PCOS: What Is PCOS? Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & More

1. PCOS: What Is PCOS? Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & More

2. What is PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome, more commonly known as PCOS, is a hormonal condition that is increasingly finding mention in women health journals and lifestyle magazines. You must have already read statistics such as one-in-every-ten or nearly 11% have PCOS today. 

3. A Brief History of PCOS PCOS isn’t a new condition. Its symptoms were first described and documented by the Italian physician Antonio Vallisneri in 1721. 

4. Causes of PCOS • High levels of androgens . Called male hormones, androgens such as testosterone help regulate the function of many vital organs, including the reproductive tract, bone, kidneys, liver and muscle. • High levels of insulin Several women with PCOS have been diagnosed with insulin resistance, which is a condition where the body’s cells fail to respond normally to insulin causing complications such as Type-2 Diabetes.

5. Diagnosis of PCOS In 1935, Stein and Leventhal described PCOS as a condition found in several women displaying the common symptoms of menstrual disturbances, hirsutism and enlarged ovaries with many small follicles. As time progressed newer technologies such as ultrasound imaging arrived and allowed for the easy detection of ovarian cysts. While this provided for a breakthrough moment in the diagnosis of PCOS it also had an unexpected fallback. Several women who had cysts caused due to other conditions were now diagnosed with PCOS, despite not having any other symptoms (such as high levels of androgens or elevated growth of body hair). In many country, especially Asian and African ones, this trend still persists.

6. Continue.. However, there is no single test to diagnose PCOS. Thus, to rule out other conditions and conclusively arrive at a diagnosis of PCOS, your doctor may conduct various physical examinations and medical tests. These would likely include:  • A physical exam • A pelvic exam • A pelvic ultrasound or sonogram • Blood tests which could be used to check levels of male hormones

7. Common Symptoms of PCOS • Irregular periods due to interruptions in the process of ovulation.  • Heavy bleeding due to the building up of the uterine lining.  • Elevated hair growth, a phenomenon called hirsutism, due to which women experience the growth of hair on their back, belly, chest and face.  • Male hormones cause the eruption of acne, oily skin and breakouts of pimples on the face, chest and upper back.  • Darkening of the skin and dark patches on the neck, groin area and under the breasts. • Weight gain due to changes in insulin levels in the body  • Male pattern baldness. • Headaches and, in some cases, even migraines.

8. Complications caused by PCOS • Infertility • Sleep apnea • Metabolic issues • Endometrial cancer • Mental illness

9. PCOS Diet and Treatment • Unfortunately, despite active research, no comprehensive treatment to cure PCOS has been found yet. Your doctor would normally recommend lifestyle changes such as weight loss through exercise and changes in diet. According to some studies, using just 5% of your body weight can help regulate your menstrual cycle, improve cholesterol levels and reduce risks of diabetes and heart disease.  • Various studies recommend low-carb diets as effective means to lower insulin levels and trigger weight loss, especially when the latter seems sluggish. Diets that are low in glycemic acid and high in iron have been found to work better than commercial weight-loss diets. Meanwhile, even 30-min of moderate intensity exercise can help regulate ovulation and push sluggish fat from problem areas. 

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