PMS manifests itself either emotionally or physically, and in many cases, both. Symptoms on the emotional side include depression, anxiety, mood swings, insomnia, aggressiveness, anger, sadness, irritability, and even feeling of guilt for her life before the period. As for physical symptoms, abdominal distention/pain, breasts tenderness/pain, skin problems, edema, lower/higher libido than usual, devouring of food, tiredness, and insomnia are some of the main issues. Duration and severity of PMS can vary amongst individuals. PMS affects not only the quality of the patient’s life but her family and friends as well.

Nevertheless, many individuals perceive the PMS as a normal phenomenon, as PMS has become a common illness in modern world. Given that stress is a main cause for PMS, among other causes (physical strain, excessive consumption of fatty food, blood deficiency, etc.), it is hardly surprising to see so many suffer from PMS in the evermore stressful society in the recent times.

As the menstrual cycle is part of a normal physiological phenomenon for women to maintain healthy body functions, physically healthy and psychologically sound individuals should not have PMS. Put in another way, it is not normal to have PMS, despite its rising numbers today.