Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) has as many as 200 known symptoms. A global study performed by Menopause Int. in 2011 found that after examining a total of 7226 women across the world, the most common symptoms were bloating, abdominal cramps or pains, irritability, mastalgia (breast tenderness) and joint/muscle pains. Although 3 out of 4 women experience PMS symptoms of a manageable severity, only 20 to 40 percent of women experience extreme symptoms.
Fluctuations in hormones during the menstrual cycle and fluctuations in serotonin are the main causes of PMS symptoms. This is why the symptoms vary from physical to emotional and behavioral. The more common symptoms are well-known among women, but there are many that are a lot less common and that might not even be noticed as symptoms. With so many possible effects of PMS that need to be taken care of during a time of stress on your body.
Here are 10 of the more unknown PMS symptoms you might have been missing.
1. Increased Anxiety
The hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle are one of the largest causes of all known PMS symptoms. During the fourth week of the cycle, the estrogen levels in a woman’s body drop which affects certain parts of the brain and leads to increased anxiety. This anxiety can manifest itself as a feeling of panic, emotional sensitivity, and unmanageable stress.
All the unpleasant symptoms of PMS add their own reason for anxiety. The discomfort and strain on the body present different levels of stress that already increase feelings of anxiety. And with the hormonal influence, the effects can be excessive. For those who do not suffer from an anxiety disorder, these symptoms may be overlooked as circumstantial, but women will notice it only peaks during this time in their cycle. For those who do suffer from an anxiety disorder, their anxiety will be noticeably worse during this time and harder to manage.
