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What is PCOS?
What is PCOS?
PCOS is a group of symptoms you have due to an imbalance of hormones. This imbalance causes problems with your ovaries and your period. It can also cause skin, hair and weight changes. PCOS is a common, lifelong condition. Symptoms usually begin in the years after you start your monthly period.
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
Signs and symptoms related to PCOS can include:
Irregular periods
Obesity (being very overweight)
Hair growth where you don’t normally get hair (face, chest, back)
Thinning hair on your head
Problems getting pregnant
An increase in acne (pimples)
Darker skin in the creases of your body
Cysts (small sacs) on the ovaries
Skin tags
Experts don’t know for sure what causes PCOS. Your ovaries may produce too much of a hormone called androgen. Too much androgen can cause acne and hair growth on your face. And it can cause your ovaries to stop making eggs. It may also overlap with a condition called insulin resistance. This is when you have too much sugar in your bloodstream and are at risk for diabetes. PCOS could be genetic (runs in your family). The cause may be due to multiple factors like these happening in your body at once.
PCOS is related to many other health problems. It may even cause some of them over time. These problems include:
Diabetes
Heart disease
Depression and anxiety
High blood pressure
Insulin resistance
Sleep apnea (when you stop breathing for short periods during sleep)
Infertility (when you can’t have children)
It’s common for people with PCOS to have one or more of these problems. If you have PCOS, be sure your doctor screens you for these conditions as well.
PCOS is usually a life long condition. But you can work with your doctor to manage it over time. Treatment depends on which symptoms cause you the most problems. It also includes treatment or prevention for the conditions that overlap with PCOS. So it’s likely you’ll have a combination of treatments.
Your doctor might prescribe medications that can help:
Balance the amount of androgen in your body
Regulate your periods
Reduce acne or facial hair
Make you more fertile (likely to get pregnant)
Your doctor may also talk about surgery to remove scar tissue from your ovaries.
Lifestyle changes can help
Lifestyle changes can help
Healthy habits can ease some symptoms of PCOS. This is good news because it means you can take control of some of your symptoms. The three main things you can do to manage PCOS symptoms are:
Lose weight — losing even a small percentage of your body weight can help
Eat healthier foods — limit carbohydrates (carbs) to keep your blood sugar in check
Exercise more — it helps with weight loss, blood sugar levels, and more
