Where to turn for relief

We have all made or heard someone make a joke about that time of the month when a female grows fangs, bites off heads, and then laughs and cries in the same sentence. This is an especially hard time for us males since we cannot even identify with our own emotions let alone those of our wives, daughters, sisters or girlfriends.

Because of the stereotypical joking associated with PMS the condition has simply become, in much of the population, an excuse for females to conveniently act like the “B” word and then blame it on some mystical force that is out of their control.

Part of this concept is fed by the fact that the cause of PMS is unknown. In fact, the cause in most cases involves many factors working together. We, as a population, are comfortable with the known. We like cause and effect. If you fall and break your arm, the fall caused the broken arm. We understand the symptoms that follow because they make perfect sense. We tend to be less supportive of conditions without a known cause and effect. One of the reasons is because we cannot help but to think that the condition just might all be in the person’s head. In other words, they are doing it to themselves because of some mental weakness. Our levels of tolerance and empathy for symptoms are low when this may be the case.

The facts are that PMS has been studied extensively. The range of symptoms that can be experienced by the afflicted is staggering. Below are just a few of the almost 150 symptoms associated with PMS.

How, then, do you determine if the person has PMS or if they are simply in a bad mood or overreacting to normal changes experienced during the menstrual cycle? The answer is that the following diagnostic criteria should be followed.

1. The symptoms must correspond with the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and be absent during the follicular phase. In English this simply means that the symptoms should be absent for about 2 weeks after the start of me style="text-align: justify;"nstrual flow and must be present sometime during the 2 weeks before the start of flow.
2. The symptoms must occur monthly.
3. The symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with some aspect of lifestyle.

If you meet these criteria, you probably have PMS. Two main questions then come to the forefront. The first deals with the cause and the second with the treatments of the condition. Treatment options will be outlined in the “Treating PMS Naturally” section.

As mentioned earlier in this article, the cause of PMS is unknown. The most probable and logical explanation is that there are multiple factors working together to produce symptoms. The most commonly proposed causes deal with hormone imbalances, neurotransmitter deficiencies in the brain, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, altered inflammatory processes, and psychological abnormalities. Simply put, we do not know the cause(s). Because of this, the “take this pill for that condition” approach that is so popular in our day and age does not work well for PMS. Even more frustrating is that a treatment which works for one person will not work for another.

My feeling is that we seem to always look for the complicated solution to any problem. We will try to balance hormones by giving estrogen or progesterone, mental dysfunction will be solved with prescription antidepressants, inflammation will be conquered with ibuprofen or naproxyn. The problem is that we do not even know if these imbalances exist for that patient. No tests are performed and if they are they usually come back normal. So doctors conduct experiments on people when they have no idea as to the cause.

I would not have as much problem with this if the substances given to these patients were not potent drugs associated with many potential side-effects. I think that we need to take a more simple approach in the treatment of conditions like PMS. The afflicted person must make lifestyle changes and abandon the take this for an easy cure attitude.

My suggestions are on listed below.

Treating PMS Naturally

The only difference between taking a large number of supplements or a large number of prescription pills is that natural supplements tend to have much fewer and less dangerous side-effects. The problem is that the taking of this pill for that symptom doesn’t work well for PMS, whether the pill is a drug or a supplement.

The list of supplements shown to be beneficial for PMS continues to grow. It includes Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Zinc, Calcium, Essential Fatty Acids, Calcium D-glucarate, St. John’s Wort, Chasteberry, Cramp Bark, Ginger, and Dong Quai to name only a few. It is impossible to determine which of these may be beneficial for you if you have PMS. Instead of taking 30 pills a day, my suggestion is that you start treating your PMS by taking an attitude of BALANCE!

Let me explain. My strong feeling is that PMS is a disease of multiple imbalances. I believe that in trying to treat these imbalances with drugs or many supplements we create more imbalance and symptoms do not improve on the whole. We may see slight symptom reduction in certain areas, but the overall picture stays pretty much the same month after month.

The first step in restoring balance depends on you. Do not look for that magic bullet from your doctor or a nutrition “expert.” The newest marketed supplement will not produce the cure you need. You have to change your lifestyle and the most important part of that is changing diet. Studies have shown that women who suffer from PMS consume more refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, sodium, and dairy products than women without PMS. Also, women with PMS tend to eat more animal fats in their diets while eating less fiber, zinc, and magnesium. Because of these tendencies, the body can become imbalanced. Substances that cause inflammation are increased in the circulation. Hormone balance, including estrogens, can be thrown out of regulation. Negative effects begin to surface as symptoms.

You have to make changes in the way you eat. If you need help in making these changes, please contact the clinic. I can make some very good suggestions specific for your individual needs.

As for supplements, I suggest that you start with Vitamin B6, Magnesium, and a good multiple vitamin. You can refer to “The Vitamin Answer Book” for guidance on finding a good multiple vitamin.

Vitamin B6 and magnesium both have multiple potential benefits for PMS. Magnesium is a good smooth muscle relaxant so it can help with cramping. It is also used, along with B6, to help your body rid itself of excess estrogen. Besides for the positive effects on estrogen, B6 is used for the production of the mood elevating hormone serotonin.

I would start with 100 mg of B6 a day and between 500 and 1000 mg of magnesium per day. If you weigh 100 lbs I would start with 500 mg. A 150 lb person would take between 800-1000 mg day. Take these in 2-3 divided doses throughout the day about 2 weeks prior to the expected date of menstrual flow.

There are many other options for the treatment of PMS. Start with the simple diet changes and add on from that point. It not only makes more sense, it is more effective. Contact me if you have any questions.

Can Chiropractic Care Help?

Some women experience low back pain, neck pain and headaches during the time of PMS. The stress and tension experienced during PMS are very typically transferred to the neck and low back. As the tension in these areas mount, movement usually decreases. The loss of spinal movement can greatly contribute to low back pain, neck pain, and headaches. The chiropractic adjustment can be very beneficial towards symptom relief in these cases. Adjustments provide gentle, yet quick relief for these types of complaints by restoring normal movement to the affected spinal segments.

The focus of chiropractic is for whole body wellness. Restoring the normal movement of the spine allows for the body to balance itself as a whole. I am always amazed at how many times patients tell me that they feel a boost in energy or a release from depression after being adjusted. I cannot tell you the exact mechanism for these responses but it is too easy to say that they are simply due to a placebo affect. This is especially true since I hear these remarks on a consistent basis.

The balancing effect that the adjustment seems to have on the body may be an important and useful tool in the treatment of patients with PMS. My suggestion is that you try a course of adjustments if you suffer from PMS. The relief may be profound.