Treating Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome with Ayurveda
Sejal was looking pretty excited as she entered my cabin. With a look of pure delight, she uttered “Hello Doctor! I came by to see you casually. You know what, Doc?! I feel so positive whenever I see you and that is the reason I turn up here.” I just smiled. "Love you doctor, Bye!!" Sejal said lovingly after some casual talk and moved out of my cabin. I just mumbled "cute girl" as she left and got back to my work.
But my mind wandered back to the day when Sejal turned up at my clinic for her treatment of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). I was exactly two years ago this day. I still remember the day. Though she was looking beautiful, her increased weight was hampering her beauty. She was looking anxious and any one could make out of her depressed mood with her dull body language.
After taking her detailed history, I came to know that since her Menarche, she had problems with her menstrual cycles. She told me initially her menstrual cycles were excess blood flow which gradually converted into delayed cycles with bleeding for many days. Later on the situation became so bad that she had to resort to taking hormonal pills to induce her monthly cycles.
Irregular menstruation, weight gain, excess hair growth on her face and pimply face were her cause of worry and frustration. Add on to that was the stress due to family matters and studies, making her health problems even more severe.
After trying many treatment options, she had developed a strong belief that there was no permanent solution for her PCOS problem. She almost had given up and lost her hope that she would be slim like before and live her life like any other normal girl.
Truthfully, cause of her worry was not unjust and unfounded. PCOS is the most common endocrine abnormality in reproductive age women and in actual fact, a very frustrating condition for any female. Symptoms of PCOS could be any one or a combination of the following -
1) Absence of ovulation
2) Polycystic ovaries
3) Symptoms of excess androgen (male hormone)
The main feature attributing PCOS are -
1) Menstrual abnormalities / Irregular periods, the most common characteristic
2) Polycystic ovaries - Ovaries enlarged with multiple cysts in it cysts (small fluid filled pockets surrounding ovum or eggs)
3) Oligo- ovulation or anovulation i.e. releaing ovum (eggs ) irregularly or absence of ovulation
4) Hyper-androgenism - High levels of "male hormones" called androgens cause hirsutism (Excess growth of male pattern hair on face, chest, back and buttocks)
5) Insulin resistance - increased level of serum insulin which plays major role in increasing obesity especially central obesity
6) Skin thickening and discoloration commonly around neck, inner thighs and axilla
7) Thinning of hair and hair loss from head
8) Pimples and oily skin
9) Difficulty getting pregnant because of irregular ovulation or failure to ovulate
10) PCOS has also be known to be associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels
The disorder accounts for 30% of all infertility cases with 73% of those suffering from PCOS experiencing infertility due to anovulation. Multiple factors are involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Some of them are-
1) Insulin resistance
2) Hormonal imbalance
3) Genetic factor
4) Stress and psychological factors
5) Sedentary life style, lack of exercise and dietary variations
Many a times, diagnosis and treatment of PCOS is based on clinical signs and symptoms and confirmed with the help of array of laboratory investigations and ultrasound.
PCOS’s complex pathological cascade makes treatment difficult and challenging. Even after prolonged treatments, problems persist and become more severe with increasing years. Same was happening with Sejal. Sejal wanted some quick solution for her problem. Nothing was helping her to come out of the vicious cycle of stress-insulin resistance - PCOS- insulin resistance- obesity- PCOS. It really took a toll on me to explain her that there is no any quick solution for her problem. I explained to her that the treatment will bear fruit only if it is multifaceted and if it is addressed to tackling multiple problems at different levels.
I explained that there are 3 “Doshas” (Tridosha) i.e. Vata, Pitta & Kapha that govern activities like digestion, assimilation, metabolism in the human body at macro and micro level. I further explained that these Doshas are also instrumental in normal functioning of female reproductive system.
Vata esp. Apan Vayu (one among the 5 types of Vata) is responsible for movement of the follicles during ovarian cycle and releasing of the matured ovum and for its further movement in the tube & uterus. It also controls surge of different hormones at specific time during menstrual cycle so that hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis is maintained & the menstruation at regular interval is preserved.
Pitta is responsible for transformation of hormones at different stages of Ovarian & menstrual cycle.
Kapha nourishes tissue development of reproductive system with its heavy and cool qualities and enhances follicular growth, mucosal growth of fallopian tube and uterus prevents from drying (Kashaya).
Any obstruction or abnormality in the function of these three “Doshas” leads to menstrual abnormalities.
I gave Sejal medicines to stimulate her basal metabolic rate and to correct the ovarian functions which she followed vigorously. Medicines included simple Herbal combinations like Trikatu, Kuberaksh Ghan Vati, Vachamustadi Kashayam etc. I also advised her to undergo Panchakarma treatment including Vaman, Virechan, Basti & Nasya which she followed religiously. The treatment mainly revolved around to detoxifying her body to bring Tridosha in physiologically balanced state.
Other than the Ayurvedic medicines & Panchakarma, I advised her to follow a strict regimen of diet, exercise and conduct. She started regular exercise. Counseling was the main stay treatment in her each of her visits which built her confidence in the treatment and gave her a ray of hope.
She decided to follow my instructions. She completely stopped sleeping after having lunch during day time. Regular yoga exercise and brisk walk brought in discipline in her life. Slowly her menstrual cycle regularized with the treatment. Gradually, she herself could feel the 180 degree shift in her personality from a depressed state to a happy & cheerful person that she once was. She could lose 10 percentile of her body weight with significant inch loss. As narrated by her mother she once again became positive, chirpy and lively. And of course, yes, till date she has never complained about her troublesome & erratic menstrual cycles.
Sejal was looking pretty excited as she entered my cabin. With a look of pure delight, she uttered “Hello Doctor! I came by to see you casually. You know what, Doc?! I feel so positive whenever I see you and that is the reason I turn up here.” I just smiled. "Love you doctor, Bye!!" Sejal said lovingly after some casual talk and moved out of my cabin. I just mumbled "cute girl" as she left and got back to my work.
But my mind wandered back to the day when Sejal turned up at my clinic for her treatment of PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). I was exactly two years ago this day. I still remember the day. Though she was looking beautiful, her increased weight was hampering her beauty. She was looking anxious and any one could make out of her depressed mood with her dull body language.
After taking her detailed history, I came to know that since her Menarche, she had problems with her menstrual cycles. She told me initially her menstrual cycles were excess blood flow which gradually converted into delayed cycles with bleeding for many days. Later on the situation became so bad that she had to resort to taking hormonal pills to induce her monthly cycles.
Irregular menstruation, weight gain, excess hair growth on her face and pimply face were her cause of worry and frustration. Add on to that was the stress due to family matters and studies, making her health problems even more severe.
After trying many treatment options, she had developed a strong belief that there was no permanent solution for her PCOS problem. She almost had given up and lost her hope that she would be slim like before and live her life like any other normal girl.
Truthfully, cause of her worry was not unjust and unfounded. PCOS is the most common endocrine abnormality in reproductive age women and in actual fact, a very frustrating condition for any female. Symptoms of PCOS could be any one or a combination of the following -
1) Absence of ovulation
2) Polycystic ovaries
3) Symptoms of excess androgen (male hormone)
The main feature attributing PCOS are -
1) Menstrual abnormalities / Irregular periods, the most common characteristic
2) Polycystic ovaries - Ovaries enlarged with multiple cysts in it cysts (small fluid filled pockets surrounding ovum or eggs)
3) Oligo- ovulation or anovulation i.e. releaing ovum (eggs ) irregularly or absence of ovulation
4) Hyper-androgenism - High levels of "male hormones" called androgens cause hirsutism (Excess growth of male pattern hair on face, chest, back and buttocks)
5) Insulin resistance - increased level of serum insulin which plays major role in increasing obesity especially central obesity
6) Skin thickening and discoloration commonly around neck, inner thighs and axilla
7) Thinning of hair and hair loss from head
8) Pimples and oily skin
9) Difficulty getting pregnant because of irregular ovulation or failure to ovulate
10) PCOS has also be known to be associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels
The disorder accounts for 30% of all infertility cases with 73% of those suffering from PCOS experiencing infertility due to anovulation. Multiple factors are involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Some of them are-
1) Insulin resistance
2) Hormonal imbalance
3) Genetic factor
4) Stress and psychological factors
5) Sedentary life style, lack of exercise and dietary variations
Many a times, diagnosis and treatment of PCOS is based on clinical signs and symptoms and confirmed with the help of array of laboratory investigations and ultrasound.
PCOS’s complex pathological cascade makes treatment difficult and challenging. Even after prolonged treatments, problems persist and become more severe with increasing years. Same was happening with Sejal. Sejal wanted some quick solution for her problem. Nothing was helping her to come out of the vicious cycle of stress-insulin resistance - PCOS- insulin resistance- obesity- PCOS. It really took a toll on me to explain her that there is no any quick solution for her problem. I explained to her that the treatment will bear fruit only if it is multifaceted and if it is addressed to tackling multiple problems at different levels.
I explained that there are 3 “Doshas” (Tridosha) i.e. Vata, Pitta & Kapha that govern activities like digestion, assimilation, metabolism in the human body at macro and micro level. I further explained that these Doshas are also instrumental in normal functioning of female reproductive system.
Vata esp. Apan Vayu (one among the 5 types of Vata) is responsible for movement of the follicles during ovarian cycle and releasing of the matured ovum and for its further movement in the tube & uterus. It also controls surge of different hormones at specific time during menstrual cycle so that hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis is maintained & the menstruation at regular interval is preserved.
Pitta is responsible for transformation of hormones at different stages of Ovarian & menstrual cycle.
Kapha nourishes tissue development of reproductive system with its heavy and cool qualities and enhances follicular growth, mucosal growth of fallopian tube and uterus prevents from drying (Kashaya).
Any obstruction or abnormality in the function of these three “Doshas” leads to menstrual abnormalities.
I gave Sejal medicines to stimulate her basal metabolic rate and to correct the ovarian functions which she followed vigorously. Medicines included simple Herbal combinations like Trikatu, Kuberaksh Ghan Vati, Vachamustadi Kashayam etc. I also advised her to undergo Panchakarma treatment including Vaman, Virechan, Basti & Nasya which she followed religiously. The treatment mainly revolved around to detoxifying her body to bring Tridosha in physiologically balanced state.
Other than the Ayurvedic medicines & Panchakarma, I advised her to follow a strict regimen of diet, exercise and conduct. She started regular exercise. Counseling was the main stay treatment in her each of her visits which built her confidence in the treatment and gave her a ray of hope.
She decided to follow my instructions. She completely stopped sleeping after having lunch during day time. Regular yoga exercise and brisk walk brought in discipline in her life. Slowly her menstrual cycle regularized with the treatment. Gradually, she herself could feel the 180 degree shift in her personality from a depressed state to a happy & cheerful person that she once was. She could lose 10 percentile of her body weight with significant inch loss. As narrated by her mother she once again became positive, chirpy and lively. And of course, yes, till date she has never complained about her troublesome & erratic menstrual cycles.
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