Efficacy Of Homeopathic Treatments For Pms

Homeopathic treatment may be beneficial for women suffering from premenstrual disorders, but before this approach can be widely used and accepted, more research is needed.

- Christien T Klein-laansma & Miek C Jong

The challenge for the research community is to provide convincing evidence for specific homeopathic treatments which achieve reproducible clinical results and are also easy to implement via existing public healthcare systems. Within the context of a brief overview of important past research in the field, we discuss the ‘Dutch International PMS Studies’ investigating semi-standardised individualised homeopathic treatment for PMS.

PREMENSTRUAL DISORDERS

Up to 30 per cent of women worldwide in the fertile age have moderate to severe physical discomfort or feel emotionally unbalanced between ovulation and menstruation [1]. Symptoms such as breast tenderness, water retention, changing moods, depression, and extreme irritability, can last for several days, or even a fortnight. The commonest forms of this condition are premenstrual syndrome [PMS] —or, if mood symptoms predominate, premenstrual dysphoric disorder [PMDD]. PMS/PMDD can have a huge impact on a woman’s quality of life [QoL], as well as leading to increased medical costs [2],decreased work productivity, and increased absenteeism [3].

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT ‘GAP’

Women seeking conventional treatment are often prescribed selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor antidepressants [SSRIs], or an oral contraceptive pill [OCP]. Although these drugs can reduce symptoms, they have unpleasant side- effects and do not really cure [4]. Women using SSRIs for PMS report of nausea, somnolence, fatigue, decreased libido and sweating [5]. In 2011 the FDA issued a warning about the use of OCPs because of the enhanced risk of thromboembolism [6]. Some women are, therefore, in desperate need of safe and effective additional/alternative treatments. Homeopathy could well fill this ‘gap,’ but research studies to date have varied greatly in terms of study design, method and quality.