Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, commonly known as PCOS, is found in many women nowadays. It generally occurs due to the imbalance in the amount of androgens. A few Common symptoms of PCOS are irregular menstruation, ovarian cyst formation, and growth of excessive hair in the face and other parts of the body. The treatment might include using the diabetes drug metformin or the use of hormonal birth control.
Brief about PCOS
PCOS, or Polycystic ovary syndrome, mostly affects the hormonal levels of women’s bodies. If you have PCOS, it means the amount of hormones is higher in your body. This hormone, found in the body, creates hormonal imbalances and is also responsible for irregular periods. It also creates problems in getting pregnant.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can cause diseases like diabetes and heart-related issues. It also causes baldness or extra hair growth on the face and body.
You may take birth control pills or diabetes drugs, which combat insulin resistance, a symptom of PCOS. It also helps you maintain the hormonal balance and reduces the effects of the symptoms.
You should read the blog in detail to know in detail the causes, symptoms, and treatments of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS.
Common PCOS Symptoms
Many women find the symptoms during the first period only. Some may get to know after gaining weight or getting pregnancy-related issues.
- Irregular periods are mostly found in women suffering from PCOS. As the uterus lining doesn’t shed every month, there is a lack of ovulation. Many Women in this condition get fewer than 8 periods a year. Periods might stop for several months.
- As the uterine lining is made after several months, you may get heavy bleeding during periods. There are chances of having bleeding for more than a week.
- The chance of getting frequent hair loss is high during PCOS. Almost 70% of women suffering from PCOS have excessive hair growth on their face and body. You may also get hair growth in the back, chest, or belly region. The growth of excessive hair in the body is called hirsutism.
- Acne is caused because of excessive hormones present in the body. The skin gets oilier than usual. You may get breakouts on parts of the body like the chest, upper back, and face.
- Gaining weight is common during PCOS. You may gain about 80 per cent. PCOS may cause obesity, and women suffering from it are generally overweight.
- Baldness is rising on your scalp. You may get hair loss in the centre of the scalp. Hair gets thinner and falls out. Dark patches of skin are visible on the neck, in the groin, and under the breast region.
- The changes in hormonal levels lead to headaches in many women. Severe to manageable headaches are expected in women suffering from PCOS.
How does PCOS affect life?
PCOS causes a hormonal imbalance that affects women between the ages of 15 and 44 years. These are the childbearing years for a woman. 2.2 % to 26.7% of women in the age group suffer from PCOS.
There are up to 70% of women who have not been diagnosed, as per the studies. Many of you must have PCOS but don’t know about it.
PCOS affects the ovaries of a woman, which is responsible for the production of hormones like progesterone and estrogen. These hormones are responsible for the regulation of the menstrual cycle. Ovaries, along with these hormones, produce androgens, male hormones in small amounts.
PCOS leads to the formation of cysts in the ovaries. This makes the ovaries incapable of producing eggs for ovulation every month. PCOS is a syndrome or group of symptoms that includes irregular periods and fluid-filled sacs in the ovaries. The growth of male hormones is found in the body.
In Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, PCOS leads to a lack of ovulation. It leads to a reduction in progesterone, estrogen, Follicle stimulating hormone FSH and
Luteinizing hormone LH.
These sacs are follicles, each one containing an immature egg. The immature eggs don’t lead to ovulation.
The absence of ovulation leads to a decrease in levels of estrogen, progesterone, FSH, and LH. The level of female hormones decreases, and there is an increase in male hormone androgen. Male hormones impact the menstrual cycle of a woman.
How can you tell if you have PCOS? Effects of PCOS
PCOS has some effects on your body, which help you detect the problem. Higher androgen levels than normal lead to infertility and other health issues.
- Infertility helps you detect PCOS in the body. You don’t ovulate regularly, and your body doesn’t produce eggs for fertilization.
- PCOS leads to an increase in body weight and obesity. This creates several other health risks, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, heart disease, stroke, and sleep apnea.
- Sleep apnea is very common during PCOS. This is caused by overweight women having PCOS. The risk of sleep is higher in obese women having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
- Endometrial cancer is common in this condition. Ovulation causes the shedding of the uterine lining. If you don’t ovulate every month, then the lining gets thick. This thickened uterine lining increases the risk of endometrial cancer.
- PCOS causes depression in women. The changes in hormones and other symptoms that lead to excessive hair growth affect the emotional health of women. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS leads to depression and also causes anxiety.
Diagnosis of PCOS
PCOS can generally be diagnosed by including certain lifestyle changes. The medical procedure is also there. The doctor makes the diagnosis of PCOS based on the common symptoms.
- A pelvic exam is done to detect the problems associated with the ovaries and the reproductive tract. A doctor inserts his gloved fingers inside your vagina. This test is done to detect any kind of growth in your uterus or ovaries.
- Blood tests are carried out when the male hormones are higher in a female’s body than required.
- Other blood tests like cholesterol, insulin, and triglyceride levels are done. These tests are done to analyse related health conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
How can diet and lifestyle changes help in treating PCOS?
Diet and lifestyle changes play a major role in treating PCOS. The treatment of PCOS mostly includes weight loss, regular physical exercise, and a healthy diet. Losing just 5 to 10 per cent of your body weight helps in improving PCOS symptoms and also regulates your menstrual cycle.
Losing extra body weight also has several other benefits:
- It improves cholesterol levels
- Lower insulin levels
- Reduce the risk of heart-related diseases.
- Helps in lowering the diabetes risk.
- Improves overall health.
Following any kind of diet helps in reducing the symptoms of PCOS. But some specific things need to be taken care of in your diet in case you are aiming to treat diabetes.
Studies have found that PCOS diets have low carbohydrate in them. This helps in lowering insulin levels.
You need a low glycemic index ( low GI) diet. It mostly contains fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The carbohydrates are obtained from these foods only. This diet is very helpful in improving the menstrual cycle and bringing it back on track. You must follow the low GI diet rather than a regular weight loss diet for treating PCOS.
Having a 30-minute moderate to intense workout daily is required. It helps in reducing weight as well as improves ovulation and insulin levels. Carry out certain Yogas and stretching exercises that involve your pelvic region of the body.
Exercise, when combined with a healthy diet, helps in treating PCOS faster. Diet, along with exercise, will help you lose weight faster. It also reduces the risk of getting diabetes and other heart-related diseases.
You can also do acupuncture, as it helps in treating PCOS. No such research has been done, but it is believed that acupuncture helps a lot with PCOS.
PCOS isn’t a specific disease but a problem created because of a hormonal imbalance. This condition is generally due to an unhealthy lifestyle and a lack of physical exercise. By adopting a healthy lifestyle and diet, you can combat the risk of PCOS.