Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

What is PCOS?

PCOS, technically called polycystic ovary syndrome, is a condition that affects your ovaries.  One of the main symptoms in PCOS patients is high levels of androgens (male hormones).  Researchers believe that the higher levels of androgens interfere with your ovaries, the hormones they produce, and the process of ovulation.  In this article we’ll describe the main symptoms and causes of PCOS, and how Chinese Medicine can help you treat it.

How Does PCOS Affect My Ovaries?

In healthy ovaries, a hormone called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) triggers the growth of a follicle that contains an egg.  When the egg has matured enough, another hormone called luteinising hormone (LH) allows the ovary to release the egg.  This is called ovulation.  However, in polycystic ovaries, there are many small follicles filled with fluid and immature eggs that never mature enough to be released.  This lack of ovulation disrupts the normal balance of hormones, leading to symptoms such as irregular periods, excess hair growth, and darker patches of skin.

PCOS Symptoms:

If you have PCOS, you might experience symptoms such as:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
  • Irregular menstrual periods, which can occur due to a lack of ovulation
  • Heavy bleeding during your period.  When you skip a period due to an absence of ovulation, the endometrial lining keeps building up. This means that more blood will be released when you do get your period.
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Excessive hair growth.  This is called hirsutism, and may occur on your face, chest, back, or abdomen.
  • Acne
  • Patches of darker skin

Although you may not experience all these symptoms, doctors will generally diagnose PCOS if you have two out of the three main symptoms:

  • High levels of androgens (male hormones)
  • Irregular periods
  • Ovarian cysts

Your androgen levels can be checked by having a blood test, while problems with your ovaries and uterus can be checked by a pelvic exam or ultrasound scan.

Causes of PCOS:

The exact cause of PCOS is still to be discovered by researchers.  However, they believe that the syndrome is related to insulin resistance, inflammation, and genes. 

Many people who suffer from PCOS are also resistant to insulin.  This means that their cells find it very hard to use insulin to obtain energy from blood sugar.  This increases the body’s demand for insulin, so the pancreas produces more insulin than usual.  The increased insulin levels in the body can trigger the ovaries to make more androgens, resulting in the hormone imbalance of PCOS. 

Inflammation can also lead to higher levels of androgens.  Interestingly, being overweight or obese can contribute to both insulin resistance as well as inflammation.  Aside from insulin resistance and inflammation, PCOS may also be related to genetic factors.

How Can Chinese Medicine Help?

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

If you’re looking for a natural and holistic treatment for PCOS, come along to Centre of Balance!  Our team of friendly professionals practise Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments like acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine.  The great thing about Chinese Medicine is that your treatment is tailored to your unique individual needs and addresses the underlying imbalances in your body that cause your symptoms.  Chinese Medicine is very effective for treating many health issues including PCOS, and rarely presents any unwanted side effects. Click here to find out more about how Chinese Medicine can help with fertility issues.

Conclusion:

Overall, PCOS is a syndrome in which high levels of androgens cause disruptions in the hormones and ovulation processes.  This can lead to symptoms like irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, and acne.  Researchers believe that PCOS may be caused by a combination of insulin resistance, inflammation, and genetic factors.  For an effective, holistic treatment for PCOS, come along to Centre of Balance.  Our qualified practitioners can develop an individualised treatment plan to get you back to optimal health.

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References:

Watson, S. (2021, April 19). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/polycystic-ovary-disease

Centre of Balance: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.). Archive for category: Fertility Treatment. https://balancetcm.co.nz/category/fertility-treatment/

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.