Premenstrual Syndrome In Men?

Male premenstrual syndrome definitely sounds like an oxymoron. I have had more and more women ask me about this, not to know more about it per se but to know if there could be anything in the world like a premenstrual syndrome in men. The reason for this is very obvious, men do not menstruate! The premenstrual syndrome has made men to most often label any emotional extremes of their wives or partners as 'hormonal issues'. Many women find this appellation 'male PMS' to be thrilling as it makes men to also have 'their share of hormonal issues'. But first, is there anything as male PMS? Is It True? Yes, there is a condition in men that is very similar to PMS in females but not called male PMS! It is now being recognized as a medical entity. The medical term to describe this condition is the Irritable Male Syndrome or the Irritable Men Syndrome. The appellation 'male PMS' is a colloquial term amongst non-professionals to describe this condition that presents like PMS in women. It sounds like the Irritable Bowel Syndrome which is a problem of the GI tract but it is different. What Is It? The Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) is state of emotional and behavioral symptoms such as hypersensitivity, anxiety, frustration, and anger that occur in males and associated with hormonal fluctuations and stress. It is not premenstrual syndrome ( PMS)! In fact some women who heard about it and asked the question thought it is some kind of effects they induce in their partner when they are in their premenstrual phase! IMS has nothing to do with PMS except that both are emotional and behavioral states related to sex hormone changes. Therefore

• IMS has no monthly occurrence as occurs in PMS though it may follow a rhythm of stress.
• It is not related to the menstruation of any female around!

IMS is still being fully described and may be more common than expected. In fact such emotional and behavioral changes in men may be ruining relationships silently. Symptoms One interesting finding noted clinically about the IMS is that men just do not easily accept that their symptoms are due to 'some hormonal changes'. This might keep some from receiving appropriate treatment. Symptoms are generally worse in the morning and taper by the close of the day. Men suffering from IMS may be angry, sarcastic, impatient, demanding, hostile, sad or even argumentative. Of course these are not unequivocal pointers to IMS. Some of these may just be some behavioral tendencies or as a result of other medical conditions. If you suspect you or a loved one may be having this, seek medical evaluation by a physician. Causes Basically, IMS is related to diminished levels of testosterone in blood especially in response to external influences. The most significant precipitant of this condition is stress. Others include excessive alcohol, lack of sleep or even a poor diet. Treatment IMS can be managed. The most important limiting factor is its identification.The mainstay of treatment is hormone replacement therapy, coupled with lifestyle issues like diet and exercise.