The prevalent illness known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) alters how a woman’s ovaries function.
The three main characteristics of PCOS are:
irregular periods, which indicates that your ovaries don’t release eggs on a regular basis (ovulation)
High quantities of “male” hormones called excess androgen in your body might manifest physically as an excess of face or body hair.
Your ovaries expand and contain several fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs if you have polycystic ovaries (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)
You might be given a PCOS diagnosis if you possess at least two of these characteristics.
- Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
If you have PCOS, your symptoms will likely start to show in your late teens or early twenties.
They may consist of:
- Having trouble becoming pregnant as a result of irregular or nonexistent ovulation or irregular periods
- Hirsutism, or excessive hair growth, typically affects the face, chest, back, or buttocks.
- gaining weight losing hair from the head, having greasy or acneic skin
- Moreover, PCOS is linked to a higher risk of later-life health issues like type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.
- What results in PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome?
- Although the exact aetiology is unknown, PCOS frequently runs in families.
- It has to do with the body’s aberrant hormone levels, which include elevated insulin levels.
- The hormone insulin regulates the body’s sugar levels.
- In order to overcome their body’s resistance to insulin, many women with PCOS create higher quantities of insulin.
- The production and activity of hormones like testosterone are boosted as a result of this.
- The quantity of insulin your body generates also increases when you are overweight or fat.
- Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- PCOS cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be managed. If you believe you may have the illness, consult a doctor.
- Certain symptoms of PCOS may improve if you lose weight and adopt a healthy, balanced diet if you are overweight.
- Additionally, there are medications that can be used to treat symptoms including excessive hair growth, irregular periods, and infertility issues.
- Laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD), a straightforward surgical technique, may be advised if reproductive medications are ineffective.
- This entails destroying the tissue in the ovaries that produces androgens like testosterone using heat or a laser.
- Most PCOS sufferers can become pregnant with the right therapy.
Acupuncture therapy may help PCOS by improving blood flow to the ovaries, decreasing ovarian volume and the number of cysts, reducing cortisol levels, helping with weight loss and anorexia, controlling hyperglycemia by improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood glucose and insulin levels, and many other possible mechanisms.