The Basics
Last updated
Was this helpful?
Last updated
Was this helpful?
PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). These symptoms can include physical issues like weight gain, bloating, headaches, breast tenderness, nausea, food cravings, and back pain. Psychological symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, and restlessness are also common. PMS occurs 2-7 days before the start of your period and can continue till the end of the period.
PMS affects nearly 47.8% of women of reproductive age worldwide. About 20% of these women experience severe symptoms that disrupt daily life, while the rest experience mild to moderate discomfort.
While most women are familiar with Premenstrual Syndrome, they're often unaware of the different types and intensities of PMS, that each deserve their own spotlight.
This is the most common and widely recognized form. PMS includes a mix of physical and emotional symptoms that show up in the second half of your cycle (aka the luteal phase), and usually fade away once your period starts. Think mood swings, food cravings, annoying cramps.
This one’s a little sneakier. If you deal with anxiety, depression, or another mental health disorder, you might notice your symptoms getting significantly worse in the days leading up to your period. This is PME – it doesn’t create new symptoms, just amplifies those that already exist.
This is probably the meanest cousin of PMS. PMDD is a clinically-recognized disorder that affects up to 65.7% of Indian women, causing extreme mood swings, intensely painful cramps, heightened depression, anger, anxiety, etc. It isn't just bad PMS – it’s a medical condition, linked to and neurotransmitter imbalances, that often requires professional support.
Dr. Yash Bahuguna
OBGYN, MS, MBBS, Apollo Hospitals, Menstrual Health Focus
Avantika Sukhia
BA (Hons) in History, St Stephen's College; MLitt in Creative Writing, University of St Andrews.
Dr. Diksha Sheoraut
BDS, Health Writer
Dr. Inara Isani
Health Researcher, BDS