PCOD vs PCOS? Know The Difference!

Although PCOS and PCOD are two distinct conditions that have similar symptoms, the primary distinction between them is that PCOS refers to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. 

While PCOD stands for "Polycystic Ovary Disease". The primary distinction between these two acronyms is that PCOD can emerge quickly or gradually, PCOS is often a long-term condition.

In PCOD, the ovaries begin to release immature eggs, which cause hormonal imbalances and other symptoms including swollen ovaries, whereas, in PCOS, endocrine problems cause the ovaries to produce too much androgen, which increases the risk of cystic ovulation. 

But unlike PCOD, these cysts won't be released; instead, they'll accumulate inside the ovaries. 

Let’s understand both the terms and their differences in brief here.

What is PCOD?

PCOD causes irregular menstrual cycles because the ovaries produce and release an excessively large number of immature eggs throughout the ovulation cycle. 

The eggs are trapped inside the ovary, increasing the number of eggs produced for months.

Even while it may seem harmless, partially matured and stored eggs in the ovaries cause cysts to form in the ovary. 

The body's cyst-like growths also increase androgen synthesis.

Women with PCOD have enlarged ovaries that contain small collections of fluid-filled sacs. These sacs are called follicles, and each includes an egg. 

However, instead of releasing an egg every month, like ordinary women's ovaries do, these women may get fewer periods or no periods at all due to anovulation (the absence of ovulation). 

Anovulation results when your body doesn't release one or more eggs during your menstrual cycle because it doesn't have enough estrogen and progesterone for proper hormonal function.

What Specifically is PCOS?

Unbalanced levels of female sex hormones are a symptom of PCOS. 

Period irregularity or absence, infertility and other issues with fertility, hirsutism (unwanted body and facial hair growth), weight gain, and type 2 diabetes are all possible outcomes.

Due to PCOS, your ovaries' small glands release an abnormally high amount of male hormones. 

Your ovaries' follicles thicken more than usual as a result of this. As a result of the way that they appear on ultrasound scans, these swollen follicles are known as ovarian cysts.

Although there is no known treatment for PCOS, symptoms can be controlled with the right procedures or drugs, such as weight loss surgery.

Moreover, the ayurvedic cure for PCOS has also proved to have excellent results.

Women between the ages of 12 and 51 are most susceptible to developing PCOS.

Main Differences Between PCOS and PCOD

1. Causes

PCOS Causes: 

• Increased levels of testosterone: Here, excess release of male hormones occurs when insulin and luteinizing hormone levels go high. Because of this, ovulation is disrupted, which leads to PCOS.
• Increase in luteinizing hormone: The pituitary gland of males secretes luteinizing hormone, which promotes ovulation, the development of the corpus luteum, and male production of that hormone. When luteinizing hormone levels increase, male hormones fall out of balance.
• Higher levels of prolactin: Prolactin is a hormone that helps in milk production following childbirth. An excessive amount of this hormone reduces estrogen levels, causing hormonal imbalance.

PCOD Causes:

• PCOD's precise cause is currently unknown. But studies have linked PCOD to high amounts of male hormones (Hyperandrogenism), low-grade inflammation, too much insulin, and genetics.
• Early menarche, pollution, and unhealthy lifestyle choices are other factors that affect PCOD.

2. Symptoms

PCOD Symptoms include:

• Irregular or absent menstruation.
• Excess body hair, acne, and weight gain. 
• Infertility.
• Excessive hair growth on the face and body.
• Male pattern baldness in women who don't have male relatives with the condition.
• Mood changes.
• Negative interpersonal interactions.
• Lack of confidence.
• Negative self-perception.
• Irregular eating and sleeping schedules.

PCOS Symptoms include:

• No periods.
• Irregular, infrequent, or prolonged bleeding (or a combination of these).
• Irregular menstrual cycles (either missing periods or getting them less than every 22 days) and/or heavy bleeding during your period
• Skin tags on your neck or armpit area are little flesh-colored growths that hang off your skin by a tiny stalk like an acorn from an oak tree
• Male pattern baldness when you're young-most women begin losing hair after menopause but some will experience male pattern baldness prior to that time.

3. Treatment

The multiple symptoms of PCOS and PCOD consequences, such as hormone imbalance or irregular periods, must be addressed in order to regain hormonal equilibrium.

PCOS Treatment

• You can take medications that lower insulin levels and help your ovaries produce more estrogen. If you're overweight or obese, losing weight may help improve some of the symptoms.
• Additionally, there are many herbal products like Women Health Tea for PCOS, doing yoga asanas, taking a healthy diet, and eating leafy vegetables and fruits will help you to overcome this syndrome cause earlier.

PCOD Treatment

If you have PCOD, your doctor will likely recommend that you take birth control pills to prevent pregnancy until the condition is under control. In addition to this treatment option, there are other things you can do at home:

• Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables; whole grains; lean meat; fish; chicken breast without skin or bones; low-fat dairy products (such as cheese or yogurt); non-fat milk products (such as skimmed milk). 
• You should also limit high-fat foods like fried foodstuffs such as chips/crisps fried in oil.

A laparoscopic surgery called ovarian drilling is used to remove ovarian cysts that in women emit hormones linked to masculinity.

For women with PCOS or PCOD, reproductive treatments include in vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination. After the egg and sperm have been fertilized in a lab, the embryos are then put into the wombs of mothers.

4. Adverse Effects on Health

Sometimes effects of both PCOD vs PCOS are almost the same. But they are classified under different diseases due to some reasons like:

• PCOD is an insulin resistance disease that can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol levels. Insulin helps your body use glucose (sugar) for energy. 
• If you have PCOS, then your body produces more insulin than it needs causing extra fat storage around your hips, thighs, and butt area (known as ‘pear-shaped’). 
• This happens because there are too many male hormones called androgens in the body which prevent ovulation so no eggs get released from the ovaries each month. 
• The excess male hormones also stop the development of follicles on the ovaries which means there are no eggs ready for fertilization.
• The difference between PCOD vs PCOS is that Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome only affects females whereas Polycystic Ovarian Disease has symptoms that affect both men & women.
• In over 80% of cases, women can become pregnant naturally and have a simple pregnancy. For women with PCOS, conceiving could be challenging due to the irregularities in their hormones.

Take Amazing Herbal Treatment to Deal with PCOS/PCOD!

When you are drinking Namhya’s Period Care for PCOS, then it helps you to get consistent period flow, keeps your hormone balance in check, and regulates the estrogen hormone production in your body.

This PCOS tea contains the ideal components to replenish the hormones and ensure their proper functioning, including the perfect proportions of Asoka, Shatavari, Lodhra, Ashwagandha, Saffron, Garcinia Cambogia, and other Ayurvedic herbs.

End Words

PCOS and PCOD are two different diseases that affect the female reproductive system. Both can cause irregular periods, infertility, acne, weight gain, excessive hair growth, and many other symptoms that can make a woman’s life difficult. However, the proper diagnosis is important for effective treatment.

FAQs Related to PCOD vs PCOS Problems

Q1. PCOD or PCOS, which is worse?
Ans: A metabolic disorder that is more serious than PCOD is PCOS. The ovaries release more male hormones under these circumstances, which causes the ovary to develop more than ten follicular cysts each month. 

Q2. PCOS or PCOD, which is treatable?