Menstrual Issues
Menstruation, or menses, is the cyclical process that women go through roughly once a month from around age fourteen to age fifty. During menstruation, the uterus sheds its lining (the endometrium) through the vagina. In most cases, it's a fairly uneventful process. But for some women, menstruation can bring serious discomfort.
PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, occurs in the week or two weeks before a woman's menstrual period and generally stops as soon as menstruation begins. PMS affects about 75 percent of women. Common symptoms are breast tenderness, acne, insomnia, headache and backache, tension, and irritability. PMS is tied to changing hormone levels and can be exacerbated by stress.
About 8 percent of women experience a particularly severe form of PMS known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which is a serious, often debilitating condition that can include marked depression, anger, flu-like symptoms, and appetite and sleep changes.
Stress affects everyone, but it can be especially tough on women (and trigger PMS and other problems). The American Psychological Association reports that mothers in the “sandwich generation” (ages thirty-five to fifty-four) feel more stress than any other group. And while two out of every five Americans say they feel overextended, more women than men report extreme stress.
Treatment of PMS generally includes OTC medicines like Midol, which contain an NSAID or other pain reliever, plus a diuretic to fight bloating. Women with PMDD are often given antidepressants as well.
Serious menstrual cramps, also known as dysmenorrhea, can strike at any age, although teenagers are more likely to have painful periods than older women. Postmenopausal cramps warrant a doctor's visit, as they can be caused by endometriosis, a painful condition in which tissue similar to that in the endometrium is found elsewhere in the body.
Many women treat the cramps and other symptoms of dysmenorrhea with OTC pain medications. In severe cases, doctors may prescribe oral contraceptives. Herbal remedies for premenstrual and menstrual problems include the following:
•Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) |
Dandelion is a traditional remedy for the water retention of PMS. It's an herbal diuretic (it increases urine volume and sodium excretion to relieve bloating). Juniper (Juniperus communis) is another bloatrelieving option. |
•Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) |
Ginkgo, better known for its memory-boosting benefits, can also relieve the moodiness and breast tenderness of PMS. |
•Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) |
Extracts of the bark from this French pine tree have been shown to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps and endometriosis. |
•Saint John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) |
This mood-lifter has been shown to improve symptoms of PMS by as much as 50 percent; it's also effective against PMDD. |
•Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) |
Clinical trials show that vitex can reduce the psychological symptoms of both PMS and PMDD (its effects are comparable to the drug Prozac). It's also effective at relieving physical symptoms like headaches, water retention, and acne. |
