Acupuncture for PCOS…Can It Help?
What is PCOS
PCOS stands for polycystic ovary syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, PCOS is a hormonal disorder among women in reproductive age, characterized by hyperandrogenism (excess of male hormones), anovulation (in which the egg does not release), and polycystic ovaries (enlarge ovaries with excess follicles).
Some of the signs and symptoms you might notice are:
irregular periods or abnormally heavy periods
excess male hormones that can manifest as hirsutism (excess facial or body hair), acne or male-pattern baldness
enlarged ovaries with excess follicles (imaging would show this)
What causes PCOS
There is no specific drug approved for the treatment of PCOS and the cause is unknown, though there are some factors that can contribute to it. For example, obesity can worsen the symptoms. Higher insulin levels, low grade inflammation and genetics can also contribute to the development of PCOS. In addition, PCOS complications can include infertility, miscarriage, excess uterine bleeding, depression.
While obesity is often associated with PCOS, some believe there is another group of women getting PCOS that are not obese. Rather, what they share in common is long-term use of birth control. While this is a highly controversial topic, a study publish in Scientific Reports in July of 2019 suggests that while birth control can help manage some symptoms of PCOS, it can also contribute to the worsening of disease.
“Our study suggests that OPC [oral contraceptive pills] as a mode of treatment has indicated efficacy in terms of regularizing menstrual cycles and improving hyperandrogenism thus reducing clinical symptoms like hirsutism, alopecia and acne, but at the same time use of OCPs does contribute to the worsening of disease process.”
Tell me more about PCOS
While the treatment options are limited, acupuncture has shown promising benefits for women with PCOS. In a recent meta analysis published this month which included 25 randomized control trials, acupuncture and moxibustion (which burns an herb on the needle top or on acupuncture points) can help increase pregnancy and ovulation rated in people with PCOS. In addition, the study suggested acupuncture and moxibustion improved hormones which triggers ovulation and the development of follicles, insulin levels and body mass index. The treatments were administered for at least three months to see the effects.
“Among patients with PCOS, using acupuncture combined with moxibustion as a complementary therapy to basic treatments can improve pregnancy, ovulation, and miscarriage rates, the levels some sex hormones, and metabolic indicators, with good safety. ”
In light of studies like this, acupuncture is on its way to becoming a highly regarded and recommended treatment option for women with PCOS because of its benefits, safety and little side effects. Acupuncture has a strong yet natural regulating effect on the endocrine system and specifically the HPOA axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian-adrenal) that is so paramount in the regulation of hormones in the body. In Chinese Medicine this can be viewed as the relationship between the Heart and Kidney and what is known as the microcosmic orbit.
If you’re interested in how acupuncture can help with your symptoms of PCOS or with fertility troubles, please feel free to reach out. Also check out the next post on PCOS and how it is viewed in Chinese Medicine here.