PMS: How Much Do We Really Know? Essay -- Biology Essays Research Pape

PMS: How Much Do We Really Know? "Basically, PMS has been piecemealed. It's like the story of the five blind men and the elephant. One checked the trunk, another the leg and so on, but nobody has the full picture." --Dr. Susan Thys-Jacobs (1). The Controversy There has been much controversy over the biological factors involved in the mood disorders and discomfort felt by countless women before the onset of menses. The common term for this discomfort is pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS is a disorder involving hormonal changes that trigger disruptive symptoms up to two weeks prior to menstruation. While for many women the symptoms are not severe enough to require treatment, 12 % (5 out of 40 million) are medically treated for their symptoms (2).While many scientists have supported the existence of PMS, the exact causes and treatments have created some controversy. It is not clear how much of the presence of PMS is due to physiological factors (such as hormones) and how much is due to psychological and societal factors. What role exactly has society played in the perception of symptoms? In what capacity is the I-function involved? The Symptoms PMS affects approximately 8 out of 10 women. Since the 1930s, the grouping of symptoms has remained fairly consistent. An American neurologist originally described these characteristics in 1931. The symptoms are grouped as follows: "A- Anxiety: irritable, crying without reason, verbally and sometimes physically abuse, feeling "out of control", or Dr. Jekyl-Mr. Hyde behavior changes. D- Depression: confused, clumsy, forgetful, withdrawn, fearful, paranoid, suicidal thoughts and rarely suicidal actions. C- Cravings: food cravings, usually for sweets or chocolate; dia... ...ssociated with PMS, as well as the exact nature of hormones, emotions, and other psychophysiological factors. WWW Sources 1) PMS and PMDD Cause Serious Suffering http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/doctor/lhdoc094.htm 2) Medical Treatment of PMS http://www.usdoctor.com/pms.htm 3) The Health Report-PMS http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s11123.htm 4) What is EEG Biofeedback? http://www.eegspectrum.com/articles/faq.htm 5) EEG Biofeedback Training for PMS http://www.eegspectrum.com/articles/pms94.htm 6) PMS, EEG, and Photic Stimulation http://www.snr-jnt.org/journalnt/jnt(2-2)2.html 7) The Many Faces of PMS http://www.bairpms.com/ Additional Sources 8) Slade, P. (1984) Premenstrual emotional changes in normal women: Fact or fiction? Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 28. 1-7. 9) Ruble, Science Vol. 197