{"id":2850,"date":"2019-01-07T07:56:24","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T07:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=2850"},"modified":"2021-08-03T04:45:41","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T04:45:41","slug":"10-uncommon-pms-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/10-uncommon-pms-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Uncommon PMS Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 10 of the more unknown PMS symptoms you might have been missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Increased Anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle are one of the largest causes of all known PMS symptoms<\/a>. During the fourth week of the cycle, the estrogen levels in a woman\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Bowel Irritation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During menstruation, chemicals called prostaglandins are released into the uterus and the bowel. These prostaglandins cause the uterus <\/a>to contract. The effect on the uterus is the well-known cramps women experience. But these chemicals also affect the bowel by causing the smooth muscles of the digestive tract and intestines to contract, which essentially results in diarrhea. When tested, women with the symptom of diarrhea during menstruation test for a higher amount of prostaglandins in their bowel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, women who produce fewer prostaglandins might be affected by constipation during menstruation. Diarrhea or constipation usually begins in the week before menstruation and can continue throughout the menstruation period. These symptoms are also often accompanied by nausea and indigestion. These symptoms can be easily managed with medication or adjusted eating habits and, as with all symptoms, are different for all women depending on their individual bodies and how they react to these chemical changes during the menstrual cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Lack of Concentration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another symptom caused by the decrease in estrogen levels and general hormonal imbalance in the week before menstruation <\/a>is a type of PMS brain fog. Low estrogen affects the production of serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter that works to regulate mood, appetite, and concentration. The lack of concentration comes with difficulty remembering things and an aspect of clumsiness during this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This disturbance of the ability to focus is also said to be affected by some of the other PMS symptoms. A study done in 2014 in the UK, conducted by Dr. Ed Keogh, tested how 52 women who were menstruating performed tasks that required concentration. The test showed that the women who were experiencing symptoms of pain and discomfort struggled more with the tasks and with concentration. Insomnia during PMS (which is the next point on the list), also negatively affects women\u2019s ability to focus and complete tasks efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Insomnia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The hormonal changes in women throughout the month are cause for yet another PMS symptom: insomnia <\/a>and sleep disruptions. The aforementioned low estrogen levels, as well as a decrease in progesterone (a hormone that has a mild sedative-like effect) during the luteal phase of the cycle, are what result in sleep disturbances and insomnia. The fluctuation of estrogen also reduces the actions of melatonin, the \u201csleep hormone\u201d, which causes trouble sleeping. A poll done in 2007 by the National Sleep Foundation reported that 33 percent of women experience a disturbance in their sleep patterns during this part of their menstrual cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discomfort of other PMS symptoms, such as cramps, mood swings, and increased anxiety, headaches, and indigestion, all make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. A rise in body temperature during menstruation can also cause sleep disturbances, as a drop in body temperature at night is one of the main factors that aid sleep at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Vivid Dreaming<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Along with insomnia comes the symptom of vivid dreaming or nightmares during PMS. The fluctuation in progesterone during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, by which sleep disruption is caused, affects the ability for REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. It is during this REM sleep that dreams occur. When REM sleep is interrupted, it is more likely that you will remember your dreams. The unstable progesterone also enhances the ability of memory. This can bring up unresolved or bothering memories that present themselves in the form of vivid dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dreams tend to resemble what is happening in a woman\u2019s life during that time in their cycle. The added stress<\/a> and anxiety of PMS can result in nightmares or anxiety dreams, and the discomfort the body is experiencing can manifest as dreams about toilets, things breaking, and even violent or painful dreams symbolic of the physical disturbances caused by menstruation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Extreme Fatigue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The effect of all the additional PMS symptoms combined, especially insomnia and vivid dreaming, inevitably causes a level of fatigue <\/a>just before and during menstruation. But there are a few specific hormonal and chemical changes that directly cause fatigue. Usually, estrogen increases the levels of magnesium in the body, but the drop in estrogen levels the week before menstruation affects the production of magnesium. Magnesium is a key in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. ATP is what helps transport energy in the cells for metabolic purposes and essentially aids cell reproduction, which gives the body energy. This slight magnesium deficiency can, therefore, increase the feeling of tiredness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another cause of fatigue is that before menstruation the uterus experiences an influx of hormones to prepare for a possible fertilized egg. When this does not happen, these excess hormone levels, which create energy and vitality in the body, decrease. This drop-in hormone causes energy levels to plummet and an increased feeling of fatigue is the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Poor Athletic Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One symptom of PMS that presents itself subtly but has a negative influence is the ability of your body to recover from strain and physical \u201cinjury\u201d. During the luteal phase, when PMS symptoms are at their peak, and estrogen and progesterone levels are decreased, physical ability is also decreased. The low hormone levels interfere with the metabolism <\/a>(as mentioned in point 6 above) which causes the fatigue felt during PMS. The drop in body temperature, and essentially a lower heat tolerance, also make it difficult to perform physically at the gym or while training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lowered hormone levels also cause the body to store and process less and carbohydrates. The body needs access to these fatty acids as a source of energy, so when they are lacking, you have a lower energy level and ability to perform athletically. The low progesterone levels also prevent muscle tissue breakdown, which causes the body and muscles especially to recover at a slower rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Lowered Pain Tolerance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Seeming to be at the root of most PMS symptoms, low estrogen levels cause yet another symptom. Pain perception and sensory processes are altered during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, when estrogen levels decrease, causing a higher sensitivity to pain. During this time the body is also low on cortisol, which is related to the body\u2019s stress response and thus increases sensitivity to pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For women with endometriosis<\/a>, a disorder where the tissue that should line the inside of the uterus grows on the outside, this experience of pain during PMS is often severe and even worse than the pain experienced by other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A study done by the Journal of Athletic Training done in 2002 examined 38 women who had recently suffered ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries. The study reported that 11 of the women sustained their injuries during the luteal phase of their cycle when estrogen and progesterone rise and then suddenly drop. This suggests that women can be more prone to injury at this time in their cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Respiratory Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A study conducted by the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway in 2012 has discovered that PMS can cause an increase in shortness of breath, coughing <\/a>and wheezing. The study was done by interviewing 4000 women and after observing results found that respiratory issues were most common during the luteal phase (day 14 – 28) of the cycle. These effects were worse for the women who already suffered from asthma, were smokers or had a BMI of 23 and higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this luteal phase, with the fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels, the airways may be constricted, which leads to shortness of breath and wheezing. The blood vessels in the lungs also form and regress during these hormonal fluctuations, which can decrease the ability of the lungs to take in oxygen, resulting in respiratory problems. This effect on the blood vessels also influence gas transfer in the body and can disturb breathing functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Dental Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Estrogen receptors in the gingival tissues in your mouth can be affected by changing estrogen and progesterone levels and hormones during the week leading up to menstruation. The effects, commonly called menstruation gingivitis, are swollen and tender gums, sensitivity to teeth cleaning, bleeding gums, swollen salivary glands, and other oral health issues that arise as a result of these initial symptoms. This is because the change in estrogen and progesterone cause increased blood flow to the gums<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to research done by Charlene Krejci (a professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine), this change also causes a decrease in the ability to combat plaque and related toxins, and allow harmful bacteria to grow and enter the blood. As a result, mouth sores and possible gum disease are the most serious outcomes of this PMS symptom. Gum disease begins with the buildup of plaque and toxins, which eventually erode the bone under the gums and cause these sores and bleeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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