Comments on: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Treatment – Acupuncture for PCOS

By: Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:30:40 +0000

Hi Jeannie,

The best answers to your questions about the study itself are provided by the links at the end of this article. I don’t have any more information about that research than those links offer.

The cost of acupuncture depends on the acupuncturist. Rates vary according to location, experience, clinic location, etc. You’d have to talk to the acupuncturists in your area to get prices.

The length of treatments depends on the woman, the severity of her polycystic ovary syndrome, how the PCOS is affected by the treatments, and the acupuncturist. There is no cut-and-dried answer, as what works for one woman may not work for another.

I encourage you to talk to specific acupuncturists over the phone to get the best answers for you and your body.

Best wishes,
Laurie

By: Jeannie

Jeannie — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:33:03 +0000

Is this study still being done at UVA? Do you know if there are other health systems in the US exploring and performing acupuncture to treat PCOS? How often is a treatment done – once a month? Would a woman have to continue this treatment throughout her life until menopause?
Is acupuncture expensive? Thank you.

By: Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:04:33 +0000

Thanks, Pandora. I hear alot about the positive effects of acupuncture, but haven’t tried it myself! My husband tried acupuncture (not for polycystic ovary syndrome, of course — he tried acupuncture for infertility), and he said it was incredibly relaxing.

By: Pandora

Pandora — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:11:58 +0000

Acupuncture helped me a lot in relaxation. It takes away some of my muscle cramps due to physical stress.

By: LauriePK

LauriePK — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:21:18 +0000

Research shows that exercise and electro-acupuncture treatments can reduce sympathetic nerve activity in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The finding is important because women with PCOS often have elevated sympathetic nerve activity, which plays a role in hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease

The study also found that the electro-acupuncture treatments led to more regular menstrual cycles, reduced testosterone levels and reduced waist circumference.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders, affecting an estimated 10% of women of reproductive age. Among the problems associated with the condition are elevated levels of androgens (such as testosterone, the ‘male’ hormone found in both sexes), ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility.

PCOS is associated with increased sympathetic nerve activity in the blood vessels, part of the ‘fight or flight’ response that results in blood vessel constriction. Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

“This is the first study to demonstrate that repeated low-frequency electro-acupuncture and physical exercise can reduce high sympathetic nerve activity seen in women with PCOS,” according to the authors. “Furthermore, both therapies decreased measures of obesity while only low-frequency electro-acupuncture improved menstrual bleeding pattern.”

Source: ScienceDaily press release (June 29, 2009). “For Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Acupuncture and Exercise May Bring Relief, Reduce Risks.”