S.O.S. for Women Afflicted with PMS Cravings

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (also called PMT or premenstrual tension) is a collection of physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms related to a woman's menstrual cycle. While most women (about 80 percent) of child-bearing age have some symptoms of PMS, the official definition limits the scope to having symptoms of "sufficient severity to interfere with some aspects of life". Such symptoms are usually predictable and occur regularly during the two weeks prior to menses. Generally, symptoms may vanish both before or after the start of menstrual flow.

While some experts claim that virtually all menstruating women experience PMS, a more recent and intermediate position shows that only a small percentage of women (2 to 5%) have significant premenstrual symptoms that are separate from the discomfort associated with menstruation.Matlin, Margaret W., The Psychology of Women: Sixth Edition 2008.

Culturally, the abbreviation PMS is widely understood in the United States (and other countries, for example Australia) to refer to difficulties associated with menses, and the abbreviation is used frequently even in casual and colloquial settings, without regard to medical rigor. In these contexts, the syndrome is rarely referred to without abbreviation, and the connotations of the reference are frequently more broad than the clinical definition.