Joint and Muscle Pain
PMS causes joint and muscle pain for various reasons. The most widely accepted theory is that hormonal changes are responsible for causing joint and muscle pain during PMS. Several hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, but the two main ones are estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen levels rise during the cycle’s first half, dropping sharply just before ovulation. Progesterone levels also rise during the second half of the cycle, but they don’t drop as sharply as estrogen levels do. This rollercoaster of hormone levels is thought to be what causes joint and muscle pain.
Another possible explanation for why PMS causes joint and muscle pain is inflammation. Some research has shown that women who experience severe PMS have higher levels of inflammation than women who don’t experience PMS symptoms. Inflammation is a known cause of joint and muscle pain, so this could be one mechanism by which PMS leads to these symptoms.
Finally, it’s also possible that both hormonal changes and inflammation contribute to joint and muscle pain during PMS. Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can help relieve symptoms in some women.
