMT is, however, a treatable condition, and anyone with symptoms should consult their GP.

Different women find that different remedies help and it may be that several have to be tried before finding something that is effective for the particular person. The symptoms tend to stop with the menopause or after a hysterectomy.

Pre-menstrual syndrome includes a series of symptoms, which appears before the menstruation.

These may include depression, sadness, irritability, crying, and propensity toward outburst of anger, distension and pain in the abdomen and breasts, headache and dizziness, restlessness and insomnia, distension in sternocostal region, edema, diarrhoea, and general malaise.

---

What about Chinese medicine and Menstruation / PMT ?

Stagnation of Liver Qi
Abdominal and breast distension and pain before the period, irritability, clumsiness, moodiness, depression, hypochondriac pain and distension, dizziness, headache, tendency to anger.

Tongue: Dark red (Dark red, purple suggest stagnation)
Pulse: Wiry

Treatment of Stagnation of Liver Qi
Soothe the Liver, eliminate stagnation, remove obstruction in the channels to promote blood circulation.

Phlegm fire harassing upwards Agitation, depression, slightly manic behaviour, aggressiveness, a feeling of oppression of the chest, a red face, blood shot eyes.

Tongue: Red with greasy yellow coat.
Pulse: Slippery and rapid

Treatment of Phlegm fire harassing upward
Resolve phlegm, clear heat, calm the mind.

Deficiency of Heart and Spleen Premenstrual palpitations, restless sleep, lack of vitality with general weakness, cold limbs, excessive thin clear leucorrhoea.

Tongue: Pale with white coat
Pulse: Deep and thready

Treatment of Deficiency of Heart and Spleen
Nourish the Heart to calm the mind, reinforce the Spleen to remove dampness.

Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency Slight breast distension and irritability before the period, sore back and knees, dizziness, blurred vision, poor memory, insomnia, dry eyes and throat, five centre heat.

Tongue: Red without coat
Pulse: Thready

Treatment of Liver and Kidney Yin Deficiency
Nourish the Liver and Kidney Yin

Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Slight premenstrual tension with depression, slight abdominal and breast distension, premenstrual edema in the face and limbs, dizziness, listlessness, drowsiness, loss of appetite, loose stool, lassitude in the loins and legs.

Tongue: Pale and swollen with teeth marks, moist white coat
Pulse: Deep and thready

Treatment of Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency
Strengthen the Spleen and warm the Kidney

---

Case History

Ms F - PMT

Aged 30, she had suffered from severe PMT for many years. She tried all of the treatments which her GP suggested, but nothing helped. Her GP suggested that she come to AcuMedic. 

Her verdict: "Really, it’s quite amazing. After two months’ treatment, I feel like a new woman!"

---

Further Reading

---

Chinalife Remedies

---

Communicate

New Feature :: If you have a question to which you cannot find sufficient information on our site - you can now post your query in our open forum titled 'Your Say' and a member of staff will do their best to offer advice. Our forum is monitored by qualified health professionals. Also our forum allows other users to post comments, sugestions and experiences that may help you.

See also: Forum | Contact us | Acupuncture and Chinese Herb Medicine FAQ | Website Help

---

Always seek health advice from your doctor, or local  Health Outlet. AcuMedic will be very pleased to offer advice regarding difficulties with this condition. Please see our Clinic

Please note that although we are confident that our treatments will help the majority of our patients, we cannot absolutely guarantee a cure as the needs and difficulties of each patient can differ greatly