The causes of Premenstrual Syndrome are pretty much completely natural though there’s no one fixed cause. Indeed PMS is just a medical term for the physical, emotional or psychological experiences before a period. Every 28 days or so, your ovaries release an egg to your uterus for fertilization. Your hormones and the whole body are alerted to start preparing for the baby’s nest. Your uterine wall is supplied with lots of blood so that the fertilized egg can attach itself. If the egg isn’t fertilized then it can’t attach itself to the uterine wall. Thus the wall lining has to be shed and it comes out with the unfertilized egg.

That’s the basic cause of your PMS, but you’re probably wondering then why the pain, discomfort, anxiety, headaches and the likes. Well, let’s take cramping for instance. Just before your periods begin which is pretty much the opportune time for these PMS symptoms, your uterus will contract and its muscles tighten to force down the bloody and congested uterine lining. This is why you experience seizures and ripples in your lower abdomen, and pain as the oxygenated blood in your uterine muscles diminishes. The congestion and scramble for space between the heavy uterine wall, your bladder and bowel could make you feel uncomfortable and exert pressure at your lower-back. The results are lower-back aches, fatigue, sometimes bloating and a nervous wreck. Remember during this period your body tends to retain a lot of fluids which is what causes bulging or swelling at the joints, hands and feet. Breast soreness and sensitivity could also happen as hormones set off the mammary glands.

Mood swings, irritability, sensitivity and other emotional syndromes: the chief cause of these would be hormonal changes. Remember if you’re experiencing these symptoms it could as well mean you didn’t get pregnant but your body had prepared itself anyway. So it must start lowering the levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone which were needed for the process. This hormonal balance is what result into some of these emotional and sometimes mental PMS.

The combination of physical, emotional, mental or psychological tension or symptoms that you experience prior to or after your period starts is what is referred to as Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). This is the time your mood swings, irritability and anxiety are in top gear. Indeed, that regular visitor has come again! And he could be received with mixed feelings; talk of that little girl who is eager to show off to her friends that she is now a full grown woman or a busy teenager who can’t believe she is not going out tonight.

Premenstrual Syndrome is worse at the onset of your menses (say one week or so before your period starts), although it should get better as your period begins. It can take a few days or weeks to completely go away. Hormonal changes and fluctuations are almost entirely responsible for most of these syndromes and these physical, emotional and mental symptoms are perfectly normal for any normal woman. They include tiredness, nervousness, confusion, lack of concentration, sleeplessness, breast tenderness, cramps, headaches, bloating, skin problems and so on. The good thing is once you have gotten to know your menstrual cycle, it becomes easier to control and manage your periods.

These symptoms affect different women in different ways, and could vary from mild to wild. Some women just sail through it all with ease while others have complications, discomforts and irregularities. Be sure to call your doctor if symptoms threaten to get out of hand. You will know that these symptoms need special attention if normal flow breaks into unsettling heavy flow or you develop severe depression or swelling of feet and/or hands. Remember any of these symptoms must be severe enough to the extent of interrupting your normal activities for your physician to qualify them as PMS.