Menstrual Symptoms

Preventative Measures

There is no standard way to prevent menstrual symptoms. Because each woman's experience of the menstrual cycle is so different, finding effective preventative measures can be a problem. Women generally treat symptoms as they occur throughout the menstrual cycle.

However, there are some strategies that may help you to reduce the severity of menstrual symptoms.

To help prevent PMS:

• Practice reduced muscle tension.
• Use relaxation techniques and guided imagery (imagining your cramped uterus relaxing, for instance).
• A proper diet is always important to good health - follow the recommendations of the Canada Food Guide.
• If your mood swings due to PMS are very extreme and debilitating, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking an antidepressant medication.

To help prevent menstrual pain, ask your doctor if you can try birth control pills. These may be effective for severe pain that isn't controlled by over-the-counter pain killers.