Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Treatment in Ayurveda

What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Are you suffering from infrequent, irregular or absence of menstrual cycles for quite some time? If yes, then it might be an indication that you have developed Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a heterogenous disorder with a combination of six major symptoms that a majority of girls face in their reproductive age. It is a condition that elevates the hormone levels in the female body and they tend produce more male hormones than the normal.

In todays times, it is a common health disorder that is found amongst most young girls and women. Although the exact cause of the disease remains unknown, there are multiple factors that contribute towards it. Sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, lack of physical activities, mental and emotional stress, unhealthy environment, pollution etc are just some of the reasons.

PCOS is one of the most common female endocrine disorder affecting a significant percentage of women in their reproductive age say 1 in every 10 women. Every female who is suffering from PCOS have enlargement in ovaries due to development of multiple follicles, that are small collection of fluid which makes it difficult or impossible to regularly release eggs disrupting the ovulation process.

With all this, there is an imbalance in their menstrual cycle and they often skip their period making it difficult for them to get pregnant.

When should you consult a doctor:

If you are suffering from PCOS for a few months, you would notice few changes that can indicate you the need to visit a doctor for treatment. Some of these are menstrual irregularities, men-like hair growth, fertility issues, excessive weight gain etc.

The signs and symptoms of PCOS can be divided into primary and secondary.

Early Signs of PCOS:

Irregular Periods: Menstrual disorder is a common problem for patients with PCOS. It generally produces oligomenorrhea (few menstrual periods) or amenorrhea (no menstrual periods) that further leads to several other complications.
Heavy or irregular bleeding: Some women with PCOS have heavy flow during their menses and also scanty bleeding at times.
Hair Thinning: PCOS patients are mostly affected by alopecia i.e. hair loss or thinning of hair on their scalp.
Hirsutism: The high level of male hormones leads to male pattern of hair growth and women may experience excessive hair growth on their face and body.
Acne: Pimples or acne due to excessive oily skin as a result of hormonal imbalance is also one of the common signs and symptom that you are suffering from PCOS.
Mood Fluctuations: With fluctuating level of hormones, women having PCOS often feel dull and depressed or may experience sudden changes in their mood like irritation or depression.

Gradual Signs of PCOS:

Infertility: Due to irregular or no periods, the ovulation function is largely affected and sometimes it leads to chronic anovulation which means there is no ovulation at all.
Metabolic Syndrome: With PCOS, there is an overall tendency to put on weight and become obese as there are other symptoms associated with insulin resistance. Women with PCOS have a higher level of serum insulin levels.
High Blood Pressure: High BP is another gradual symptom for women with PCOS especially if they are overweight.
Recurrent Miscarriage: Number of factors like being overweight, high insulin levels, delayed ovulation and many other such reasons might be responsible for it.

Can Ayurveda help with PCOS?

Ayurvedic treatment is extremely effective as works very well in balancing the imbalances in hormone, decrease the size and number of cysts, regularise menstrual cycle and improve overall reproductive health. To attain this a number of ayurvedic herbs and therapies are used in combination along with maintaining a balanced diet. This helps to normalise the hormonal imbalance, metabolism which helps for proper ovulation and natural conception.

We, at Sparsh Ayurveda Infertility Clinic, provide the best natural PCOS treatment to help completely resolve the issue and make you free from the side effects. There are number of medicines in Ayurveda that works wonders for treating polycystic ovarian syndrome like Triphala, Trikatu, Guggul, Kanchanar etc. Along with this, many herbs like Shatapushpa, Shatavari helps to grow egg naturally and rupture follicles in a natural manner too.

Panchakarma is one of the most effective way to treat PCOS in Ayurveda. It helps in cleansing, detoxifying and restoring the imbalance of hormones to normal levels and maintain the metabolic balance in the body. Besides it provides strength to the reproductive organs for it function normally.

Below we will explore the key treatments under Panchakarma therapy for PCOS:

Basti: Basti chikitsa is one of the most effective Panchakarma therapies in Ayurveda for PCOS. It especially helps to boost fertility and ensure a healthy conception. This is a painless therapy by nature in which a decoction of medicated oil is given through the rectum also called as enema and is performed over a number of days. Basti consists of various Ayurvedic medicinal properties like ghee, oil and kashya that are customised according to the specific health condition of the woman. This procedure eliminates the doshas from the rectum. It is nourishing and detoxifying at the same time and hence is highly recommended.

Vamana: Vamana is a cleansing and detoxifying method of Panchakarma and involves planned and systematic elimination of toxins by inducing emesis (vomiting). It helps in balancing the hormones, boost fertility and aids weight loss. It requires strict administration for each patient.

Virechan: This method of Ayurvedic Panchakarma eliminates the toxins from the body and balances the pitta. It is carried out to clean the small intestine by stimulating the bowel movements. This process is extremely beneficial for obesity, irregular periods, hormonal imbalance, pigmentation.

Uttarbasti: Uttarbasti is also one of the most effective treatment for gynaecological disorders. It performs action on the uterus and ovaries and dissolves the cyst in ovaries. The purification clears the Artava Vaha Srotas and improves follicular maturity.

PCOS treatment according to Ayurveda

There are some promising treatments that Ayurveda offers for PCOS. Ayurveda gives a holistic approach to every illness and works on to achieve complete wellness of the mind, body and health. According to Ayurveda, the human body has three type of doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) that circulates the entire functioning of the body and any interruption in the same leads to health disorders like PCOS.

There can be many causes of imbalance in these doshas like stress, mental exertion, lifestyle disorders, poor diet, lack of nutrition, lack of sleep or even oversleeping. Ayurveda describes PCOS as a kapha disorder predominantly, however with the modern findings we can correlate the features of the disease and understand the main dosha responsible for it. In Ayurveda, the reproductive organs in the females are called artava dhatu and the channel supplies, nourishes and does the function of carrying the ovum to the uterus is called artavavaha srota. All three doshas play a distinct and important role in the female reproductive process that includes the ovarian and menstrual cycle.

The PCOS Ayurveda treatment works on clearing the blockages and obstruction in the pelvis, regulate the metabolism and monitor the menstrual cycle process.

Diet tips for management of PCOS in Ayurveda: