What is polycystic ovary disease and how to treat it

What is Polycystic Ovary Disease

To understand what this violation is, let's start with anatomy.

The ovaries are paired glands located on either side of the uterus. They mature and store female reproductive cells (eggs). In addition, the ovaries also perform an endocrine function: sex hormones are synthesized in them, then to go into the bloodstream. These are very complex and precise processes. But sometimes they fail.

In Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormone production and egg maturation are impaired. The ovaries begin to produce more androgens - male sex hormones. And the eggs do not have time to mature and are often not released during ovulation, as they should be, but remain in the ovaries inside their own membrane - the follicle.

Month after month, follicles with immature eggs - "sacs" with a diameter of about 8 mm - accumulate in the ovaries. This is how multiple cysts are formed.

What are the symptoms of polycystic ovary disease

Disorders in the process of egg maturation and hormonal disruptions, as a rule, make themselves felt with the following signs of Polycystic ovary syndrome:

Irregular or absent periods.
Drawing pains during menses, if they come. You may also experience more severe bleeding than usual.
Inability to get pregnant. This is natural in the absence or disturbance of ovulation.
The appearance of hair where women should not have it. Noticeable antennae above the upper lip, excessive hair growth of the chest, back, buttocks, inner thighs - this is how the excess of androgens makes itself felt.
Hair loss on the head. It's about a kind of male pattern baldness.
Excess weight. It often accompanies hormonal disruptions.
The appearance of acne on the face and other parts of the body.

Why is polycystic ovary disease dangerous?

With age, endocrine disorders worsen and can lead to much more unpleasant health consequences than acne or a delay in menstruation. Here are just some of the possible complications:

high cholesterol levels;
the development of type 2 diabetes;
depression;
if you still manage to become pregnant, gestosis may develop - a complication accompanied by high blood pressure, edema, the appearance of protein in the urine and threatening the life of both the fetus and the mother, or a miscarriage;
eating disorders;
apnea - stopping breathing during sleep;
non-alcoholic steatohepatitis - severe inflammation of the liver caused by the accumulation of fat in this organ;
abnormal uterine bleeding;
cancer of the lining of the uterus (endometrium).

Where does polycystic ovary disease come from?

The exact reasons why some women develop this endocrine disruption, while others never encounter it, are currently unknown. There are only assumptions. So, perhaps, the following factors of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) play a certain role in the appearance of cysts in the ovaries.

1. Excess insulin

Insulin is a hormone that controls sugar levels in the body. But it is closely related to other hormones as well. If, for some reason, insulin in the blood becomes more, the production of androgens also increases. And this, in turn, causes disruptions in ovulation and provokes the development of polycystic ovary syndrome.

2. Excess androgens

The ovaries, which for various reasons produce too many male hormones, are more prone to cysts.

3. Heredity

Often, polycystic ovary disease is a family problem that is transmitted from mother to daughter or from grandmother to granddaughter. A specific gene associated with this syndrome has not yet been discovered. It is assumed that there may be several of them.

4. Chronic inflammation

We are talking about sluggish inflammatory processes in the body, which force the immune system to be constantly on alert. Such processes can be caused by chronic diseases, excess weight, prolonged stress and even frequent colds. Such inflammations are accompanied by Inflammation in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Underpinning of insulin resistance and ovarian dysfunction by an increase in androgen levels with all the consequences.

How to treat polycystic ovary disease

If you find at least 2-3 of the symptoms listed above, be sure to visit your gynecologist. The doctor will listen to your complaints, conduct an examination. You may need to have an ultrasound scan and a blood test. All this will help to establish an accurate diagnosis.

If we are really talking about polycystic ovary syndrome, a specialist will prescribe medications. It can be:

oral contraceptives - to improve the menstrual cycle;
hormones - to lower androgen or insulin levels;
drugs that block the effect of androgens on the skin, which is important in the case of severe acne;
fertility drugs - if you want to get pregnant.

You may also need minor surgery to restore ovulation.

In addition, your doctor will recommend some lifestyle changes:

Adjust nutrition. In particular, limit simple carbohydrates - sweets, baked goods, convenience foods. Such foods increase the level of insulin in the blood.
Move more. First, regular exercise will indirectly lower insulin levels. Secondly, they help control excess weight, which can be one of the provocateurs of internal inflammation and, as a result, the development of polycystic ovary disease.
Less nervous. Stress can also lead to chronic inflammation.
Sleep at least 8 hours a day. This is generally a universal advice.