Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects up to 12% of Australian women. It can develop in women during teenage and childbearing years, causing a hormonal imbalance that triggers cysts to form over the ovaries.

Common signs and symptoms of PCOS include:

• Irregular, infrequent or absent menstrual periods
• Obesity and weight maintenance problems
• Excessive hair growth, particularly on the face, chest, lower abdomen and thighs

Whilst science is still working on a cure, many women take regular, multiple medications to help manage the symptoms of their condition. These sometimes come with harsh side effects that more women are looking to avoid, choosing instead more alternate forms of healing to manage their symptoms, such as acupuncture.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that uses needles to stimulate specific points on the body to disperse and regulate the flow of life energy (chi), restoring an individual back to optimum health.

Using needles on the skin, an acupuncturist works to relieve symptoms of PCOS by removing blocked energy along the meridians related to the reproductive system. This stimulation improves blood flow to the reproductive organs, assists in the regulation of hormone levels and generally promotes a healthier reproductive system.

Acupuncture is particularly helpful in the regulation and management of a woman’s period. It also normalises the appetite (which is often enhanced by PCOS’s increased testosterone levels in the body), assists in weight management, reduces stress levels, headaches and the patients overall wellbeing and mood.

Recent scientific studies have also shown electro-acupuncture treatments to reduce the sympathetic nerve activity associated with symptoms of PCOS, including insulin resistance, obesity, hyperinsulinemia and cardiovascular disease.

If you are interested in trying acupuncture to relieve symptoms of PCOS, speak to a professional acupuncturist or chinese medical practitioner in your local area.

Find out about other effective natural PCOS treatments.