Chinese medicine takes a holistic approach to PCOS

Losing weight is a never-ending struggle for a lot of people. The pounds just won’t come off no matter how hard they try. All the endless hours in the gym and dieting leave them hungry, fatigued, and infinitely frustrated due to lack of progress. For some, it might be due to a hormonal condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS, for short. This disorder makes it all but impossible to lose weight and can lead to many possible symptoms. Treatment options are available from both Western and Eastern medicine. Eastern treatments rely on herbal therapy and acupuncture while Western treatments involve various forms of hormone therapy.

PCOS sufferers develop many cysts on their ovaries, hence the name of the condition. Other symptoms and signs include obesity, weight gain (typically, in the abdomen), irregular periods, acne, thinning hair on the scalp, and excessive hair growth on the face. PCOS sufferers who exercise really hard would find that no matter how much they exercise, the weight in the belly would just never go away which can really be frustrating. They typically will miss a period completely or have delayed cycles when their period comes; and when it comes, it is usually quite painful. This cycle disruption makes it also very hard for them to get pregnant. PCOS is, in fact, one of the top causes of female infertility although many women are not even aware they have it. A lot of the symptoms can be linked to a high level of testosterone, which PCOS sufferers have. Chinese Medicine can help them by restoring ovulation, regulating their natural cycle, and balance their body

Eastern Medicine takes a holistic approach to PCOS while Western medicine looks at it in a linear way. This means that when you have a specific illness, in Eastern medicine this doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get the same treatment as another patient with the same problem. Practitioners of Eastern medicine treat not just treat the symptoms but the underlying root of the problem as well. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, PCOS can be determined through three different diagnoses. People with PCOS may suffer from a combination of two or all three syndromes or just one syndrome. The most common diagnosis is a combination of all three syndromes. These three diagnoses/syndromes are Blood and/or Qi Stagnation, Deficiency in Kidney Yang, and Damp and/or Phlegm Accumulation. If all three are present, one syndrome usually predominates, although all three should be addressed. Along with Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture treatments to tonify Kidney Yang, move Qi and Blood, and clear damp and phlegm are used. Research reveals that electro-acupuncture therapies are the most effective treatments for PCOS. The mild electrical pulses can help reduce testosterone levels in the body.

PCOS suffers should take their condition very seriously. It can lead to even more serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes aside from the obvious physical signs. A plan of treatment that includes a regular exercise routine, Chinese herbal medicine, and acupuncture can help you maintain healthy hormone levels and avoid hormone therapy.