A natural approach to treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Did you know that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects as many as 1 in 10 women in the UK? And only half of these will have symptoms. It is most prevalent in women aged 15 to 30.
What is PCOS, and what are its symptoms?
It is a hormonal disorder which affects the reproductive system as well as the general health of the patient. It can cause a lot of anxiety. Its major features are:
Irregular periods as the ovaries are not regularly releasing eggs
Excess androgen, a ‘male’ hormone, which can cause excess body or facial hair
Polycystic ovaries - a large number of harmless fluid-filled follicles; although harmless in themselves, they can cause ovulation to fail.
Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) usually become apparent in a woman’s late teens or early 20s. They can include:
irregular or absent periods
difficulty getting pregnant due to ovulation issues
excess hair growth (known as hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
weight gain
thinning hair and/or hair loss from the head
oily skin or acne
PCOS is also associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.
In addition, a diagnosis of PCOS can be distressing and may lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
What causes polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but it often runs in families. There is an increased risk of almost 50% if a family member such as mother, sister or aunt has PCOS.
It is related to abnormal hormone levels in the body.
Many women with PCOS are resistant to the action of insulin (the hormone that controls sugar levels in the body) and produce higher levels of insulin to overcome this. This contributes to the increased production and activity of hormones like testosterone.
Stress can also contribute to hormonal imbalance, so it is important to keep stress levels low: mindfulness, meditation, yoga, walking in nature and generally just chilling and doing things we enjoy can be really beneficial in maintaining our stress balance.
How can polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) be treated?
There is no conventional cure for PCOS. Your doctor will treat each symptom separately to ease discomfort. Separate medicines are offered to treat symptoms such as excessive hair growth, irregular periods and fertility problems.
If these fertility medicines are not effective, a simple surgical procedure called laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) may be recommended.
Although many women do use conventional medicine to treat their PCOS, in some cases the side effects may be too harsh or they may wish to look deeper into the cause of their illness and so they seek alternative options such as Homeopathy.
So what is a natural approach?
One approach that allows us to look at of all the symptoms, with no side effects, is homeopathy. It’s safe and non-addictive and can also be taken alongside conventional
medicines if needed.
Homeopathic medicine treats the patient, not the disease. Every case is different because no two people are the same.
If you visit a homeopath, in the consultation you will discuss all your symptoms, including your mental and emotional state, lifestyle factors, family history and personal characteristics. Homeopaths need to know as much as possible about each patient in order to pinpoint the right remedy - different for every patient as your symptoms are unique. We get to understand the underlying cause of the PCOS, the ‘root cause’ as we look at all the factors that led to these symptoms developing. Then a carefully selected remedy will be prescribed to address the cause of your PCOS as well as support your overall health.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet are, of course, also important and will be discussed during the consultation.
Would you like to find out more?
If you are suffering with PCOS and you would like to discover more about how homeopathy can help you with your physical symptoms, or even emotional, energetic or mental imbalance, book a free discovery call at my website www.tanablum.com, or contact me at homeopathy@tanablum.com or 07920 518678.
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