PMS: 10 Terms to Know

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a series of repeated and disruptive physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that appear each month following ovulation and ending when menstruation begins. Although people often doubt the reality of PMS, it is a medically recognized disorder. A majority of women are suspected to deal with at least one symptom of PMS each month. A basic knowledge of PMS may help create a more thorough understanding of the disorder. Here are a few terms to start with. 

1. Ovulation: Ovulation is the whole point of menstruation. Every 28 days or so, women’s bodies release a single egg that has matured and is ready to be ready to be fertilized. Ovulation and menses herald the two main phases of the entire menstruation cycle. 
2. Menses: Menses is the actual flow of blood that follows ovulation by about two weeks as the uterus sheds its lining. When the symptoms a woman is experiencing are truly from PMS, and not something that mimics it, the body generally returns to a normal state. Heightened emotions end, and aches and pains begins to cease. 
3. Follicular phase: The follicular phase is the first half of the menstrual cycle, occurring from the first day of menses to ovulation. PMS should not be symptomatic during this time, as hormones are lower than in the luteal phase of the menstruation cycle. 
4. Luteal phase: The luteal phase begins with ovulation and ends when a women either gets pregnant or enters the follicular stage again. The luteal phase is when symptoms are most problematic, largely suspected because progesterone levels are at their highest during this portion of the phase.
5. Progesterone: Progesterone is hormone and steroid that gets the uterus ready for pregnancy, if an egg is fertilized. It reaches peak levels during the luteal phase, suggesting that it plays a large role in the symptoms of PMS. 
6. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: PMDD is a rarer but more extreme emotional form of PMS. PMDD is a recognized psychological disorder and is characterized by extreme bouts of anxiety, sadness, anger, or mood swings that are beyond those of PMS, and can be damaging to close relationships. 
7. Oral contraceptives: Oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, come in a variety of forms, from pills to patches to shots. Effectively, they stop ovulation, making them a good method of dealing with PMS. However, birth control often comes with its own set of side effects, which each woman must evaluate for herself before deciding on a course of action. 
8. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: SSRIs are a particular class of antidepressants that have been found to be helpful for the emotional symptoms of PMS. Although some women feel doctors prescribe these because the symptoms are in their heads, in fact serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for mood stabilization. Although it may be a daily necessity to control the emotional rollercoaster of PMS for some women, others may be able to take it only during the luteal phase for effectiveness. 
9. Dysmenorrhea: Each month, the uterus sheds its lining, causing menstruation through a series of contractions. These contractions can be so severe as to cut off the blood flow to the uterus, resulting in menstrual cramping, or dysmenorrhea, one of the more common symptoms of PMS.
10. Culture-bound syndrome: PMS has long been under scrutiny as a culture-bound syndrome, or one that exists only because the culture in which it exists cultivates it, thus almost creating the physical and mental symptoms that arise because of it. Despite this, PMS is a medically recognized condition, and one that your doctor can help you manage.