What Is PMS?

What is PMS? is a common question especially after a woman experiences  significant symptoms just before menses. PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome.  

Misunderstanding is common among women about what
premenstrual symptoms constitute PMS.

I would briefly present a  correct definition of PMS and show you how common it is.

PMS definition

It has longed been recognized that most women of
reproductive age have one or more emotional or physical symptom just before
their menses,  which are usually mild.

This was initially called Premenstrual Tension and later Premenstrual Syndrome.

The American College of Gynecology and Obstetrics defines PMS as having at least one symptom which causes associated with “economic or social dysfunction” that occurs during the five days before the onset of menses and is present in at least three consecutive menstrual cycles The following points  are highlighted to help you understand fully what this definition says Symptoms begin during the premenstrual phase. Therefore PMS occurs only in menstruating women

• The symptoms are severe enough to cause  distress to the woman or functional
  impairement. The severity of symptoms is the key element that distinguishes
  the  “normal” mild symptoms that many
  women can experience from the more severe ones associated with PMS. The most
  severe symptoms are called Premenstrual Dysphoric Dysorder.
• A symdrome is a medical term that means a group of symptoms
  that are caused by a common abnormality.
• Symptoms are usually categorized into three groups: Physical
  like breast tenderness, Emotional like mood swings and  Behavioral like abnormal cravings
• PMS has a consistent
  and predictable relationship with menses. They may occur from few days   to  2
  weeks before the onset of menses. Most women experience a worsening of their
  symptoms about 6 days before, with a peak  about 2 days, before  the onset of menses.

How Common is PMS?

As noted above, many women will have some mild symptoms just
before menses that do not cause any 
problems.

Studies have suggested that about 5-8% of  menstruating women have moderate or severe
symptoms. Other studies suggest that as high as 20% of all women in the
reproductive age have premenstrual symptoms that might be causing some
problems.

Patterns of PMS Symptoms

Women typically have the same set of symptoms from cycle to
cycle. Also note that PMS  symptoms do not always 
resolve after menses. It is possible for some symptoms to linger  into the follicular phase of the next cycle
but by definition, there should be no symptoms before ovulation of the next cycle.

Women with PMS can have other psychiatric diseases like
depression and anxiety. As many as  30%
to 70% of women with PMS will have another mood disorder in their lifetime.

References

If you want more 
technical information on this, please consult the two selected
resources below

 American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

     ACOG practice bulletin: premenstrual
syndrome. Int J Gynecol Obstet, 73 (2001), pp. 183–191

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