Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is indicated by many small cysts in the ovaries. Health care professionals may also call it polycystic ovary disease, polycystic ovaries, Stein-Leventhal syndrome, or polyfollicular ovarian disease. PCOS is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS may also cause unwanted changes in the way you look. PCOS affects about 5 percent to 10 percent of women of childbearing age and occurs among all races and nationalities. It is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age and is a leading cause of infertility. It is estimated that as many as 30% of women have some characteristics of the syndrome.

The most common symptoms are:

• Acne.

• Weight gain and trouble losing weight.

• Extra hair on the face and body. Often women get thicker and darker facial hair and more hair on the chest, belly, and back.

• Thinning hair on the scalp.

• Irregular periods. Often women with PCOS have fewer than nine periods a year. Some women have no periods. Others have very heavy bleeding.

• Infertility.

• Depression.

Regular exercise, healthy foods, and weight control are key treatments for PCOS. Losing weight through a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise can sometimes bring your hormone levels back to normal and cause many of the symptoms to disappear or become less severe. Weight loss can reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It can reduce your risk of diabetes by reducing blood sugar levels and regulating insulin levels. It can also stimulate ovulation and improve fertility rates.

Several types of western medications are used to restore hormone balance. Birth control pills may reduce androgen levels, regulate your menstrual cycle, and clear up acne and excess facial hair. Medicines that lower androgens (antiandrogens) may also be used to further reduce symptoms such as hair loss and skin problems. A diabetes medication is used to control blood sugar and insulin levels. This lowers your risk for diabetes and heart disease and may help restore regular menstrual cycles and fertility.

Traditional Chinese medicine has been practiced consistently for thousand years in the Orient. However, only in the past decades have acupuncture and Chinese herbs been recognized in the United States. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs help to stimulate the production of hormones and normalize the menstrual cycle by correcting the underlying causes and avoiding disruptions. When traditional Chinese medicine is applied on a PCOS woman, it helps:

• To restore the reproductive energy system to normalize hormone production.

• To remove constriction or obstruction of blood circulation in your pelvic organs.

• To improve the blood supply to continue a regular menstruation cycle, encourage the eggs to be invigorated for getting a healthy pregnancy.

• To soothe the sensitive nervous system for relaxation, reduce stress and influence healthy ovulation.

• To dissolve the waxy and thick coating that can be found on the ovary surface to regulate the functioning and improve the egg quality.

• To improve your overall health as a means to achieve better emotional balance, well being, improved sleep, and enhanced energy.

Traditional Chinese medicine provides a safe, effective and natural approach, strengthens and balances all systems of the body, and assists our own internal energies to restore endocrine harmony encouraging conception and a healthy pregnancy.