You have probably experienced these symptoms even if you didn’t recognise them as premenstrual tension
A woman I worked with once told me she felt like an over-ripe tomato when she had PMS and was so sensitive to touch that she thought she would explode if anyone touched her.
For me, it’s noise. There are days when the chatter on the train in the morning goes right through my head putting me in a bad mood that can last all day. Noise sensitivity is, in fact, one of the symptoms of PMS although I hadn’t made the connection until I came across an amazing list of pre-menstrual syndrome symptoms recently. It includes:
- bloating
- abdominal cramping up to 2 weeks before period that may also be felt in the back, thighs, or vaginal area
- poor coordination
- rashes
- breast pain and swelling
- stiff neck
- back/joint pain
- indecisiveness
- slurred speech
- eye problems – dry eyes, difficulty focusing, aching eyes
- tiredness
- hand tingling
- sensitivity to noise, touch or smell
- dizziness / fainting
- pounding or irregular heart
- more – or less – interest in sex
Not to mention the mood and emotion symptoms that are more commonly connected to PMS.
There are some practical steps that can help alleviate these symptoms like avoiding sugar and alcohol, switching to a healthier diet, and taking regular exercise. It’s not a bad idea to have a little refresher on these techniques because by the time we get to peri-menopause when PMS symptoms can resurface as a problem, many of us will have forgotten both how wide the symptoms can be and what’s effective in dealing them. The article cited above is a useful starting point. It has certainly opened my eyes.
For more on the subject of menopause, you may like to read this useful feature from the New York Times.
