Natural and Medical Treatments for PMDD

If you are wondering what is PMDD and why is causing too much disruption to your daily life, there are different treatments available to help you manage PMDD. These can make your life more comfortable and easier, so they can be really useful to know. It’s important to understand and be aware of all the options that are available to you for managing PMDD.

Natural remedies for PMDD

From aromatherapy and meditation to good sleep and a warm bath, there are some great options for treating the symptoms of PMDD naturally. Continue reading this blog post to find out more!

Meditation & aromatherapy

PMDD can affect a person’s mental health, causing depression, irritability and anxiety. If you are also stressed while trying to manage PMDD, these symptoms can become worse. Therefore, it is important to find ways that help you to relieve any built-up stress and anxiety. One option is to practice meditation. A very well-known stress reliever, meditation can help you to relax, stay grounded and can even help to alleviate mental and physical pain.

Another option is to try aromatherapy, which involves smelling and inhaling oils that also have the potential to relieve both physical and emotional pain and can aid sleep. To practice aromatherapy, you can add oils into a warm bath (which by itself can work as a great stress reliever), or apply them to your skin during a massage. Clary sage, rose, lavender and neroli are all great options for oils to use during aromatherapy in order to relieve PMDD symptoms.

Diet

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet that also contains particular foods to help you manage any symptoms can help to provide relief from PMDD. Eating fruits and vegetables and whole grains, while also avoiding alcohol, caffeine and salty foods (that can contribute to bloating), can help alleviate some of the potential symptoms of PMDD. Blood sugar levels are important to maintain while experiencing PMDD as if these levels fluctuate, mood swings and fatigue become more likely. Avoiding sugary foods can be beneficial in this case.

Prostaglandins are substances in the body that can increase the severity of and pain from menstrual cramps. Meat and foods that are high in fat can increase the levels of prostaglandins, therefore avoiding this kind of food also has the potential to be effective in mitigating the symptoms of PMDD.

Herbal Supplements

There are natural, herbal ingredients that are available that are thought to contain properties effective against PMS & PMDD symptoms. Examples of such herbal remedies include evening primrose oil, vitex, marshmallow root and wild yam root. Each of these herbal supplements are capable of providing hormonal balance and relieving PMS and/or PMDD symptoms.

Acupuncture

The practice of acupuncture is one in which needles are inserted into the skin. It is believed that, through the process of acupuncture, blood flow is increased and the body’s innate self-healing process is promoted. To help you to relax and for your body to begin to recover, acupuncture has the potential to be effective for managing the symptoms associated with PMDD. We have a great interview with acupuncturist Snow Xia L.Ac here, in which she discusses how beneficial acupuncture can be for hormonal balance! Make sure to give it a read if you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of acupuncture.

Sleep

– Getting a good amount and quality of sleep is important for a variety of aspects of our health, and this includes for managing PMDD symptoms. Insomnia is already a potential symptom of the condition, and furthermore, insomnia can lead to or worsen depression, fatigue, anxiety and irritability. Try your best to find ways to get the best night of sleep possible.

Find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep? Here are some tips!
A more consistent bedtime routine that involves going to bed and waking up at the same time can help your body to release the right hormones at the right time, making you feel sleepy when you need to and more awake when you need to.
– Try not to take long naps during the day.
– Try to avoid looking at a screen, e.g. phone, tablet, laptop or television, for around 1 hour before going to bed.
– Practice a relaxing activity before bed, perhaps take a warm bath, meditate or do some aromatherapy
Avoid caffeine before going to bed.

Trying different menstruation products

Depending on the symptoms of PMDD that you experience, the type of sanitary product that you use may actually make things worse. If you are prone to sensitive skin, sanitary pads and pantyliners may irritate it. Also, tampons can cause more abdominal pain and cramping. There are great alternatives for menstrual products, including menstrual cups or organic pads and pantyliners.

Medical Treatments for PMDD

Diuretics

Some women may experience bloating, weight gain and also swelling due to an increase in fluid retention caused by PMDD. When this is the case, water pills, which are called diuretics, can be taken that cause the kidneys to get rid of any excess water. This can help to reduce the amount of fluid being retained in the body and therefore has the potential to alleviate bloating, weight gain and swelling caused by PMDD.

Anti-inflammatory drugs & pain killers

PMDD can also cause pain, such as abdominal pain, back pain, headaches and more. Anti-inflammatory drugs can also help to ease the pain and discomfort that may be experienced with the disorder. Drugs like ibuprofen can be bought over the counter, but you may want to speak to your doctor first to understand what the best options are for you.

Antidepressants

One bracket of symptoms caused by premature dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is affecting your emotional and mental health. PMDD can lead to depression, anxiety, irritability and mood swings. In this case, antidepressants can help. A particular type of antidepressant, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been shown to be effective in treating the symptoms of both Premenstrual syndrome -PMS, and PMDD. There are potential side effects to these antidepressant drugs however, such as diarrhea, constipation, headaches and low libido, so make sure you speak with your doctor to fully understand your decision.

Hormonal contraception

It is believed that PMDD is caused due to changing levels of hormones leading up to the onset of menstruation. Therefore, hormonal contraception can be offered as a potential treatment option. Hormonal contraception, such as the oral pill, stops ovulation and this could help to alleviate some of the symptoms of PMDD. Evidence of the effectiveness of hormonal contraception for treating PMDD symptoms is varied.

Injections

A certain type of injection that has been shown to reduce the symptoms of PMDD is available and it is called a gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue injection (GnRH analogue injection). GnRH hormone is important for the release of other hormones, such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

These injections can induce menopause, which will likely reduce the symptoms that are experienced with PMDD. Inducing menopause is accompanied by other side effects however, such as a reduction in bone density, therefore GnRH analogue injections are often administered along with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in an attempt to balance the side effects caused by menopause.

Surgery

If someone experiences PMDD symptoms that greatly disrupt their daily life, surgery is an option to relieve this. A hysterectomy, in which the uterus is removed, or an oophorectomy, in which the ovaries are removed, may be recommended. Both of these operations will permanently stop your cycle of menstruation and therefore will alleviate the symptoms of PMDD.

More about Menstrual Cycle, PMS and PMDD:

• Natural and Medical Treatments for PMDD
• What is PMDD? Causes and Symptoms
• How your menstrual cycle can affect your mood
• How to support your body throughout your menstrual cycle
• What your menstrual cycle can tell you about your health
• What are the Stages of the Menstrual Cycle?
• PMS: causes, symptoms and treatments
• PMS and the Stages of the Menstrual Cycle
• What is PMS?
• How your menstrual cycle impacts your immune health
• Natural tips to get your period back
• Have you stopped getting your periods recently? This might be why
• Calcium supplements to stabilize your PMS mood swings
• Ovulation pain: What it is and when to be concerned
• Natural ways to reduce PMS symptoms
• PMS vs. PMDD: The critical difference
• Turmeric as a Treatment for PMS
• Signs and Symptoms of PMS
• Using your menstrual Cycle as your Fitness Guide – Africa Rubio Pastor
• PMS – Tips and Natural Remedies to Keep a Healthy Menstrual Cycle

Anne Kurtz

Education:

• Hamilton College 2002 – 2006 (B.A., Chemistry Major and Psychology Major)
• Cornell University 2006 – 2008 (M.S., Food Science)
• Cornell University 2009 – 2012 (Ph.D., Food Science)

Description:

Anne is an Angel investor & advisor. She is the author of “The Juicy Bite”, a successful CPG and Tech newsletter. Venture technology and startup scout, with over seven years of global CPG experience. Her background in holistic product design, sustainability, trends & technology identification, and consumer insights enables her to identify white space opportunities and areas for investment. With a Ph.D. in Food Science she brings great expertise and value to the Hormone University community.

About Anne:

“Anne is a real up-and-coming talent with world class training in the chemical senses, demonstrating in her burgeoning career an ability to translate fundamental scientific phenomena into pragmatic commercial relevance with impeccable collegiality to boot.”