Polycystic Ovarian Disease - Prevention And Treatment By Ayurveda!

Polycystic Ovarian Disease is a condition which leads to enlargement of the ovary and formation of small follicular cysts of 0.5-1.0 cm in diameter. This disease results in hormonal imbalance, leading to the accumulation of mature eggs in the ovary as they cannot be discharged. Now, these kinds of immature follicles are known as cysts. This gives to a vicious cycle, with some cysts giving rise to more cysts and hence it goes on and on.

Let us briefly take a look at the causes and symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Disease.

Causes of PCOD :

1. Kind of diet which one follows including junk food habits, irregular meals, too spicy, salty eating or eating fatty foods, fried foods etc

2. Sedentary lifestyle

3. Stress especially during menstruation

4. Lack of sleep or irregular sleep schedule

The most common PCOS symptoms are:

1. Irregular periods: A lack of ovulation prevents the uterine lining from shedding every month. Some women with PCOS get fewer than eight periods a year .

2. Hair growth: More than 70 percent of women with this condition grow hair on their face and body — including on their back, belly, and chest . Excess hair growth is called hirsutism.

3. Heavy bleeding: The uterine lining builds up for a longer period of time, so the periods you do get can be heavier than normal.

4. Acne: Male hormones can make the skin oilier than usual and cause breakouts on areas like the face, chest, and upper back.

5. Male-pattern baldness: Hair on the scalp get thinner and fall out.

6. Weight gain: Up to 80 percent of women with PCOS are overweight or obese.

7. Headaches: Hormone changes can trigger headaches in some women.

8. Darkening of the skin: Dark patches of skin can form in body creases like those on the neck, in the groin, and under the breasts.

Treatment of polycystic ovarian disease from the perspective of ayurveda

Medicines in Ayurveda help to naturally balance the hormones, thus enabling to regulate the menstrual cycles in a completely natural way. The menstrual cycle improves with a reduction in symptoms. Also associated symptoms like weight gain, issues related to infertility and hair baldness pattern can be taken care of.

A special set of medicines known as Rasayana Therapy is used for chronic patients. It is a unique therapy which has regenerative action on the reproductive system and aims to restore menstrual health, strengthens the tissues of the body, prevents PCOD along with its complications, ultimately leading to an improved quality of life.

Panchakarma Treatments for PCOD

Panchakarma refers to the ultimate mind-body healing experience for getting the body detoxified, strengthen the immune system and hence restore balance and well-being. It is one of the most effective treatments in the field of Ayurvedic Medicine.

Certain treatments include:

1. Basti – Basti treatments are extremely useful for bringing hormonal balance and detoxifying the body. It also helps to strengthen the reproductive system and regularize the periods.

2. Yoni picchu and Yoni dhavan – These are local treatment procedures with medicated decoctions and oils. It also forms the part of infertility treatments and treatment for PCOD.

3. Shirodhara – This helps to get rid of mental stress.

4. Abhyanga - It is useful in case of physical stress.

Prevention of PCOD through Ayurveda

Ayurveda can help prevent the occurrence of PCOD in the following ways

1. Improving lifestyle which is the root cause of PCOD. Healthy food choices like including a lot of vegetables & fruits in the diet
2. Regular meal timings and sleep schedule.
3. Doing regular exercise for half hr daily like walking, swimming, cycling in open and doing yogasanas as follows:
   1. Baddhakonasana
   2. Supta Baddhakonasana
   3. Bhujangasana
   4. Naukasana
   5. Dhanurasana
4. Useful herbal treatments, such as a combination of a quarter teaspoon of Shatavari powder, Guduchi, Methi powder, Gokshur, Triphala powder on a daily basis for 3 times a day helps to regulate menses naturally. Dashmoolarishtam can also be used for reducing symptoms of PCOS.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!