Difference Between PCOS & PCOD

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) are female hormone imbalances that can cause irregular periods, infertility, and symptoms like excess hair growth and acne on the face and body. However, these two disorders aren’t actually the same disease, but there are essential differences between PCOD and PCOS. However, despite the fact that these two terms are interchangeable, there are, in fact, some significant differences between them. If you think you might be dealing with one or both of these disorders, let's look at how PCOD vs PCOS can differ to help you identify which one you might be dealing with.

What Is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)?

PCOD full form means pelvic pain caused by ovarian cystectomy or Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects a woman’s reproductive system. It occurs when she produces too much androgen, which is a male hormone. It can also cause high levels of estrogen in the body as well as irregular periods.

According to World Health Organization guidelines, PCOS is defined by two of three criteria from these categories: oligo-anovulation - menstrual cycles at intervals more than 35 days apart; hyperandrogenism - abnormal production of testosterone; polycystic ovaries - the presence of 12 or more small cysts on one side or both sides of the womb.

If a person has two out of three of these criteria, then they are diagnosed with PCOS. A person may also be diagnosed with PCOS if they have 12 or more small cysts on one side or both sides of the womb.

What Is Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD)?

Polycystic ovary disease (PCOD) is a common endocrine disorder that affects women of reproductive age. Women who have PCOD typically experience high levels of androgen, which leads to irregular periods and makes it difficult to conceive a child. High levels of androgen also promote insulin resistance, which can eventually develop into type 2 diabetes. While there is no cure for PCOD, it can be managed with diet and lifestyle changes.

Common Signs and Symptoms of PCOS/PCOD

The most common symptoms of this condition include weight gain or obesity, hair loss on the head or body, acne or excess facial hair growth in women with normal amounts of body hair, difficulty getting pregnant, mood swings, infertility.

One way to cure this problem is through surgery, but there are other ways as well, such as lifestyle changes. Another way to cure it would be through treatment such as eating healthy and exercising regularly.

PCOD or PCOS, which is more dangerous? PCOD or PCOS, which is more difficult to cure? What is the difference between PCOD and PCOS? These are all questions many people want to know about, so in this article, we will try to answer them.

The first thing you need to understand is that both PCOD and PCOS are endocrine disorders that affect women of reproductive age. They both have symptoms such as irregular periods, obesity, acne, hair loss, etc. But there are a few differences between them.

PCOD vs PCOS: Know the Difference

You may have heard of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and polycystic ovary disease (PCOD). Both conditions can cause problems for women, but how are they similar? And how do you know if you should see a doctor about your symptoms? The following overview explains what you need to know about these two potentially debilitating conditions.

PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Disease, which is the name given to the condition that affects approximately 10% of women. It's characterized by many small cysts on the ovaries as well as hormonal imbalances. Whereas, Polycystic ovary syndrome (or PCOS) is another disorder affecting around 20% of women.

PCOS is a long-term health condition in which a woman’s body does not produce enough of certain hormones, the ovaries don't release eggs. While both conditions can cause fertility problems, it's possible to get pregnant with PCOS but not with PCOD.

Although both are forms of irregular ovulation, there is a crucial difference between PCOD and PCOS. PCOS develops when a woman’s eggs mature but do not get released from her ovaries.

The biggest difference between PCOD and PCOS is that while PCOS causes infertility, in many cases, women with PCOD can still have children.

Women with PCOS have elevated levels of male hormones in their bodies, which can lead to irregular periods, infertility, acne, and hair growth. Women with PCOD may have similar symptoms, but not as severe.

While women with polycystic ovarian syndrome often find it difficult to conceive, women with polycystic ovary don’t have any issues regarding pregnancy.

Now that we know PCOD vs PCOS and understand their significant differences, let's learn how to deal with these diseases.

Tips For Dealing With PCOS VS PCOD

Here’s a basic overview of how each of these conditions can affect you, plus some tips for dealing with PCOD vs PCOS.

PCOS causes insulin resistance, which often causes obesity or diabetes To cure PCOD, your doctor will prescribe birth control pills as well as metformin, antibiotics, spironolactone, etc.

PCOD treatment varies depending on what your case is. If it's genetic, there isn't much you can do except make healthy lifestyle changes, like eating more vegetables and getting more exercise.

Other treatments include taking certain medications and having surgery. For example, if your PCOD problem symptoms are primarily cosmetic, then plastic surgery may be appropriate, while if they're related to fertility, then IVF might be best suited for you.

Treatment For PCOD/PCOS

The treatment of the two conditions varies depending on the cause. If it's due to polycystic ovaries, then the treatment would be hormonal therapy, which may include birth control pills or fertility drugs like Clomid. If the cause is related to hyperinsulinemia and resultant hyperandrogenism, then weight loss, as well as exercise, will aid in reducing insulin levels and lowering testosterone production. A healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables is also helpful in keeping insulin at a low level.

Both these conditions need medical treatment to stop them from progressing to ovarian cancer. The most important aspect of medical treatment for both these conditions is that it must be regular and continuous to ensure better results and also keep complications away.

It's difficult for doctors to diagnose the difference between PCOD and PCOS because of the similarity in their signs and symptoms; the only way one can know about the difference between these two conditions is through blood tests. Doctors said there is no full cure for this disease, but there are medicines available to treat the symptoms, which can lead to other health complications.

Ayurvedic science has an excellent treatment for both types of PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Disease. The main aim of Ayurvedic treatment is to balance out all three doshas in the body, i.e., Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, as well as malas or toxins. It also helps to maintain regular menstruation in the body along with treating all other symptoms like obesity and facial hair, etc.

In order to cure this disease, it is essential that the patient should do a routine course of six months with a doctor's supervision. Along with that, one must follow certain healthy habits like eating vegetables and fruits, which will be helpful in reducing high cholesterol levels in the body.

Changes in lifestyle and home remedies for PCOD/PCOS

It can be treated with proper diet and healthy lifestyle changes. A good home remedy for PCOD/PCOS is turmeric, which is widely used in India and other countries in Asia, where it has been proven to be effective for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties.

Turmeric, along with aloe vera juice, can act as a powerful tonic for pcod patients. Aloe vera juice increases the absorption of curcuminoids in the body. This leads to an increase in blood flow to the uterus and pelvic region. PCOS can be cured with weight loss or reduction of hirsutism by decreasing the intake of carbohydrates that cause insulin spikes.

Exercise is another effective home remedy for PCOD/PCOS. There are regular exercise programs available to reduce hirsutism in women with PCOS because hirsutism is directly related to insulin levels and certain blood lipid levels. Yoga and asanas (Yoga poses) can also help cure PCOD/PCOS. Yoga exercises lead to an improved hormonal balance which will then help control symptoms like irregular periods, acne, hair growth on the chin, etc.

When it comes to preventing PCOD vs PCOS, these points can prove beneficial to your health if you are interested in changing your lifestyle.

Conclusion

Although PCOD and PCOS are not similar, both of them can cause irregular periods. As mentioned above, doctors suggest symptoms based on a woman’s menstruation pattern to diagnose whether she has PCOD or PCOS. You will get a lot of suggestions on how to cure this condition.

Some say that the best way is to adopt natural treatments like taking vitamin supplements, using herbs like dandelion root, or even seeing an acupuncturist. We are sure that this post about PCOD vs PCOS would have helped you out. We would also recommend you read a similar article “how to cure PCOD and how to treat it” on our blog to help you gain the necessary information related to the ailment.