PCOS Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a condition in which there is an imbalance of the hormones in a woman. This is a common condition found in women and the symptoms can start showing from as early as in the teens. Normally the hormones in the body trigger many processes by signaling other hormones or by releasing chemicals. If there is a disruption in their balance, PCOS can occur in the body.

If the sex hormones get imbalanced and the amount of androgen hormone increases in the female body, you may stop ovulating and get excessive facial and body hair. There are many symptoms which can be seen as a sign of presence of polycystic ovary syndrome. The symptoms differ from person to person in number and in intensity. Some of the symptoms of PCOS are irregular periods, excessive body hair, weight gain, thinning of hair on scalp, depression and infertility. Women, who have PCOS, tend to have few periods or no periods while some may experience very heavy bleeding. In this condition, most of the women grow cysts on the ovaries which is why the name polycystic ovary syndrome is given. These cysts lead to hormonal imbalances in the body.

Causes - The main cause of PCOS occurrence is the changes in the levels of the hormones present in the body. There can be many reasons which cause these changes. Some of the causes are as follows:

1. High androgen levels: Androgen is present in small quantity in the female body. If this increases it causes extra hair growth on the body and face in the females. It can also lead to problems like acne and stopping of ovulation.

2. Imbalance of Ovary hormone: Hormones trigger the process of ovulation and when the level of those hormones gets disturbed, ovulation does not take place. The ovary is not able to release an egg for fertilization.

3. High levels of blood sugar and insulin: When the body does not use the insulin properly, there is an increase in the levels of the blood sugar which can even lead to diabetes.

4. Heredity: Chances are that if a close relative of yours has PCOS, even you will have it.

5. Inflammation: Certain foods trigger inflammation and research shows that women who have PCOS have low grade inflammation.

Treatment - There is no specific treatment for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome but one can help prevent the condition and control it. Some of the ways to treat PCOS are as below:

1. Weight Loss: Obesity can cause imbalance of the hormones in the body. Losing weight helps to get back the balance and regularize the process of ovulation and menstruation. Follow a healthy and nutritious diet to achieve this result.

2. Exercise: Regular exercise is required to keep the body fit and healthy. It maintains the levels of the hormones and aids in weight loss too.

3. Quit Smoking: If you smoke, quit it right away. Women who smoke are shown to have higher levels of androgens than women who do not smoke. Smoking also leads to other health problems.

4. Hormonal Therapy: Hormonal therapy helps in controlling the ovary hormones. It can reduce some of the symptoms like excessive hair and acne. Patches, vaginal rings and birth control pills are used in this therapy.

Along with these treatments for polycystic ovary syndrome maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent the condition.