PCOS has become one of the most commonly diagnosed gynecological disorders in the United States. It has been connected to infertility, irregular periods, diabetes, weight gain and much more. In my own practice, where we specialize in Women’s Health, we see PCOS cases on the regular and thankfully, we can not only help treat PCOS but help heal the root cause of why it’s happening in the first place. It is a hormonal imbalance rooted in insulin resistance, which can predispose someone to eventually getting diabetes. It also may stimulate the growth of testosterone which inhibits ovulation leading to a greater imbalance of female reproductive hormones. In Chinese medicine we see it from a different perspective, which allows us to treat the root cause and the symptoms were present in various hormonal imbalances as well as physical and emotional imbalances.
What is PCOS ?
Some research states that 1 in 10 women have PCOS while other research states 1 in 5 women have PCOS, with the amount of PCOS that is diagnosed and that we see in our office, I err on the side of 1 in 5.
I was 1 in 5. My story is one of many but in my story, the ending is different because I chose to go the natural route with Chinese medicine to treat the root, instead of the standard of care treatment which is typically Birth control, shutting down the cycle and creating greater imbalance in the body. Besides birth control, metformin, a common medication for diabetes is prescribed because of the insulin resistance so commonly seen in PCOS. According to Western medicine “PCOS CANNOT BE CURED” but in Chinese medicine we see this disorder not just being treated but also reversed in many women. Also, Western medicine does not understand the cause but in Chinese medicine we treat the root and in order to do that, we must first understand what the root cause is. We do this by detailed diagnostics of questioning, tongue and pulse diagnostics to form our conclusion on a patients “patterns of diagnosis” and then treat accordingly with herbal medicine and acupuncture.
“Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs”
In my personal opinion, this is such a common gynecological disorder in the US because of the food we eat and being exposed to so many hormones in our food and phytoestrogens that are found in the pesticides on our food.
Typical Signs and Symptoms of PCOS
The first symptom that brings women into the Doctor's office is usually an irregular cycle which signifies an-ovulation or irregular ovulation along with other symptoms of androgenic hormones being out of balance like excessive weight gain, hair loss, facial hair growth and many times, through an ultrasound a “string of pearls” of cysts from overproduction on the ovaries.
Here are some common symptoms
Hirsutism ( excessive body hair )
Irregular Cycles or Amenorrhea ( lack of a period )
Excessive Weight Gain - but not always, many PCOS patients are thin
PMS/ PMDD
Pain with sex
Insulin Resistance
Anovulation
High levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Acne
Anxiety
How Chinese Medicine and Lifestyle Change Can Help
Diet, lifestyle and supplements :
This is the first step of treatment. Though it is all intertwined between acupuncture, Chinese herbs and diet, our lifestyle and how we eat is everything.
Dietary Therapy :
Eating minimal carbs
No refined white flour
No sugar
Intermittent fasting has been recommended for weight loss but it isn’t for everyone. Starting with a baseline of eating your last meal no later than 6 pm is a great way to begin.
Limit “cold and damp” food
In Chinese medicine, typically PCOS is a “cold and damp” associated imbalance. What does this mean? Every organ in Chinese medicine has a temperature and a property, emotion and job it does and much more. The Spleen in Chinese medicine is considered a cold and damp organ and very much has everything to do with gynecology working along side it’s friends, the Kidney and Liver channels.
If you look at Asian diet in general you will notice one trend, all the food is warm in nature. No one wakes up and drinks a smoothie, a yogurt or a cold juice. It is understood that cold food can damage the spleen, creating “phlegm and damp” which we understand as one of the root causes of PCOS. PCOS is a “phlegm and damp” disease and the cysts themselves are caused by this. You can read more about my full PCOS diet program here.
Common Supplements Advised For PCOS :
N- Acetyl Cysteine
Magnesium
Myo-inositol
Vit D3
Berberine
Avoid trend herbs and supplements like Maca and DHEA, they are not good for everyone and do the opposite of what you are intending.
Lifestyle Modifications
Getting 7-8 hrs of sleep is very important for regulation of hormones
30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week
Meditation, hiking, yoga or any other activities for calming the parasympathetic nervous system
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been a proven treatment in clinical practice and through medical research it has been shown to help with various symptoms and imbalances associated with PCOS.
“Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for PCOS, and may have a role: increasing blood flow to the ovaries, reducing ovarian volume and the number of ovarian cysts, controlling hyperglycemia by increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing blood glucose and insulin levels, reducing cortisol levels and assisting in weight loss and anorexia.”(Lim 2010)
Another study concluded that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for PCOS, and may have a role in increasing blood flow to the ovaries, reducing ovarian volume and the number of ovarian cysts, controlling hyperglycemia by increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing blood glucose and insulin levels, reducing cortisol levels and assisting in weight loss and anorexia.(Lim 2010) Several randomized controlled trials have been published since the systematic reviews. One trial found that acupuncture can improve the clinical pregnancy rate in patients with PCOS undergoing IVF-ET.(Cui 2011) Another found that abdominal acupuncture treatment can improve the endocrine and metabolic function of patients with obesity-type PCOS.(Lai 2010) A third found low-frequency electroacupuncture and physical exercise improved hyperandrogenism and menstrual frequency more effectively than no intervention in women with PCOS, and that it was superior to physical exercise.(Jedel 2011)
Overall, acupuncture is understood to stimulate the nervous system, causing the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body and it’s homeostatic mechanisms, which then promotes general physical and emotional well-being.
Research has shown that acupuncture treatment may specifically help with symptoms of PCOS by:
Impacting on beta-endorphin production, which may affect gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion (Lim 2010; Stener-Victorin 2009; Feng 2009; Manneras 2009);
Having a regulatory effect on follicle stimulation hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone ( LH) and androgens (Lim 2010; Feng 2009);
Modulating the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and improving blood flow to the ovaries (Stener-Victorin 2006, 2009);
Regulating steroid hormone/peptide receptors (Feng 2012);
Downregulating the expressions of serum levels of testosterone and oestradiol (Zang 2009);
Controlling hyperglycaemia by increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing blood glucose and insulin levels (Lim 2010);
Acting on areas of the brain known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety and worry (Hui 2010; Hui 2009);
Increasing the release of adenosine, which has antinociceptive properties (Goldman 2010), and;
Reducing inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (Kavoussi 2007).
Chinese Herbal Medicine
Chinese herbs are specific to the patient and their diagnosis, in addition to this, many women’s health specialists like myself also prescribe herbs specific to the phase of the menstrual cycle.
Because of the unique nature of prescription of herbal medicine, depending on the actual assessment and diagnosis not just the symptom, it is a much more difficult part of the medicine to study for something like PCOS. Chinese herbal medicine in my opinion, is one of the most important aspects of treatment since the right herbal formulas can reduce cysts, balance hormones and restore ovulation.
We actually have formulas that can dissolve cysts if they are small enough and rebalance and recalibrate the hormonal health of the body, uterus and ovaries. Success really depends on the diagnostic skills of the practitioner but the right herbal formulas, prescribed for 3-6 months has shown successful outcomes on reversal of even the most complex PCOS cases. Because we treat per pattern of diagnosis, specific to the patient and not just the symptom, studies are harder to find but in Taiwan, where TCM is very common, there is a database of patients, their patterns of diagnosis and common formulas used for treatment. These same formulas have been used for 3000 years for treatment of similar patterns, usually specifically “stuck” Qi and Phlegm which in the ovaries, a.k.a PCOS
While more studies have been done specifically on fertility on PCOS in Chinese medicine, it is understood that Chinese medicine can significantly transform not only hormonal imbalances but also help symptoms associated with PCOS dissipate and not only does fertility become optimal but so does the overall health of the woman treated.
In Chinese medicine practices, we see nothing but change and transformation of health and hormones for women with PCOS. Most women are symptom free within 6 months of treatment and have an overall balance in hormones, body health and emotional health. It does take a lot of work and commitment with changing diet, lifestyle, regular acupuncture and herbs but change is possible!
Sources :
References Stener-Victorin E et al. Acupuncture in polycystic ovary syndrome: Current experimental and clinical evidence. Journal of Neuroendocrinology 2008; 20: 290-8. Tackling polycystic ovary syndrome. DTB 2001; 39: 1-3
Dr. Lauren Dulberg DACM, L.Ac
Founder of Two Rivers Acupuncture / Dr. of Chinese medicine, Acupuncturist and Herbalist