Good Choices For Premenstrual Syndrome
Aromatherapy
For relief, just inhale. The essential oils lavender, geranium, and rose can alleviate the mood changes associated with PMS, according to Kathy Keville and Mindy Green, coauthors of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art. They suggest putting a few chips of rock salt in a small vial, then adding 2 or 3 drops of each of the three oils. (The rock salt prevents the oil from splashing out when you open the vial.) For an immediate emotional lift, just uncap the vial and inhale deeply.
Homeopathy
Try a symptom-specific remedy. A number of homeopathic medicines have proved effective as treatments for premenstrual symptoms, according to homeopath Dana Ullman. These medicines include Ignatia, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla, and Sepia. To find out which one would work best for you, consult a homeopath.
Chinese Medicine
Mellow with an herbal formula. Efrem Korngold, O.M.D., L.Ac., prescribes several different herbal formulas to patients with PMS. One such formula is Xiao Yao Wan, made with Chinese angelica (dang gui), ginger, licorice root, mint leaf, peony root, bupleurum root, and other herbs. There’s also Bai Feng Wan, a blend of several herbs, including Chinese angelica, ginseng, and peony root, in honey.
Pinpoint the problem spots. Dr. Korngold and other practitioners of Chinese medicine also use acupuncture to treat PMS. If you prefer a do-it-yourself approach, try acupressure treatments. Simply apply steady, penetrating finger pressure to each of the following points for 3 minutes.
- Spleen 6, located four finger-widths above your inner anklebone on the back inner border of your shinbone
- Liver 3, situated on top of your foot in the webbing between your big toe and second toe
- Heart 7, located on the pinkie side of the wrist crease that’s closest to your palm
Ayurvedic Medicine
Blame your dosha. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that PMS arises from some problem with apana vata, the force that directs life energy into a woman’s reproductive organs, explains John Douillard, D.C., a chiropractor who practices Ayurvedic medicine at the Invincible life Spa in Boulder, Colorado. PMS symptoms vary from woman to woman, depending on constitutional type, or dosha.
If you have a Vata dosha, Dr. Douillard says, you’re most likely to experience mood changes and constipation. A Pitta dosha, on the other hand, is associated with irritability, hunger, headache, diarrhea, and acne. And a Kapha dosha elicits primarily physical symptoms bloating, weight gain, breast tenderness, and acne. For a treatment program tailored to your dosha, consult an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Medical Measures
If none of the above remedies provides sufficient relief from your premenstrual symptoms, your doctor may recommend drug therapy. Among the drugs most often prescribed for PMS are the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, including fluoxetine (prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). While research has shown that these pharmaceuticals are effective, they also have side effects.
Other pharmaceuticals also control premenstrual symptoms, but in different ways. For example, anti-anxiety drugs such as alprazolam (Xanax) help alleviate moodiness. And oral contraceptives alter the way your sex hormones cycle, so hormonal fluctuations are less intense.
Red Flags
If your premenstrual symptoms are severe, get a complete physical exam, Dr. Endicott advises. You want to make sure that you don’t have another condition that could be misdiagnosed as PMS, such as endometriosis, lupus, or a thyroid disorder.
Also, keep in mind that PMS can be aggravated by allergies, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, and migraines. If you have any of these conditions, controlling them with appropriate therapeutic measures can help minimize your premenstrual symptoms.
Tags: asthma treatments, diseases and conditions, fruit juice, gout, heart disease, routine diet