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Common Myths About PMS, Debunked
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects millions of women, yet misconceptions still shape how people talk about it — and even how it’s treated.
As a leading provider of women’s healthcare, Feminine Urgicare understands the discomfort and frustration many women with PMS experience on a monthly basis and how misunderstandings can prevent you from finding a solution.
Learn some of the most common PMS myths that could be preventing you from finding the treatment and care you need to find relief for your symptoms.
Myth: PMS is “all in your head”
PMS is not imaginary, nor is it simply an emotional overreaction. It’s a real, biologically driven condition linked to hormonal shifts that occur during the menstrual cycle.
These shifts affect specific brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that influence mood, appetite, sleep, and stress levels.
If you have PMS, it’s common to experience symptoms like:
- Bloating
- Cramps
- Headaches
- Irritability or moodiness
- Fatigue
- Breast tenderness
- Problems with concentration (sometimes called “brain fog”)
These symptoms can be intrusive enough to affect daily routines. That’s why it’s so important to recognize that PMS isn’t just “real,” but also very treatable.
Myth: All women experience PMS the same way
No two women experience PMS in the same way. The type and the intensity of symptoms can vary significantly. Lots of factors can influence your own PMS experiences, including:
- Genetics
- Stress
- Lifestyle
- Overall health
- Lifestyle
- Underlying health conditions
These differences mean there’s no “one-size-fits-all” treatment, either. Our team is skilled in determining the optimal treatment options for each woman based on an array of individual factors for real relief.
Myth: PMS only affects your mood
For decades, PMS was essentially “written off” as a sort of emotional upheaval that was more or less nothing more than simple moodiness.
However, today, we know PMS is far more complex. Yes, PMS can definitely affect your mood, and the hormonal shifts can take a toll on your emotional health, too, especially when treatment is delayed.
But as noted earlier, PMS causes lots of real physical symptoms, too — symptoms that can have a major impact on your life.
Focusing only on mood-related symptoms ignores the complexity of PMS and its biological roots. This oversimplification can make it harder to recognize when you need treatment, and it may even lead to feelings of guilt and frustration.
Recognizing and “legitimizing” the entire spectrum of symptoms is essential for your emotional and physical wellness, helping you track your individual symptoms and patterns so you can get the treatment you need to feel better and improve your overall quality of life.
Myth: Severe PMS is a normal part of being a woman
PMS is an “offshoot” of hormonal shifts associated with menstruation. So, in that regard, it can be part of the female experience. But just because it’s a condition common to women, that doesn't mean it’s normal.
PMS is not something you need to (or should) “push through” month after month, especially when its symptoms affect your emotions, your moods, your comfort, your activity level, or any other aspect of your wellness and your life.
If PMS regularly affects your routine, it’s time to have those symptoms evaluated, so we can help you find a solution to restore some normalcy to your health and your routines. Once again, this is a real physical disorder that deserves support and treatment — not dismissal.
Myth: PMS can’t be treated
Maybe the best news of all is that PMS can be treated and symptoms can be effectively managed, so you can feel better and more like your “old self.”
Many women benefit from a combination of lifestyle changes focused on improving overall wellness and medical treatments that target the underlying causes, like hormonal shifts, stress, or other health issues.
In fact, today there are more options than ever when it comes to developing a treatment plan that works. With the right plan in place, you won’t have to accept feeling miserable month after month.
Find a PMS solution that works for you
PMS isn’t “all in your head,” and it’s not something you just have to learn to live with, either. There are real solutions that can help.
To learn how we can help you find PMS symptom relief, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Feminine Urgicare in Paramus and Clifton, New Jersey, today.