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Saturday, June 19, 2010

PMS???PMDD???IMS???

PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome) is a defined condition used to describe symptoms, which occurs a week or two before period/menstruation period.

It is unclear what causes PMS but most physicians believe that it's caused by an overabundance of estrogen hormone. For many women the symptoms are unbearable. It is unknown why some women are badly affected while others only have minor problems.

It's been said that there are more than a hundred symptoms of PMS including :

* Acne
* Breast swelling and tenderness
* Feeling tired all day long
* Insomnia - trouble sleeping
* Stomach upset - bloating, constipation or even diarrhea
* Headache or backache
* Food cravings - Sugar cravings is common
* Stomach cramps
* Anxiety / Tension / Irritability
* Muscle aches

While it's said that PMS is different among women with some having minor PMS and some with severe condition, there's more severe condition than PMS which also occur among some women called PMDD (Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder).

PMDD is a condition associated with severe emotional and physical problems that are linked closely to the menstrual cycle. PMDD is not just a new name for PMS, it is, however, considered to be a very severe form of PMS that affects about 5% of menstruating women. Both PMDD and PMS share symptoms in common that include depression, anxiety, tension, irritability and moodiness. What sets PMDD apart is its severity. Women with PMDD find that it has a very disruptive effect on their lives.

Here are the symptoms that make up the diagnosis of PMDD. All of the symptoms do not need to be present, and they may vary from month to month.

* Very depressed mood, feeling hopeless
* Marked anxiety, tension, edginess
* Sudden mood shifts (crying easily, extreme sensitivity)
* Persistent, marked irritability, anger, increased conflicts
* Loss of interest in usual activities (work, school, socializing, etc.)
* Difficulty concentrating and staying focused
* Fatigue, tiredness, loss of energy
* Marked appetite change, overeating, food cravings
* Insomnia (difficulty sleeping) or sleeping too much
* Feeling out of control or overwhelmed
* Physical symptoms such as weight gain, bloating, breast tenderness or swelling, headache, and muscle or joint aches and pains

As we know that PMS and PMDD occurs among women, many doesn't know that even men also have their own similar syndrome. It's just that this syndrome that happen to men are not called PMS and men don't really having to go through 'menstruation period'. For men, we called it IMS, which stand for 'Irritable Men Syndrome'.

IMS is the term used to describe the mood swings in men. Irritability in men is often a result of high stress cortisol levels and low testosterone levels. Some men respond by acting out while others hold these feelings in and become depressed. Behaviors characteristic of men with IMS include:

* Angry
* Sarcastic
* Tense
* Argumentative
* Frustrated
* Demanding
* Sad
* Impatient
* Anxious
* Hostile
* Unloving
* Withdrawn
* Defensive
* Dissatisfied

Although IMS is most often caused by high stress and/or low testosterone; high estrogen levels can also cause irritability in men. The main source of this imbalance is a declining level of testosterone associated with andropause and aging. Other factors can contribute to the andropause - related mood swings in men including weight gain. This creates fat cells which produce estrogen from testosterone. The higher the estrogen levels and the lower the testosterone levels, the greater the likelihood of irritability in men. Furthermore, high levels of the stress hormone cortisol diminishes testosterone levels, causing the same increased likelihood of mood swings in men. Certain medications can also cause hormonal imbalances.



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