Acupuncture for PCOS

Empowered You Acupuncture is a clinic in Orange County, California that specializes in effective treatments for PCOS and other women’s health conditions.

Pelvic pain, fatigue, weight gain, acne, hair loss, risk of diabetes, and difficulty getting pregnant - polycystic ovary syndrome can affect every aspect of your life.

As if the daily demands of life weren’t enough, trying to manage PCOS symptoms on top of everything else can be overwhelming.

And when you consider that many of the medications given to control PCOS, such as birth control or diabetes drugs, can come with unpleasant side effects, this just adds to the stress of trying to deal with this condition.

Fortunately, there are time tested, natural solutions to PCOS, available right here in Orange County!

Whether you are looking to treat the side effects of PCOS medication, looking for alternatives to medication altogether, or trying to get pregnant with PCOS, acupuncture and botanical medicine can significantly improve your quality of life. They can keep periods regular, ease menstrual pain from PCOS, and increase the odds of a successful pregnancy.

WHAT IS PCOS?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that causes small sacs of fluid called cysts to develop along the outer edges of the ovaries.

These cysts can be painful, and in addition to pain, PCOS often has symptoms such as irregular periods or the absence of periods, excessive hair growth on the face and body, hair loss on the head, acne, obesity, and infertility. Patients with PCOS are also more likely to develop diabetes and high cholesterol.

PCOS is commonly treated with birth control pills to regulate periods, diabetes medication to manage blood sugar levels, hormones to help with fertility, and statins to treat high cholesterol.

Unfortunately, many of these medications can come with side effects, such as bleeding, weight gain, nausea, digestive problems, migraines, and mood changes.

Even with medication, many women with PCOS continue to suffer from pain, struggle with weight gain, or may have issues with fertility.

If that’s the case for you or someone you love, acupuncture and botanical medicine may be the natural solutions you need to improve your quality of life.

WHY ACUPUNCTURE & BOTANICALS ARE SO EFFECTIVE FOR PCOS

East Asian Medicine has been treating women’s health conditions for thousands of years, helping to regulate menstruation, promote fertility, ensure health pregnancies, and assist with menopausal symptoms.

The main tools of East Asian Medicine for women’s health are acupuncture and botanical medicine. These techniques not only have thousands of years of tradition, but now also decades of modern scientific research backing their use.

Most people know that acupuncture is very effective at treating pain, but they may not realize it actually regulates physiology of the entire body, meaning acupuncture is used to treat neurological, digestive, immune, and hormonal issues.

There is a large and growing body of scientific literature showing that both acupuncture and botanical medicine regulate hormone levels and improves ovarian function.

In the case of PCOS, research demonstrates several benefits of acupuncture and botanic medicine treatment:

·       Regulating hormone levels

·       Promoting ovulation

·       Reducing insulin resistance

·       Improving moods and emotional balance

This suggests that combined acupuncture and herbal medicine can potentially reduce or eliminate the pain, fatigue, metabolic and hormonal effects of PCOS by comprehensively addressing their underlying causes.

Medical Disclaimer

 The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It should not be interpreted as medical advice or a substitute for individualized care from a qualified healthcare professional. Always consult your licensed practitioner before making any changes to your health regimen.

About the Author

Dr. Joshua Park, DSOM, L.Ac

Dr. Park is a licensed acupuncturist with a doctorate in East Asian Medicine, specializing in women's health and digestive problems. He is the clinical director of Empowered You Acupuncture in Orange County, California, and is an adjunct professor at Virginia University of Integrative Medicine. His clinical approach combines acupuncture, classical Chinese herbal formulas, and current research on the interaction between gut microbiota and hormones to help patients enjoy a greater quality of life.

REFERENCES

Chen, H., Deng, C., Meng, Z., & Meng, S. (2023). Effects of TCM on polycystic ovary syndrome and its cellular endocrine mechanism. Frontiers in endocrinology, 14, 956772. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.956772

Pan, W., Li, F. X., Wang, Q., Huang, Z. Q., Yan, Y. M., Zhao, L., & Shen, X. Y. (2022). A randomized sham-controlled trial of manual acupuncture for infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Integrative medicine research, 11(2), 100830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imr.2021.100830

Ushiroyama, T., Hosotani, T., Mori, K., Yamashita, Y., Ikeda, A., & Ueki, M. (2006). Effects of switching to wen-jing-tang (unkei-to) from preceding herbal preparations selected by eight-principle pattern identification on endocrinological status and ovulatory induction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The American journal of Chinese medicine, 34(2), 177–187. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X06003746

Ye, Y., Zhou, C. C., Hu, H. Q., Fukuzawa, I., & Zhang, H. L. (2022). Underlying mechanisms of acupuncture therapy on polycystic ovary syndrome: Evidences from animal and clinical studies. Frontiers in endocrinology, 13, 1035929. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2022.1035929

Zhu, Y., Li, Y., Liu, M., Hu, X., & Zhu, H. (2020). Guizhi Fuling Wan, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ameliorates Insulin Sensitivity in PCOS Model Rats With Insulin Resistance via Remodeling Intestinal Homeostasis. Frontiers in endocrinology, 11, 575. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00575

Yoshita, S., Osuka, S., Shimizu, T., Fujitsuka, N., Matsumoto, C., Bayasula, Miyake, N., Muraoka, A., Nakanishi, N., Nakamura, T., Goto, M., & Kajiyama, H. (2023). Unkeito promotes follicle development by restoring reduced follicle-stimulating hormone responsiveness in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome. Frontiers in endocrinology, 14, 1228088. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1228088