HEALTH
Natural way to combat ovarian cysts

2009/11/29

Rajen M

HOW wonderful is nature, and equally wondrous nature's ability to nurture and to cure. Unlike man who only has to cope with testosterone, a woman's unique biology makes her menstruate and bear children. This means she has to cope with two fluctuating hormones on a cyclic basis.

Between their monthly periods, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause, quite a lot can go wrong.

One common problem is ovarian cysts, which can affect a woman's ability to get pregnant.

At birth there are about 400,000 eggs in a girl's ovaries that can be potentially used. They are pumped out, one or two a month, between the first period (menarche) and the last menses prior to menopause.

Before the delivery of the egg to the fallopian tubes from the ovary, a cyst forms around the egg. This cyst is near the surface of the ovary and it bulges and subsequently ruptures. Inside of the cyst is a little fluid. This fluid flushes out the egg.

Finger-like strands on the end of the fallopian tubes gather up the fluid as well as the egg and move it down the tube.

The ovary forms cysts all the time. The ovary is thus a very cyst-prone organ in the body and hence, ovarian cysts are very common.

Most of the time, women don't even know they have a cyst. Even during an internal medical examination, the physician may miss it because he or she cannot wrap the fingers all the way around the ovaries.

Thus, there are still limitations to recognising a cyst. Sometimes cysts form and do not rupture. They just get bigger and bigger until they rupture suddenly, releasing a bunch of fluid -- this is outside the realm of normal egg production and fertility.

When cysts become large, doctors have to remove them. The cysts are removed because if you just drain the fluid out of them, they seem to re-form, again.

There are various sizes of ovarian cysts and there are various prognoses that are based on whether they go away or get larger. They are usually non-cancerous.

An experienced doctor doing the internal examination on you would feel an enlarged ovary and can determine if the cyst is solid or not.

A solid mass means a higher likelihood of it being ovarian cancer.

If you have one or more of the following symptoms, you could be suffering from polycystic ovarian disease (PCOS): hirsutism (excessive hair growth on the face, chest, abdomen, etc), hair loss (androgenic alopecia, in a classic "male baldness" pattern), acne, polycystic ovaries, obesity, infertility or reduced fertility as well as threatened abortions or miscarriage .

Symptoms first appear in adolescence around the start of menstruation. However, most women do not develop symptoms until their mid-20s.

There is no universal agreement among health professionals on how to best define PCOS.

What is clear, however, is that women with the disorder do not ovulate in a predictable manner and that they produce excessive quantities of androgens, particularly the male hormone, testosterone.

It is important to note that polycystic ovaries are not necessarily present in all women diagnosed with PCOS. Many women with regular menstrual periods and normal testosterone levels can still have cystic ovaries.

It is important to make the distinction between polycystic ovaries and polycystic ovary syndrome. Polycystic ovaries are often, but not always, seen in women with PCOS.

But, approximately 20 per cent of women without menstrual or hormonal abnormalities have polycystic ovaries. The syndrome is thus defined by the menstrual and hormonal abnormalities with or without polycystic ovaries.

PCOS is estimated to affect between five per cent and 10 per cent of women of reproductive age, thus making it the most common hormonal disorder among women of all racial groups in this age group.

In addition, women with PCOS appear to be at increased risk of developing insulin resistance, diabetes, lipid abnormalities (cholesterol problems), cardiovascular disease and endometrial carcinoma (cancer) during their lives.

Evidence is accumulating to suggest that there is likely to be a hereditary basis for PCOS and its associated metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes.

The University of Chicago Hospitals found that one in three women with PCOS will have an abnormal glucose tolerance test and that one in 10 will be diabetic by age 40. It is important to note that women with PCOS who have a family history of diabetes appear to be at highest risk for abnormalities in glucose tolerance.

Initially, many of the symptoms of PCOS -- acne, obesity, excessive hair growth, and irregular periods -- are viewed as unpleasant but unrelated. Many women are not diagnosed until the symptoms become advanced, or until they experience difficulty with fertility.

There is no single, quick test to identify PCOS. Accurate diagnosis depends on the experienced skills of the clinician, a detailed medical history, and laboratory studies.

Research suggests that when insulin levels in the blood are high enough, the ovary can be stimulated to produce more testosterone. That is, the combination of having ovaries that are responsive to insulin and high blood insulin levels can result in the overproduction of testosterone.

Obesity, which itself can cause insulin levels to rise, may intensify PCOS. Yet, not all women who are overweight develop PCOS. Thus, there is something unique about PCOS both in the excessively high insulin production and the increased sensitivity of the ovaries to the insulin that is produced.

There are some unique local herbs that Mother Nature has provided for women.

The women's monthly cycle is in much more harmony with the environment than most people think. For millions of years of evolution and up until 30 years ago, women would track their monthly periods by tracking the path of the moon - dramatic testimony of a women's interaction with her environment!

Melastoma malabathricum is a shrub that grows up to two metres tall. The stem is red and covered with fine hairs.

The Malays call it Senduduk. It has petite sweet looking and scented flower -- very feminine.

There are two varieties -- the ones with white and pink flowers. This plant has a long tradition of use as a uterine tonic for female health care. The flowers, seeds and leaves are astringent and are traditionally used as a food and medicine for women following childbirth to strengthen the womb and accelerate wound healing.

It is also used traditionally in cases of excessive menstrual bleeding, to relieve pre-menstrual tension, menstrual cramps, stomach ache and indigestion. It is frequently used both internally and externally to treat white discharge.

Labisia pothoina, better known as Kacip Fatima, is a small herbaceous under shrub found in the rain forests of Malaysia. It is one of the known herbs used throughout Malaysia for indications related to female health and as a tonic after childbirth.

Traditionally the herb is believed to tonify the laxity of the uterus and vagina, for which it is a much sought after remedy following delivery. It can also be used to assist painful menstruation.

You can manage PCOS naturally and effectively. Many women who have followed the natural way have shown a reduction of cysts after three month.

* Datuk Dr Rajen M. is a pharmacist with a doctorate in holistic medicine. Email him at health@po.jaring.my