What is Pre-menstrual Syndrome PMS

Some women and girls feel uncomfortable a few days before their monthly bleeding begins. They may have one or more of a group of signs that are known as pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). Women who have PMS may notice:

• sore breasts
• a full feeling in the lower belly
• constipation (when you cannot pass stool)
• feeling extra tired
• sore muscles, especially in the lower back or belly
• a change in the wetness of the vagina
• oiliness or spots (pimples) on the face
• feelings that are especially strong or harder to control

Many women have at least one of these signs each month and some women may have all of them. A woman may have different signs from one month to the next. For many women, the days before their monthly bleeding starts are a time of unrest. But some women say they feel more creative and better able to get things done.

Sources

• Burns, A. A., Niemann, S., Lovich, R., Maxwell, J., & Shapiro, K. (2014). Where women have no doctor: A health guide for women. Hesperian Foundation.
• Audiopedia ID: en010219