Hello. This blog has just been started to help people who are dealing with HPV. I am a young female who suffers with the strain of HPV that produces genital warts. I was diagnosed in September 2011 but have had the virus since November 2010. I have had a very hard time dealing with it and found it to be a very lonely experience. I have found recently that the best way of dealing with the problem is to talk to those in the same position. Of course, that is hard when you probably don’t want anyone close to you knowing that you have HPV. Therefore I created this blog for people to submit and ask questions. I’m not saying I will have all the answers and if honest I probably need this as much as any of you. But please feel free to talk about your worries or share positive stories. Help me, help others :) Anon is always available in the ask box. I will try get back to you as soon as possible.
Also, I will not acknowledge any nasty or rude submissions/messages.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a hot topic these days thanks to the advent — and attendant controversy — of Gardasil, the vaccine that protects against four strains of this sexually transmitted virus. Discourse centers around HPV-16 and HPV-18, the two HPV strains that together are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of anal cancers. However, Gardasil also protects against HPV-6 and HPV-11, two HPV strains that aren’t associated with cancer but rather with 90 percent of genital warts. While genital warts don’t have the potential to cause cancer and death, they can be very upsetting to the people who develop them.
READ MORE: http://blog.advocatesaz.org/2012/04/18/sti-awareness-genital-warts/
The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) comprises more than 100 different virus strains. The name papillomavirus, was given to this group because certain strains cause warts, or papillomas, which are benign (non-cancerous) growths.
Some HPV virus strains are responsible for the “common wart” – the annoying warts we sometimes get on our hands and/or feet (i.e. from locker room floors). HPV strains 2 and 4 are the most common causes of these unattractive lesions.
Other strains of HPV are not as harmless. More than40 different strains of HPV can be sexually transmitted. Of those 40, 4 stand out the most because of their notorious ability to cause genital warts and cervical cancer.
HPV types 6 and 11 are the most common cause of genital warts, and account for approximately 90% of genital wart infections. These strains are rarely associated with cancer. Warts may appear within several weeks after sexual contact (skin-to-skin) with someone who is infected with HPV.
HPV types 16 and 18 are the most common “high risk” types, and can lead to cervical cancer, and cause about 70% of all cases of cervical cancer. HPV type 16 also causes about 85% of all anal cancers.
Remember, although the use of condoms offers excellent protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), condoms do not cover all the skin around your genitals. This means that you can still get the HPV virus though skin-to-skin contact in the genital area, even if you’re wearing a condom.
Study: 1 in 14 People Has Oral HPV Infection
Pasieka/Science Photo Library RF via Getty ImagesHuman papilloma virus as seen through a colored transmission electron micrograph.
So how many people have human papillomavirus in their mouths?
Quite a few, say researchers who got more than 5,000 volunteers across the country to spit into a cup and answer detailed questions about their sex lives.
The bottom line: 6.9 percent of people in the U.S. (ages 14 to 69) have oral infections with HPV. Some types of HPV are linked to cancer and genital warts.
About 3.7 percent of people have “high-risk” oral infections from types of HPV that are most likely to lead to cancer. About 3.1 percent have “low-risk” infections.
The results were just published online by JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association. An accompanying editorial says “these results are remarkable….”
How come?
A dramatic increase in cancers of the head and neck has been linked, in part, to HPV, which is also a cause of many cervical cancers. Now we have some real numbers about the extent of infection in the U.S. to go on.
For instance, a virus type dubbed HPV-16 was found to affect about 1 percent of people. That’s the one that’s been detected in about 85 percent of oral cancers.
All About Genital Warts
If left untreated, genital warts may eventually cause cancer. Learn what simple, natural remedies you can use to help cure yourself. Learn about genital warts and HPV. Learn the most common causes of genital warts and what you can do to avoid a recurrence of them. Also learn how to deal with genital warts emotionally and what you can do about genital warts, along with the complications and risk factors involved. Discover the facts you absolutely MUST know if you’re pregnant and dealing with genital warts. Learn the nine most effective and proven ways to prevent getting genital warts. Other topics covered include traditional medications you can take to cure genital warts, important considerations you should think about when deciding to use natural remedies, herbal cures, herbal teas, effective vitamins and minerals, healing foods and alternative therapies like acupuncture, acupressure, aromatherapy, heat pads and hypnosis. Take Action! Get it immediately!!
Yesterday I was volunteering at a free health clinic. I am very familiar with the staff because I am there quite a bit. After I had finished rooming a patient and taking their vitals I returned to the back office to grab the next chart. One of the office workers leaned over and said “that guy has genital warts.” I looked at her blankly, not sure what kind of response she was looking for.
“Well I responded, that is confidential information and really doesn’t concern me.” I was appalled, it became obvious she had intended me to laugh.
I was so frustrated I began to list to her all that I knew about genital warts. For example it is caused by a virus (the HPV virus) that up to 80% of the population carries. “Chances are,” I said, “you have it too.” Only an unlucky 1% seem to have any wart like symptoms. Also, most women fail to recognize symptoms because the growths occur internally, either on the cervix or in the vaginal canal. Finally, other than cosmetic concerns, there is a lot of data to suggest that HPV warts have no detrimental effects. HPV can cause cancer, but my understanding is that the types that cause warts do not cause cancer.
She sat silent, and that was the end of the conversation. I think this was an important lesson for both of us. It is easy to judge when you are ignorant. As health care professionals we should be above that. What if he had heard her snickers about his disorder? What if someone with in that office had the same disorder? We treat humans, that are emotional beings with complex feelings, not just diseases in a chart. Often we see people at their lowest points. Never should they have to be further subjected to pain just for needing help.
If this seems like a rant, it is. Remember who you represent and who you are responsible for. Patient trust is a privilege, not one that should be taken lightly. Shattering it may be a permanent problem leaving that patient with out health care they can feel confident in.
You can learn more about HPV warts here: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm
