PCOS: A Misunderstood Condition Which Affects Many Women

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) is a common hormonal disorder found in females of the childbearing age.  Statistics report that, usually, one out of ten females happens to suffer from this condition. In this ailment, more than 12 follicles are produced in the ovary every month, but they all are immature. So, ultimately, no ovum is released, and, resultantly, the ovaries start producing high levels of testosterone (male sexual hormone) which leads to hormonal imbalance. This syndrome is so prevalent that the common occurrence of this condition itself gives a reason for it to be misunderstood not only by the lay people but also by some physicians. There are many females who approach me with this query, “Doc, I have put on a few kilos of weight in the last one month, am I suffering from PCOD?” I pacify them and tell them the fact that, “You are one out of those females in whom PCOS first starts in the brain rather than the ovaries”. Worrying about PCOD is common since the disease has been discussed widely. But, one should not misunderstand any symptom to be one of the manifestations of PCOD cropping up in their body.

PCOS is caused as a result of disruption in the normal hormonal cycle. It manifests symptoms, such as unusual weight gain, acne (pimples), hair fall, facial hair, irregular menses, and hyperpigmentation (blackish discoloration of the skin), which are likely to be present in some other disorders too. These symptoms might just mimic PCOS; but, after a thorough investigation, it may turn out to be some other conditions like an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), iron deficiencies, acanthosis nigricans, insulin resistance so on and so forth. One should not panic until and unless the condition is well-investigated and the underlying cause is evaluated. An in-depth understanding is required to clear this misunderstanding about this common condition.

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Debunking Myths About PCOS:   

1. Get Screened For PCOD Once You Enter Your Teenage:

Your physician may tell you to do this, or your motherly love might make you take your daughter to the clinic after a considerable amount of Googling on the internet. Wait, stop, and think. As I mentioned earlier in this blog, if you think so, PCOD has already started in your brain and not in your ovaries. Off course, you might feel that ‘Prevention is always better than cure.’, but, in this case, it would be an obsession. Why expose yourself to unnecessary radiation, and go through the stress of various tests when you do not have a single mild evidence of it in your body! It is all in your mind, and there are other more important things you need to focus on. So, I hereby say that every girl entering her teenage need not get screened for PCOS and take the undue stress.

2. PCOS Can Happen To Women In Their 30s:

This is again a misconception, as PCOS can occur to any female between 14 to 40 years of age.

3. Women With PCOS Cannot Have Children:

This is the biggest myth, and it sounds so unpleasant to me. The fact is that some women may have fertility issues due to irregularity in their periods, but these issues can be definitely tackled through a well-selected PCOD treatment. Homeopathic treatment is one of the safest treatments to heal PCOD from the root. Homeopathic medicines address the imbalanced hormonal axis. They help in regulating the ovulatory cycles, thereby helping to regularize the periods making fertility possible.

4. The ‘Pill’ Cures PCOS:

It is so easy to think this way, ‘Just pop that pill and get rid of PCOS’. I wish this could have been true. Unfortunately, this is the most common and convenient myth which females have. The hormonal or oral contraceptive pills which are usually prescribed in the conventional mode of treatment are nothing but artificial hormones given from outside to regularize the periods. Females enjoy a normal menstrual cycle every month, but the syndrome continues unhindered at the background. After a few days of stopping these pills, the hormones again go haywire thereby again disrupting the menstrual cycle. They are temporary period regularizing solutions, and they do not cure PCOS.

5. PCOS Can Be Diagnosed Only If Cysts Are Present In The Ovary:

You might be surprised after knowing the fact that cysts need not always be present in the ovaries of females suffering from PCOS. Having cysts in the ovaries is not the only diagnostic criteria. There are females who have a normal sonography report yet have all the symptoms of PCOS.

6. You Got To Have Irregular Menses If You Are Suffering From PCOS:

Majority of females with PCOS usually complain of irregular menstrual cycles. But, some females may also have regular menses yet have a symptomatology of PCOS. It is not always necessary to have irregular periods in this syndrome. Many women fail to menstruate as they have anovulatory cycles (they fail to ovulate).

7. PCOS Cannot Be Cured:

This is another myth which has been significantly discussed amongst the females. This is an assumption, which needs to be cleared off from your mind. Early detection with prompt treatment can help reverse PCOS, thereby reducing the duration of treatment. Along with the medicines, a few dietary and lifestyle modifications will make a dramatic difference in healing you from this ailment.

These are the myths about PCOS, which have been commonly believed, so it’s important to make people learn the truth and debunk these myths. Though PCOS is one syndrome, now you might understand that it can also present itself with vague symptoms. At times, the link between the symptoms a patient comes up with may seem unrelated, but that is how it is. It needs a keen eye and thoughtful mind in order to evaluate this syndrome and confirm the constellation of symptoms.

If anyone reading this blog is suffering from PCOS and find this information useful, do feel free to talk to our doctors at Life Force Homeopathy. You can also write your queries to us at info@lifeforce.in or contact us on 022- 66888888.

– Written by Dr. Kanchan, Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah

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