Premenstrual Syndrome: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; furthermore:
  • Inspection (viewing).
    • Skin and mucous membranes [tendency to acne (e.g., acne vulgaris); flushing]
    • Abdominal wall and inguinal region (groin area).
  • Gynecological examination
    • Inspection
      • Vulva (external, primary female sexual organs).
      • Vagina (vagina) [edema (water retention in the tissues) of the vagina, possibly associated with itching]
      • Cervix uteri (cervix), or portio (cervix; transition from the cervix (cervix uteri) into the vagina (vagina)), if necessary, taking a Pap smear (for early detection of cervical cancer).
    • Palpation (bimanual; palpation with both hands) of the internal genital organs.
      • Cervix uteri (cervix).
      • Uterus (uterus) [Normal: anteflexed/angled anteriorly, normal size, no tenderness].
      • Adnexa (appendages of the uterus, i.e., the ovary (ovary) and uterine tubule (fallopian tube)) [Normal: free]
      • Parametria (pelvic connective tissue in front of the cervix to the urinary bladder and on both sides to the lateral pelvic wall) [Normal: free].
      • Pelvic walls [Normal: free]
      • Douglas space (pocket-like bulge of the peritoneum (abdominal wall) between the rectum (rectum) at the back and the uterus (uterus) at the front) [Normal: clear].
    • Inspection of the mammae (breasts), right and left; the nipple (breastware), right and left; and the skin.
    • Palpation of the mammae, both supraclavicular pits (upper clavicular pits), and axillae (axillae) [tension/swelling of the breast].
  • Health check

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.