Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68005
pathology perspectives BY RUTH WERNER POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME AND METABOLIC SYNDROME: A HIDDEN LINK Meet Ms. X1 : she has a problem. She is 28 years old, secure in her career, and financially stable. She and her partner agree that this would be an ideal time to start a family, but her body has other ideas: after two years of trying, she's still not pregnant. Because of a complex sequence of events, her ovaries don't release mature ova for the possibility of fertilization on any predictable schedule. In addition, Ms. X struggles with being overweight, constantly fights unwanted body and facial hair, and even in her 20s is still battling acne. These problems (overweight, hirsutism, acne, ovarian cysts, and infertility) indicate a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In this condition, follicles—the site of egg release on the ovaries—don't develop normally. The ovaries develop multiple cysts where follicles are incomplete, and the connective tissue scaffolding of the organs becomes thick and enlarged. Infertility is a frequent and frustrating complication. But that's not all: PCOS is linked to several other issues that may put Ms. X at risk for type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke. Ms. X, in her attempts to get pregnant, may discover that she is dealing with an unexpected but potentially serious problem: metabolic syndrome.2 Metabolic syndrome is a reliable predictor for risks relating to heart disease (the number one killer of women in the United States) and type 2 diabetes, and the incidence of metabolic syndrome among women with PCOS is, according to at least one study, about 11 times higher than for the rest of the population.3 In this article we will examine aspects of both PCOS and metabolic syndrome, with special emphasis on how hormonal imbalances tie one to the other. This will allow us to discuss health issues with our women clients who live with one or both of these conditions with much more fully formed ideas about how these challenges affect function and predict possible risks. visit massageandbodywork.com to access your digital magazine 111