The difference between premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is more than bloating and cramps. It comes down to severity of the emotional symptoms.Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) are two distinct health conditions that are alike in many ways. They share many of the same symptoms, including physical and emotional changes that occur in the days before a woman’s period. In both conditions, the symptoms occur each month, but PMDD is more severe than PMS. It is also more rare.
Like PMS, PMDD can make a person feel nervous, angry, irritable, or anxious. Fatigue, strong cravings for certain foods, problems concentrating and paying attention, and physical problems like breast tenderness, headaches, swelling or bloating, and joint and muscle pain are symptoms of PMDD.
But with PMDD, the emotional symptoms are more severe than they are with PMS. The person can experience more severe problems with depression, tension, and irritability. And trouble with sleeping is another common complaint among individuals who live with PMDD.
The symptoms can fluctuate and be more severe one month than the next.Often, PMDD makes a person feel unlike herself, without an easy way to feel better.The symptoms of PMDD can be worse some months than others.PMS tends to have more physical symptoms while PMDD has more mood symptoms.
PMDD is more severe than PMS because it typically has a greater number of symptoms associated with it. Also, these symptoms tend to be more serious than the symptoms that occur with PMS.
Common symptoms between both disorders include depression, irritability, internal tension, and anger. These are severe and can interfere in day to day life. A mild form of PMS is common in 75% of women who have regular menstruation. PMDD affects around 3%-8% of women. This condition can affect women from any and all ethnic, cultural, or socioeconomic backgrounds. PMDD is a chronic condition and can seriously impact a woman’s quality of life. Self-care measures and various treatments like nutritional supplements are available to control the symptoms in most women.
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