Since there are many symptoms related to Premenstrual syndrome and doctors are not totally in agreement about the underlying cause of the disease, many still resort to treating just the symptoms individually.  There are no universally accepted treatments which will lessen the symptoms of PMS.  Suggestions which may be of benefits include drastically reducing intake of sodium during to premenstrual period to reduce bloating and fluid retention.  Exercise focused on improving the circulation of blood, eliminating fluids and salts through perspiration and reduction of swelling helps to relieve the symptoms in some women.  If this doesn't help, doctors will sometimes prescribe taking diuretics to assist in flushing the body of fluid.

 

Limit or eliminate intake of caffeine to lessen the nervous tension levels which accompany PMS.  Some women supplement with additional vitamin B6 doses during the premenstrual period.   Maximum daily dose of vitamin B6 should be kept at 300 milligrams because this vitamin can cause neurological problems if taken in excess over a long time.

 

Support groups which include psychotherapy may help in the handling of PMS stress in the life and to deal with underlying issues which may be made worse by the impact of PMS.

 

An anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving drug known as Mefenanic acid seems to decrease the severity of premenstrual syndrome manifestations in many women. Progesterone is also used by some medical practitioners to reduce the severity of PMS symptoms.  So far, this result has not been established through clinical trials, but anecdotal evidence suggests that progesterone relieves severe physical symptoms such as migraine headaches

 

The regimen suggested by the Mayo Clinic doctors includes symptomatic relief by such medications for premenstrual syndrome as:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).  Drugs such as Advil, Motrin or Aleve can reduce symptoms of cramping and breast pain.

• Oral contraceptives stop ovulation.  They also stabilize swings of hormones which provides PMS symptom relief.  Yaz is a new birth control pill which is effective in the reduction of emotional and physical symptoms of PMDD. 

• Antidepressants.  Medical doctors prescribe Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Sarafem in an effort to reduce symptoms such as sleep disorders, food cravings and fatigue.  Under normal circumstances these drugs are taken on a daily basis, but some PMS patients have good results by limiting their usage to the two weeks just prior to the onset of menstruation.

• For women with severe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, an injection of Depo-Provera will temporarily halt ovulation, but has the negative effect of increasing some of the symptoms of PMS such as depressed mood, headache, weight gain and increased appetite.

Many women find choosing between the dragged down feeling of antidepressants and the  unpleasant physical and emotional effects caused by PMS symptoms to be a difficult if not impossible choice.  For this condition which affects so many women every month for years, the desire for a remedy that will ease the symptoms is much desired.  The concern that she may be losing her mind has plagued so many who are in the suffering mode of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.