When Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Requires Doctor’s Assistance?
Lots of women experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) before or during menstruation. However it is always difficult to define whether woman needs professional medical assistance for relieving PMS symptoms that become more and more severe.
Here are a few cases that definitely require doctor consultation:
- PMS regularly impacts your everyday life and make you unable to do your usual jobs and activities
- You feel like losing control under the situation with PMS symptoms.
- You already used some drugs or therapy to relief the symptoms, but it didn’t help
- Severe PMS symptoms like depression, head and muscle aches, irritability, etc. still present after menstruation started a couple of days ago.
When Is It Time?
Sometimes it is enough to use simple measures at home to relief PMS display. If you constantly experience PMS every month before periods, it is time to change your lifestyle a little to help your body to manage with unwanted symptoms.
If diet, healthy lifestyle doesn’t help or the symptoms become even worse, it is certainly the tile to visit a doctor. Most of physicians will ask you to keep a diary for at least two menstruation cycles before visit to clinic. So the earlier you start, the earlier he will be able to help you with correct treatment.
It is reasonable to keep a menstrual diary if you feel problems with PMS. As a rule, such diary includes the following information:
- The symptoms you experience and their display
- Dates when the symptoms start and finish
- The date of ovulation (if you can define this)
- The menstruation start and finish dates
Whom to Ask for Help
Your attending medical doctor can define the reason of symptoms you experience and make a diagnosis of PMS. Anyway you can consult your doctor, and if he or she is qualified in other area of medicine, you will be referred to one of other specialists.
The list of specialists you can go for help include:
- Nurses
- Physicians
- Therapeutists
- Family doctors
- Interns specialized at women’s health care
- Gynaecologists
If the situation with PMS is too difficult, it is better to consult direct specialist, gynecologist, who will prescribe you correct treatment therapy schedule. In case if symptoms have more emotional character or in case of PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder), you will need additional help of psychologist or psychiater, who will help to manage with stresses.
