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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Mate i mua i te mate marama

Young woman experiencing PMS symptomsPremenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the name for the physical and emotional symptoms you might experience in the 1 to 2 weeks leading up to your period. The symptoms usually go away once your period starts and stop for good once you have completed menopause. Most women experience PMS at some time during their lives.

You might have quite mild symptoms, or severe ones. They can also vary from month to month. You may have some or all of the symptoms.

The most common emotional symptoms include:

The most common physical symptoms include:

Self-care for PMS

Lifestyle changes can help. Try:

If you have tummy pain, headaches or other pain with PMS, over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol and ibuprofen may help. Always read the patient information leaflet for the medication and ask your pharmacist for advice.

Treating PMS

Sometimes PMS can be severe enough to have a very negative impact on your life and relationships. If you are struggling to deal with PMS, see your general practice team to talk about the options available to you.

There is some evidence that calcium, magnesium and chaste berry supplements can be helpful. There is no evidence that any other supplements help.

Your doctor might discuss cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and other psychological support that might help.

They may also discuss prescription medicines with you. These might include hormonal therapy (the pill). Also, some forms of antidepressants (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine.

If these do not help, you may need to be referred to a specialist for other possible medicines.

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Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed January 2025.

Sources

Page reference: 53209

Review key: HIPMS-53209