What is PCOS?
Of the many health issues plaguing women, PCOS is the most undiagnosed and the most common. Around 70% of women who have PCOS are not diagnosed, and that is largely owing to the lack of knowledge and awareness about the syndrome. Not only is it important to know what PCOS is, but to identify early symptoms and have insight on the particulars of PCOS treatment should be essential in young women’s education about their own bodies.
Even though much research has been undertaken into the syndrome, it is a very unpredictable one and manifests in unique ways across different demographics of women. One of the complications in treating and identifying PCOS is that we do not as yet know its cause, nor does the syndrome have a cure. However, endocrinologists and gynecologists can assist you in identifying if you have the syndrome and then managing the symptoms as well.
The most common indicators of PCOS are irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism (excessive hair growth), insulin resistance, trouble losing weight and infertility. In this guide, we cover what PCOS is, how to identify it, and the common treatments available to you.
The Particulars
PCOS is best characterised as a metabolic disorder, where there is an overproduction of male sex hormones in the female body. An unfertilized egg that gets ejected from the body after ovulation via the menstrual cycle remains in your system, causing cysts in your ovaries filled with liquid. Some may have these cysts on both ovaries, and some on one. While PCOS does not certainly mean that you can never conceive and must struggle with reproductive issues for the rest of your life, specially not if you start managing the syndrome from an early age, it is a gateway to other serious health conditions. PCOS is classified as a heterogeneous disease, which means every has a different manifestation of it. This is super important to take into consideration – what may have worked for another woman in your family in handling her symptoms might not work for you.
People with PCOS- emphasis here again that it is not curable-at are much higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, cervical and uterine cancer, obesity, high blood pressure and psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Early identification of the disease is essential because most women with PCOS develop type 2 diabetes by the time they are 40. So- what should you look for? Here is a comprehensive list of common as well as uncommon symptoms of PCOS:
- Irregular, delayed and heavy periods (sometimes less than 9 cycles a year)his
- Proclivity to weight gain and obesity owing to a slowed metabolic system
- Inability to lose weight
- High levels of androgens in the body
- Hirsutism-excessive hair growth on face, chest, abdomen, pubis or back
- Acne
- Resistance to insulin
- Chronic fatigue
- Emotional dysregulation
- Acanthosis nigricans (common in patients with diabetes-patches of dark velvety skin on the neck, inner thighs)
- Enlarged ovaries
- Male pattern baldness and hairloss (although much less prevalent)
Causes and Diagnosis
The causes behind PCOS still remain unknown, but researchers speculate that it is a combination of genetics and environment. The choices of a family, including dietary choices, where they are geographically related as well as genetic makeup increase or decrease the proclivity of women having PCOS.
The diagnosis of PCOS is also not a determinate process- it is usually determined by a process of exclusion of other syndromes and ailments. It is not enough to have irregular menstrual cycles to know for certain that PCOS is the cause, since elevations in hormones such as prolactin, or an underactive thyroid might cause hormonal imbalances leading to irregularity in the cycle. Much like pap smears and tests for genital warts treatment, PCOS may also be diagnosed by taking samples from the body, carrying out an ultrasound and then running tests. Painful periods and the lack of a period may be caused by other conditions such as endometriosis, or the consequences of eating disorders and stress. However, a combination of 2 or more main symptoms (among irregular periods, cysts on the ovaries, and clinically-determined excess male hormones) is considered by obstetricians to be a certain prevalence of PCOS.
Treatment
The best course of action to employ once you notice symptoms is never to panic. PCOS, while lifelong and complicated, is not untreatable or unmanageable. A combination of changes in lifestyle along with medication is best employed to manage the syndrome. Birth control, which regulates the overproduction of androgens and prevents the over-thickening of the uterine lining, is a common and accessible course of action. Gynecologists in Dubai recommend letrozole and other ovulation-inducers to ensure the regularity of the cycle for those avoiding contraceptives because they are looking to get pregnant. Lifestyle changes such as exercise, eating an organic, low-calorie diet and aesthetic enhancements such as hair removal and dermatological consultations to reduce acne also manage the outward symptoms of PCOS.
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