PCOS is a common hormonal condition that affects 10 percent of women of reproductive age. PCOS women have higher levels of male hormone androgens, and high levels of insulin, which is a hormone used to control blood sugar.
Patients with PCOS/PCOD come with lot of anxiety and wrong perception and myths. So lets clear some of their doubts from the following
Myth #1: Single symptom indicate you have PCOS
PCOS is a syndrome or a set of symptoms so that a diagnosis cannot suffice by a single sign or symptom. PCOS women will have two of the following three criteria:
- Irregular periods or sometimes scanty bleeding
- Excess hair growth, acne or hair loss are some of the signs due to increased levels of androgens (hormones that give “male” characteristics).
- Ovaries enlarged with lots of small follicles containing immature eggs (known as polycystic ovaries) Which can be seen with ultrasound scan of pelvis
Myth #2: You Can’t Get Pregnant if You Have PCOS
This isn’t true for all cases of PCOS. A number of Ayurveda herbs and therapies can stimulate ovulation, which is a key issue for women with PCOS and infertility.
If you have PCOS and finding it harder to get pregnant, then focus on regular ovulation, Quality of ovum, endometrial lining and balanced hormones. A holistic approach.
Myth #3: All women with PCOS are at risk of ‘metabolic complications’
PCOS is associated with insulin resistance and chances of getting type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome* are high if neglected (*collection of factors such as high blood pressure and poor cholesterol levels).
Some women who do not have excess androgen and are diagnosed due to irregular menstrual cycles and polycystic ovaries may not have metabolic complications or weight gain.
Myth #4: PCOS prevents you to lose weight
There is connection between PCOS and weight gain as they have insulin resistance. Women with PCOS are more to have overweight than women without the condition.
While many women with PCOS report difficulty losing weight and experience greater susceptibility to weight gain, weight management interventions, such as diet and lifestyle change programs, have found that women lose same amount of weight with and without PCOS.
Myth #5: If You Lose Weight, You Can Get Rid of PCOS
Unfortunately, that’s not the only remedy for PCOS, but overweight and obese people may help to regulate their hormone levels by losing weight. Otherwise, therapy is intended to manage symptoms.
A wide range of ayurveda treatment options can help prevent potential problems. Taking Panchakarma Detox not only regularize hormones but also aids in weight loss.
Myth #6: You Did Something to Cause It
When the exact cause of PCOS is unknown, one thing is certain: You are not to blame. However, a variety of factors-including genetics-are generally believed to play a role.
Androgens, or male hormones, are controlling the development of male traits. PCOS women have more androgens than normal, which are able to prevent and make regular menstrual cycles difficult.
A number of women with PCOS have insulin resistance. This is most common in women who are overweight or obese, have poor diet and exercise habits, or have a family history of type 2 diabetes. Women whose mothers and sisters are more likely to be affected by this disease as well.
Myth #7: Women with PCOS don’t need to use contraception
Most of the women with PCOS may have trouble in conceiving naturally and needs medication to help them ovulate when they want to conceive. However many women with PCOS also conceive spontaneously and achieve their desired family size. Since they have irregular menstrual cycles, they cannot predict exact date of ovulation. Certainly it is harder to get pregnant with PCOS, many women still ovulate intermittently and hence it is important to still use contraception”.