Before or during menstruation, some women often experience "Premenstrual Syndrome" or what is commonly called PMS. However, did you know that symptoms that occur before or during menstruation are not only PMS, but can also be PMDD. 

What is PMDD? Then what is the difference between PMS and PMDD? Before going deeper into the differences between the two, we will discuss the meaning of each. 

What is PMS? 

PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome are symptoms that occur in women before or when they enter their menstrual period. In general, these PMS symptoms occur about 1 to 2 weeks before the first day of menstruation. This condition usually occurs every month. PMS symptoms themselves include changes in physical, mood, and behavior. 

It is noted that 3 out of 4 women who experience menstruation will experience some form of PMS. In fact, almost 50% of women who experience this syndrome are in their productive age, which is between the ages of 20 and 30 years. 

PMS symptoms also vary, all depending on the body condition of each woman. And these symptoms have varying degrees of severity, ranging from mild to severe. 

Some of the PMS symptoms that occur in women include physical changes, such as the appearance of pimples, back pain, breast pain, headaches, and stomach cramps. While emotional changes, such as changing moods, feelings of anxiety, excessive anxiety, and others. 

What is PMDD? 

PMDD or "Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder" is a symptom that also occurs in women during menstruation, but on a more severe scale than PMS. 

PMDD symptoms generally occur between 1 to 2 weeks before the menstrual period. Then, these symptoms will disappear after 2 to 3 days after menstruation. 

Johns Hopkins Medicine states that PMDD is a serious chronic condition. In fact, PMDD symptoms will make a person unable to carry out daily activities. And this certainly can interfere with their daily activities. For this reason, if someone experiences PMDD, then they need medical treatment to treat this disorder.

Even under certain conditions, women who experience PMDD can have suicidal thoughts. Generally this occurs in those who previously had a history of depression. 

Some examples of PMDD symptoms include muscle spasms, dizziness, paranoia, forgetfulness, feeling extremely weak, extreme mood swings that tend to be depressing, difficulty sleeping, and fainting. 

PMS and PMDD 

If some people ask, which is more dangerous, PMS or PMDD? The answer is PMDD. That is because PMDD has more extreme symptoms than PMS. 

The similarities between PMS and PMDD are that they cause both physical and emotional symptoms. However, both have significant differences, namely the severity of the symptoms and signs that occur. 

PMDD is considered the worst version of PMS. Where PMDD can make women experience excessive sadness, nervousness and anxiety, drastic changes in mood, so that it can interfere with their daily activities. 

How to Handle PMDD? 

Some of the symptoms of PMDD often occur over a long period of time. This certainly can affect the activities and quality of life of women. However, there are several treatments for PMDD that have been recommended by doctors. 

If the symptoms are still relatively mild, and if they don't interfere with activities, then the recommended treatment is to do regular exercise, do relaxation techniques, and consume enough vitamins and minerals. 

However, if the symptoms experienced are in the severe category and cause activity to be disrupted, the doctor will take medical action, as well as prescribe certain types of drugs. 

PMS and PMDD are conditions that occur in women before and during menstruation. If you experience symptoms that are quite severe before menstruation, you can consult a doctor and get adequate treatment. 

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