Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) Treatments & Symptoms
Pre-menstrual syndrome which is commonly referred to as PMS is extremely common and is the term to describe the physical and emotional symptoms that occur in the one to two weeks before a woman’s period.
It is an incredibly common imbalance and usually relates to low levels of progesterone, the hormone which is produced in the second part of the cycle. When the balance of oestrogen and progesterone in this phase of ovulation is disturbed, this can cause physical and mood related symptoms.
Who Experiences PMS?
Most women who have a menstrual cycle experience cyclical symptoms, such as painful breasts, bloating, headaches, fatigue, mood swings, irritability and increased appetite which can be easily managed. PMS symptoms are usually not very severe and most women cope well with them, however, for some women, these can be severe and impact on the personal or professional lives of the woman suffering from these symptoms. The good news is that it is a totally treatable imbalance and so women don’t need to suer from PMS.
What Are The Symptoms of PMS?
Symptoms of PMS can vary person to person and not everyone suers from the same symptoms.
Common symptoms of PMS include:
- Mood swings
- Anxiety and Depression
- Irritability
- Abdominal bloating and cramping
- Breast tenderness
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Back pain
- Food cravings and Weight gain
How Do We Treat PMS with Bioidentical Hormones?
We undertake a comprehensive female hormone profile in the second part of a woman’s cycle. This helps to establish whether there is an hormonal imbalance. If there is, the relevant bio-identical hormones can then be prescribed at a dosage tailored to the individual’s needs. With this treatment, patients generally see their symptoms start to decrease and this provides a better quality of life.
Perimenopause Treatments & Symptoms
What About Premenopause?
You may also hear the term ‘Premenopause’, which can last for 10 years or more. This refers to the whole period preceding menopause where a woman will still have periods (irregular and regular) and is still considered to be in her reproductive years. During this time running up to perimenopause there is often no noticeable change, despite underlying hormone changes. This premenopause stage encompasses the perimenopause stage, where symptoms become noticeable and ends one year after the last menstrual cycle – which is the official date of menopause.
When to expect this change
Women begin to experience symptoms of the menopause transition, or perimenopause as early as the age of 35, although most don’t become aware of the transition until they reach their mid to late forties. The length of time and severity of menopause-related symptoms for any individual woman cannot be predicted, and every menopause is unique.
What are the symptoms of Perimenopause?
Common symptoms during this phase of hormonal fluctuation can include:
- Fluid retention
- Breast tenderness
- Aches and painful joints
- Frequent headaches
- Urinary incontinence
- Vaginal dryness
- Dry skin
- Low libido
- Irregular periods
- PMS
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Anger and irritability
- Anxiety
- Bloating
- Heart palpitations
- Memory loss
- Hot flushes
- Night Sweats
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- Anaemia
- Weight gain
Menopause Treatments & Symptoms
When a woman enters menopause she steps biologically out of the primary childbearing role and the hormones related to this function begin to diminish. However, there is still a vital, health-enhancing role for her reproductive hormones that now has nothing to do with reproduction and everything to do with maintaining good health. Hormone receptors are found on almost every organ in the body and are essential for our health and wellbeing.
Menopause describes women who have not experienced any menstrual flow for a minimum of a year, and whose ovaries have become inactive.
What Are The Symptoms of Menopause?
A woman’s reproductive hormone levels continue to drop and fluctuate for some time into post menopause, accompanied by symptoms that may take several years to disappear. Symptoms are similar to those leading up to menopause, but with more consistency in:
- Hot flushes and night sweats
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Changes in mood, such as feeling tired, irritable, depressed or anxious
- Difficulty concentrating or poor memory
- Changes to the vagina, such as thinning, dryness, discomfort, itching and pain during sex & Loss of interest in sex (loss of libido)
- Urinary problems – such as recurrent urinary tract infections, loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence)
- Joint aches and pains
How Do We Treat All Stages of Menopause?
As a woman moves through each phase of menopause, hormone levels can fluctuate significantly, however, these vital hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone remain important for bones, vaginal and urethral health, skin, brain function and cardiovascular health. It is therefore important to effectively balance and replenish these hormones in order to maintain a woman’s health, energy, mood and brain function.
NHS medication for menopause is not tailored for individual need and is made from synthetic versions of hormones which can cause unwanted side effects. Bio Identical Hormones mimic our natural hormones exactly and doses can be tailored according to hormone deficiency enabling an individual prescription precisely measured to your needs They are 100% identical in chemical structure to our own hormones, and their effects and benefits replicate them closely.
Bio-identical hormones can therefore be very beneficial to patients who have a hormone imbalance or have previously tried other hormonal medications, including HRT, and experienced unwanted effects. As every woman is unique, so are her hormones. Every woman has her ‘own’ menopause and thus every hormone solution is specifically designed for her. The treatment plan always includes regular follow ups and ongoing monitoring to help achieve optimum results as care and safety is central to all that we do.
