Poly Cystic Ovarian Disease or Syndrome (PCOD / PCOS)

Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD), also known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a very common condition affecting women during childbearing age(12 to 45). A study on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) to observe the trends in PCOS cases in young women in India has revealed, that today one in five women suffer from PCOS problem and East India leads the chart with 1 in 4 women suffering from PCOS.Poly means many and cysts are nothing but small fluid-filled sacs. So PCOD is a condition characterized by the presence of multiple cysts in the ovary along with a major imbalance in sex hormones. It leads to suppressed or irregular menses, scanty menses, weight gain, acne, body hair and has many psychological repercussions too.

PCOS – Understand your disease

Ovaries are the part of female genital organ presents both sides of uterus in lower abdomen.

There are two major functions of ovaries. First, it provides shelter to the egg, gets them mature and second as a gland it produces sex hormones which help the egg to be mature in every menstrual cycle.

At the time of birth, each ovary is packed with a lifetime reserve of eggs in the form of primordial follicle.

One of these follicles gets mature and release an egg in the uterus for fertilisation with sperm. If fertilisation occurs it results in pregnancy, if fertilization does not occur there is shedding of uterus lining results in menstruation..

All this process happens under the influence of hormones which gives signals for every event. These hormones released from brain i.e. first from hypothalamus, which gives signals to the pituitary gland and the hormones released from pituitary gland (LH, FSH) gives a signal to the ovary to produce sex hormones (estrogens and progesterone).

FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) helps primary follicle to be mature and LH (luteinizing hormone) helps egg to release from the ovary.

After getting signal from F.S.H and L.H ovaries secret estrogen and progesterone (female hormones) which are necessary for normal functioning of uterus and ovaries.

All normal ovaries also make a little bit of the androgen testosterone, a male sex hormone.

Causes  of PCOs

Although no known causes have been found for the disease but some factors are seems to be linked or found to be associated with the disease. These are:-

Genes or Family history

Studies show that PCOS runs in families. Immediate relative like mother or sister with PCOS have 50% more chance of having the disease. Women with family history of type 2 diabetes also have high risk.

Insulin resistance & lifestyle

Insulin resistance means that cells of the body are showing insufficiency in using insulin.

Insulin is the hormone secreted by pancreas and responsible to convert sugar from the blood into energy. When cells are unable to use this insulin, sugar levels in the blood raise and in response pancreas is forced to secret more insulin.

These high levels can increase the production of sex hormones such as testosterone, in the ovaries. This contributes to excessive hair growth and acne, and can contribute to symptoms such as irregular periods, difficulty in ovulating, excess hair growth and acne.

Insulin resistance is present in up to 80 per cent of women with PCOS and this can contribute to an increased  risk of developing type- 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Insulin resistance is caused in part by lifestyle factors including being overweight because of a diet or physical inactivity. While women without PCOS who are overweight can have this form of insulin resistance, women with PCOS are more likely to have a particular form of insulin resistance caused by genetic factors separate from the insulin resistance associated with being overweight.

This means women with PCOS can have:

• Insulin resistance as a result of genetic factors
• Insulin resistance as a result of being overweight (related to diet and inactivity)
• A combination of both of these factors

Conventional Treatment for PCOS

If you are diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), treatment will depend upon your goals. Some patients are primarily concerned with fertility, while others are more concerned about menstrual cycle regulation, excess hair growth (hirsutism), and/or acne. Regardless of your primary goal, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) should be treated because of the long-term health risks it poses.

 Treating Excess Hair,  Hirsutism

• Hair removal treatments include electrolysis, laser treatment, hair removal creams, waxing and shaving. These treatments are only temporary and therefore need repeating at regular intervals. Laser treatment and electrolysis are not available on the NHS, and are quite expensive, however the results may last longer than with other methods.
• A cream can be prescribed which is rubbed onto affected areas. This cream is known as eflornithine, and there is some evidence to suggest it works on the area to stop unwanted hair growth. However, if treatment is stopped, the hair will grow back.
• Certain tablets can also help affect hair growth. These drugs work against testosterone, either by decreasing how much the body produces, or lessening the effect of testosterone in the body. The most common drugs used are:

Treating Acne

• The treatment for acne is the same irrespective of the cause. Treatments for acne include antibiotic creams and facial washes, or antibiotic tablets. More severe acne may be treated by a skin specialist.
• One of the common treatments for acne is the combined contraceptive pill. Because this treatment can also help relieve some of the other symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, it is quite a common treatment option for people with the condition.

Treating Irregular or Absent Periods

There is a possible increased risk of cancer of the womb if you have no periods for an extended period of time. Therefore, some women take the contraceptive pill because it causes regular bleeds. An alternative option is to take another hormone, known as progesterone, each month.

Treating Fertility Problems

Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause a person to have difficulties conceiving. There are a range of treatment options to help with infertility. Treatments include:

• This is a drug which has a mild stimulating effect on the ovaries. It is taken as a tablet for five days each month.
• This hormone stimulates the follicles in the ovary to fully develop. It is given as a daily injection.

Treating Insulin Resistance

A drug called metformin is commonly used as a treatment for people who suffer from type 2 diabetes. This drug acts by increasing how sensitive the body is to insulin. The body then requires less insulin, and so this drug can lead to a decrease in the levels of insulin in the body. As detailed earlier, it is thought that high levels of insulin in the body may well contribute to the symptoms and problems associated with polycystic ovary syndrome. In some cases of the condition, metformin is prescribed to help treat the underlying problem causing polycystic ovary syndrome. There are other newer drugs on the market that have the same effect on the body as metformin, and may also be prescribed for people with polycystic ovary syndrome. These drugs are known as insulin-sensitising drugs; however the evidence for their role in treating polycystic ovary syndrome still needs a lot more research.

PCOS and surgical treatment

A surgical procedure, known as wedge resection of the ovaries, where a portion of the ovary is removed to decrease the amount of androgens produced by a Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) ovary.

Side Effects of PCOD conventional Treatment

Hormone Pills and Insulin Sensitizing Agents are the Most Popular FDA Approved Treatments of PCOS. However, they do nothing to address the root cause of your problem and only offer symptomatic relief.

Some of the more common side effects associated with hormonal contraceptive medication include:

• mood changes
• weight gain or loss
• bloating
• breast tenderness
• irregular bleeding

The oral contraceptive pill should not be used if you have high blood pressure, are a smoker, or have had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the past.

There is some recent evidence to suggest hormonal contraception may increase insulin resistance, abnormal glucose tolerance (a sign of early diabetes) and cholesterol levels (triglycerides)

Cream or ointments prescribed for acne and facial hair growth which is rubbed onto affected areas, and there is some evidence that if treatment is stopped, the hair and acne will grow back.

You every complaint is treated in isolation weather the acne, hair fall, irregular periods etc. and as you stop the treatment symptoms will return back.

Homeopathic treatment is a natural form of medicine based on the principle of symptom similarity. Homeopathic remedies are derived from natural sources and are diluted and potentized to make them safe. Homeopathic literature says that when a remedy, which covers your symptoms very well, is administered, it is able to affect a cure rapidly and gently, even of long standing and inveterate cases.

Homeopathy medicine treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc.

In homeopathy when PCOS is treated, the goal of treatment is to treat the patient holistically i.e. all the symptom of PCOS improves simultaneously weather it may be menstrual irregularity, hirsutism, obesity, depression or any other associated complaint. It’s not like the conventional treatment where you have to take different different therapies and treatment for each of your symptom.

Homeopathic constitutional treatment will help balance hyperactivity of the glands, regulate hormonal balance, dissolve the cysts in the ovaries and force them to resume normal functioning. Hence, Homeopathic medicines can restore hormonal balance, normal ovulation, menstrual cycles, and also eliminate the need for hormone therapies and surgery. This can significantly increase the chances of conception. The different expressions of this disease can be managed effectively, safely and gently with Homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathy has wonderful medicines for PCOS which improves your health without any side effects. The top medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy. None of these medicines should be taken without professional advice.

Following homeopathy medicines are frequently indicated in PCOS cases. Please consult your trusted homeopathic doctor in person to find the suitable remedy for your case. The best homeopathic medicine that may help you can be outside this remedy group also.

Pulsatilla

• One of the main remedies for PCOS where menses are scanty and of short duration.
• PCOS in those who suffer from suppressed periods for a long duration.
• Periods when they appear remain very scanty and extremely painful.
• For young girls at puberty who suffer from PCOS with irregular periods.
• Patient has low thirst for water.
• Difficulty digesting fatty foods
• All complaints somehow relives when patient goes in open air or outside.
• Very mild and emotional person with weeping disposition.

Lachesis

• PCOS with primary symptoms of heavy periods or no periods at all.
• PCOS with cystic growths more pronounced in the left-side ovary.
• Menstrual discharge is dark and clotted..
• Patient is irritable, depressed due to suppression of menses and feels better as menses begins.
• Feels less thirst, has offensive sweating.

Calcarea Carbonica

• PCOS with profuse periods that are prolonged, early and duration lasts for more and usual duration.
• Easy weight gain and obesity are very common for this remedy.
• Excessive sweating on the head palm and soles.
• Extreme sensitivity to cold air.
• Craving in eating habits like a desire for sweets and boiled eggs and in a few cases, strange things like chalk and lime.
• Timid, low confidence, having fear of strangers.

Kali Carbonica

• PCOS where the menses are suppressed altogether for several months.
• Backache is associated with majority of symptoms.
• Very anxious and sensitive
• Anxiety especially for her family members.

Thuja Occidentalis

• Remedy used to treat many kinds of tumours.
• Patient may have warts or history of warts.
• Excessive hair growth on unusual parts including anywhere on the body, face, arms or legs.
• Retarded menstrual flow with multiple cysts in ovaries.
• Dissolves abnormal growth or accumulation anywhere in the body and can dissolve PCOS cysts.
• May have history of any kind of sexual infection.
• Patient’s sweat is offensive and stains yellow to the cloths.
• PCOS with cystic growths more pronounced in the left-side ovary.
  

Lycopodium

• PCOS primarily on the right ovary
• Hair fall and hair thinning.
• There is also bloating and constipation.
• Nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and insomnia

Natrum muriaticum

• Irregularity in menses after any grief or disappointment.
• Menses profuse.
• Difficulty in conception due to PCOS.
• Also have facial acnes or skin blemishes.
• May have chronic tendency of headaches.
• Aversion to heat of sun.
• Craving for extra salt in the diet.
• Reserved nature; has weeping spells especially when alone and often worsening of symptoms when sympathy is offered.

Sepia

• Chief remedy for most of female complaints.
• PCOS with abnormal hair growth on the face, especially on upper lips.
• Late and scanty menses or may be profuse and early.
• Ovaries remain enlarged with fluid-filled cysts in them.
• Used to treat infertility cases due to PCOS.
• Mental irritability and indifferent behaviour towards family.
• Vaginal dryness, vaginal tension or yeast infections.
• Severe backache

Ferrum metallicum

• This is another useful remedy for delayed first menses where there is debility, languor, palpitation, sickly complexion and puffiness about the ankles.
• It corresponds to weakly, chlorotic women with flushed face, or pale and livid with blue margins about the eyes.
• It is especially useful in those who have been dosed with quinine and nervines.

Graphites.

• Here, when the menses are suppressed, delayed or scanty, and accompanied with obstinate constipation.
• Frequent paroxysms of headache
• Nervous women subject to rheumatism or arthritic attacks
• With aggravation of mental symptoms when the menses should appear.