Symptoms of PCOS in women (polycystic ovary syndrome) are a set of symptoms that are caused by hormonal issues and mainly affect the ovaries, usually affecting women of childbearing age (20-35)
Causes Of Symptoms of PCOS in Women
Until now, there is no definitive cause of PCOS; it is known as a hormonal problem. It may be associated with genetic causes, and it is usually related to family history. This problem affects any person with ovaries and also affects other parts of the woman's body.
Weight-related causes
Many studies have shown that symptoms of PCOS in women can mainly be seen in women with different body weights, and as you have more body weight, you may be more vulnerable to having more symptoms of PCOS.
The greater amount of body fat cause increasing in insulin resistance, which is the most related hormonal problem in this case; also, some cases show rapid improvement after losing body weight.
Hormonal issues
Changes in blood levels of some hormones are found in affected cases, especially an increase in hormones is noticed in about 85% of patients who have visible common symptoms of PCOS in women, and it is found that there is ovarian function improvement in patients who had hormonal level control.
Lifestyle factors
Your life-style like stationary life and an unhealthy, high- calorie diet, may be a great factor that causes you to be affected by PCOS symptoms in women and its complications.
The most common symptoms of PCOS in women
In this part, I will clarify some common symptoms of PCOS in women that affect affected cases and note that there are many patients without any visible symptoms.
From the most common symptoms:
Irregular periods
This is one of the most common symptoms of PCOS in women; affected patients usually have a low number of periods over a year or absent periods.
This is related to abnormal blood levels of androgen and insulin, which prevent ovulation (release of an egg) and prevent follicular maturation, and this affects the progesterone trigger that is needed for starting regular, normal periods.
Increase in facial and body hair
This is one of the most annoying symptoms of PCOS in women; it is also is known as (hirsutism) it is a red flag in this case the unwanted hair is black and thick this hair is found on some body parts like the chin, chest, upper abdomen, upper lips, and face which may cause psychological and cosmetic problems for many affected girls and women, this problem is related to increase in androgen levels.
Gaining weight
This is a common symptom of PCOS in women; cases usually suffer from overweight, difficulty in losing body weight, and this is related to abnormal blood levels of insulin, which causes insulin resistance that causes abnormal metabolic rate, abnormalities in digestion and absorption of food; despite that, symptoms of PCOS in women can affect women of any body weight.
Ultrasound symptom
Polycystic ovaries are a common PCOS sign in which your ovaries appear on ultrasound with many cysts of different sizes and maturity, and this case is known as (necklace ovary) with large cysts.
Fatguability
This neglected, confusing sign of PCOS symptoms in women is related to ineffective use of glucose in your body, which causes high blood insulin levels.
This causes fatigue, low energy, and a chronic feeling of exhaustion, especially after unhealthy meals.
Skin changes
PCOS symptoms in women include some skin changes like skin pigmentation, darkening in some body parts specially groins, underarms, and back of the neck; also, there may be skin tags.
Mood disorders
Fluctuating blood insulin levels, weight gain, and other cosmetic PCOS symptoms in women that affect skin and hair and related infertility are causing patients to usually have depressed mood and anxiety disorders.
Types of PCOS
Insulin-resistance PCOS
Post-pill PCOS
Inflammatory PCOS
Diagnosis According to Symptoms of PCOS in Women
PCOS diagnosis is confirmed if you have two of these three diagnostic criteria for PCOS:
- Irregular or absent menstrual cycles
- High androgen levels.
- Polycystic ovaries on ultrasound or high AMH levels. Symptoms in women
How PCOS is diagnosed
This can be available through blood tests, which show abnormal hormonal blood levels (insulin, androgen DHEAS), ultrasound signs, and some skin features.
The most common associated medical problem is infertility or repeated miscarriage. Also, medical history and familial history of all these symptoms of PCOS in women are sufficient for confirming the diagnosis.
Possible complications of PCOS
This medical condition may be associated with high blood pressure, some heart diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and infertility with related uterine cancer, in a low number of cases.
Treatment of symptoms of PCOS in women
PCOS as a medical condition has no curable treatment, but instead, it depends on trying to deal with common symptoms of PCOS in women.
According to your age and your wish of having children or not, treatment is divided into two main parts:
Lifestyle changes
Try to have exercise classes and do more training; this will improve insulin resistance and help you control your mood.
Losing weight is very helpful in this PCOS condition; you can do this by doing more activities and following a healthy diet.
It is also found that symptoms of PCOS in women can be controlled by avoiding these foods: refined flour, pasta, pizzas, packaged and processed foods, and some fruits that cause a rapid increase in insulin levels like bananas, mangoes, pineapples, and grapes.
Medical treatment
Cosmetic treatments:
This deals with annoying symptoms of PCOS in women
You can use creams or laser techniques for hair removal; also use some medicines like (birth control pills, spironolactone) to control baldness and facial acne.
Treatment of related infertility:
- Oral hypoglycemics like metformin; this improve glucose blood levels.
- Other hormonal treatments
- Gonadotropins, also at certain doses, are very helpful.
- Clomiphene: this helps in getting normal ovulation.
- Medicines to have regular cycle
Progesterone-only pills can also be used, and combination birth control pills are very helpful and effective in the treatment of PCOS symptoms
Note that: PCOS officially has a new updated name, which is (PMOS) polyendocrine hormonal and metabolic disorder.
SUMMARY
Symptoms of PCOS in women are a common health problem caused by hormonal issues that mainly affect women who is in child bearing age (20-35) and may also affect older ages.
Main symptoms are irregular periods, overweight, acne, increase face and body hair, and infertility.
Diagnosis is confirmed if you have two of these three criteria (irregular periods, high androgen levels, or polycystic ovaries)
For treatment, it depends on your wish to have children or not; it is divided into non-medical treatment, like changing your habits and lifestyle, which controls most of the symptoms of PCOS in women.
Other treatments are birth control pills and other hormonal treatments.
Cosmetic treatments for hair removal and for facial acne control.
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