Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and it’s Treatment

What is polycystic ovarian syndrome?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders; and ten percent of women of childbearing age are affected by this condition.

It is actually not a disease but a condition and it can affect any woman before she hits menopause. But, unfortunately, it remains undiagnosed as the symptoms often overlap with symptoms of other conditions.

 

What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and What Happens when you Have It?

In this condition, your ovaries create an abundance of follicles each month without producing an egg, disrupting the ovulation cycle. This disruption is the leading cause of infertility among women. Women suffering from this condition sometimes may skip their periods and sometimes start bleeding heavily for days.

There are other symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome such as acne and high blood pressure. It may also cause elevated androgen hormones levels that includes testosterone, leading to unwanted hair growth on your face and body. Women start developing ovarian cysts and their metabolism gets severely affected and the number on the scale keeps creeping up.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is sometimes a temporary condition and affects young girls who go through puberty as their ovaries try to balance a regular menstrual pattern. PCOS may also affect women undergoing perimenopause (when a woman experiences less frequent menstrual cycles as she gradually inches towards menopause)

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is such a multi-factorial condition and it induces a high muscle sympathetic nerve activity. This condition narrows the body’s blood vessels, hurtling the woman towards conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. These two conditions are the leading contributors toward stroke and heart disease.

While PCOS treatment involves taking medications to get relief from some of the conditions. Many women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome have resorted to taking a variety of medications to ease their symptoms. While these are effective to a certain extent, it also comes with several side effects such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This can prove to be rather annoying.

When conventional treatment fails, women seek relief from alternative medicine. In fact, Acupuncture for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a holistic method of treating a woman with PCOS. This treatment helps regulate and manage the symptoms to a large extent. Acupuncture is said to have a positive outlook and impacts your body in a number of ways.

What is Acupuncture?

Wikipedia states, “Acupuncture is a collection of procedures which involves the stimulation of points on the body using a variety of techniques, such as penetrating the skin with needles that are then manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation.”
It is a traditional Chinese medicine and is based on fighting any illness or pain which results as a blockage in the flow of vital energy, popularly known as “qi”. Acupuncturists utilize needles, inserting into specific acupuncture points. This helps to focus on unblocking the flow of qi and bring back balance to the body.

Acupuncture and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment

When you treat Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome with acupuncture, you place needles along the acupuncture meridians. These meridians are inextricably linked to the reproductive system. This helps in a number of ways such as improving the health of the organs, improving blood flow, helping in balancing out hormone-levels and helping in balancing out the reproductive system.

Swedish researchers at the University of Gothenburg did a study and found out that exercise in conjunction with electro-acupuncture treatments can help reduce the symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This polycystic ovary syndrome treatment also treats the condition minus the side effects. In Acupuncture, the needles are inserted in the abdomen and leg.

The needles activate a low-frequency electrical charge and it does not cause any pain or discomfort. The electro-acupuncture treatments help regularize the menstrual cycles, reduces the testosterone levels and the most important of all, reduce the waist circumference (not necessarily reduce the body mass index or weight). Before, you start with any treatment options, you must consult with your doctor and then go ahead with the treatment.

Which type of Acupuncture Helps in the treatment of PCOS?

It is said that electro-acupuncture, one of the more popular acupuncture techniques, is more effective in treating Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This treatment involves passing a small electric current through the needle into the muscle. Usually, two needles are used to form a setup. It forms a continuous pulsating current and is applied for 30 minutes. You can stimulate two needles at one and the same time.

How Does it Help Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)?

Can you manage PCOS naturally? Yes, you can include acupuncture, herbs, and dietary adjustments to help manage Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. When it comes to overweight patients, just a 5-10% reduction in weight can regulate your cycles. Follow the below-mentioned lifestyle changes to manage your condition better.

Your practitioner has to consider several factors while diagnosing you, such as do you suffer from a Kidney imbalance? Kidneys help control the organ of reproduction. This causes an imbalance of Qi, Yin, Yang, Jing, or a combination. Another, thing to take into consideration is damp and Phlegm accumulation (as you notice in the physical cysts). When there is a stagnation of Qi and blood, it causes painful menstruation or PMS type symptoms. If there is a spleen deficiency it can lead to weight gain.