Private Places: All About Genital Warts

Genital warts are very friendly and spread easily - in fact, it's estimated that if you have sexual contact just once with someone who has them, there's a 60 percent chance you'll get them yourself. Because of this, they are the most common sexually-transmitted disease caused by a virus that we know of - but are also relatively easy to treat in most cases. However, preventions is always better than cure...

A Warty Issue

Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and can appear on both men and women. More than 30 different types of the nasty buggers can cause warts on our genitals, although there are 100 types of HPV warts in all. Some types of HPV warts show up on our hands and feet - Plantar's warts are the most common example - which most people would find preferable than on the penis or vagina!

In men, genital warts show up on or near the penis, anus and/or scrotum. In women, they appear on the vagina, vulva, cervix and anus. Usually they appear as little growths or tiny bumps that can be slightly raised, flat, reddish or flesh-colored - although occasionally they get quite noticeable and big. One problem is that they often don't appear at all - they can be so small that only a doctor scan see them with a microscope, and can cause no symptoms whatsoever.

Warts are passed on by sexual contact, and if you contract them it may take up to several months, and in some cases years, for them to appear. That means you can easily spread them to other people, as you may have no idea you have them yourself. Sometimes they go away without treatment, sometimes they don't. And they can lie dormant and reappear again - thus causing infection to others.

Why Worry?

You might wonder why we worry about these tiny warts, if they are often virtually invisible and cause no itching, burning, pain or discomfort (although in rare cases they do). The reason is because in women, HPV can cause cervical cancer. They cause problems with the cervix, or neck of the womb, so women who have had sex should have regular cervical smear tests to rule out HPV. In even more rare cases, HPV can also cause cancer of the penis, vulva, vagina and anus, as it causes abnormal cell changes which you may not notice for a long time.

Genital warts can also cause problems during pregnancy. They can get bigger and obstruct the birth canal, or bleed as the baby passes through it. Rarely, a baby can develop warts in the throat as they are being born. The vast majority of babies, however, are not affected, although some doctors prefer to either get rid of the warts if a woman is pregnant (see below) or deliver the baby through a C-section.

It is estimated that about half of all sexually active people are infected with the virus that causes genital warts, although not all of us actually develop the warts themselves. However, the US government has invented a female vaccine that can prevent against some strains of HPV - 6 and 11. That means it is effective only for females who have not come into contact with the virus, meaning girls who have not yet become sexually active. That's why so many girls get the vaccine at age 11 - 12, to protect them in later life. There is currently no vaccine available for men, although it is being investigated at the present time.

Prevention Better Than Cure

Genital warts, also known as venereal warts, can be burned off, cauterized, frozen off or made to disappear with laser therapy or surgery, but as they can lie dormant in the body there is no guarantee that they will not reappear at a later date. The best way to avoid getting them is to have the vaccine early, and to not have unprotected sex (the vaccine does not protect against all strains of HPV, nor does it protect against other STDs. That's what a condom is for, dum-dum).

Using a latex condom EVERY TIME you have vaginal or anal sex is important to protect yourself against a variety of annoying and/or potentially fatal sexually-transmitted diseases and infections, including HPV. But be aware that any type of close genital contact can spread warts, not just intercourse.

If you believe your or your partner may have genital warts, it's important to have a medical professional see you and sort it out. While some of the removal processes are not altogether pleasant, it's vital to get rid of those tiny little menaces. Women should also have regular Pap smear tests, and it's recommended that pre-adolescent girls get the HPV vaccine, although it does not protect against all strains of HPV. People who are HIV-positive

 should also pay attention to warts which can pose a bigger health risk, as well as gay men, who are more at risk of developing penile and anal cancers.

Keep in mind that if you allow genital warts to go untreated, not only will you run the risk of infecting others, but you are also doing yourself more harm. They become more persistent and aggressive the longer they are allowed to grow, and can result in cauliflower-like clusters on the body, which can be painful and unpleasant. So get yourself treated - before they grow bigger! And always use a condom....

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care an appropriate health care provider.

Yodle - About the Author:

Sarah Matthews is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a dermatologist or more skin care articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. Private Places: All About Genital Warts

Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/private-places-all-about-genital-warts-1141036.html

Cervical Cancer - What Is It And How Does It Affect Me

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide, and it remains a leading cause of cancer-related death for women in developing countries. Cervical tumors usually affects women of middle age or older, but it may be diagnosed in any reproductive-aged woman. Cervical tumors are classified as either preinvasive where the lower third of the epithelium contains abnormal cells, or invasive in which the full thickness of the epithelium contains abnormally proliferating cells.

Cervical cancer develops in the lining of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus (womb) that enters the vagina. Cervical cancers don't always spread, but those that do most often spread to the lungs, the liver, the bladder, the vagina, and/or the rectum.

Cause
Cervical cancer almost always develops from cell changes caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is spread through genital skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Cervical carcinoma also seems more prevalent in women who smoke. Sexual activity that increases the risk for infection with HPV and HIV and for cervical cancer includes the following: Having multiple sexual partners or having sex with a promiscuous partner, a history of sexually transmitted disease, sexual intercourse at a young age.

Signs and Symptoms
The early stages of cervical cancer may be completely asymptomatic. Symptoms of advanced disease may include: loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, pelvic pain, back pain, leg pain, a single swollen leg, heavy bleeding from the vagina, leaking of urine or feces from the vagina and bone fractures.

Diagnosis
The Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test has been used to screen for pre-cancerous lesions in asymptomatic women for the past 50 years. While the pap smear is an effective screening test, confirmation of the diagnosis of cervical cancer or pre-cancer requires a biopsy of the cervix. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, the precursor to cervical cancer, is often diagnosed on examination of cervical biopsies by a pathologist.

Other Risk Factors
Women with diets low in fruits and vegetables may be at increased risk for cervical cancer. Research suggests that the risk of cervical carcinomas goes up the longer a woman takes oral contraceptives, but the risk goes back down again after the OCs are stopped. Women who have had many full term pregnancies have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer.

Prevention
Cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent, because there is a vaccine and a screening test available. The vaccine known as Gardasil offers protection from the most dangerous types of HPV and recently published results indicate that new cervical tumors may eventually be reduced by as much as 97% in those areas where vaccination is introduced and maintained.

Treatment
Treatment depends on the stage of the cancer, the size and shape of the tumor, the age and general health of the woman, and her desire to have children in the future. Appropriate treatment also depends on accurate clinical staging. Preinvasive stages may be treated total excisional biopsy, cryosurgery or laser destruction. Invasive squamous cell carcinoma therapy may include hysterectomy and radiation therapy.

Internal radiation therapy uses a device filled with radioactive material, which is placed inside the woman's vagina next to the cervical cancer. Some of the drugs used for chemotherapy for cervical cancer include 5-FU, Cisplatin, Carboplatin, Ifosfamide, Paclitaxel, and Cyclophosphamide.

Thirty-five percent of patients with invasive disease have persistent or recurrent tumours after treatment. Recurrent cervical cancer detected at its earliest stages might be successfully treated with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of the three.

Survival
The chance of being alive in 5 years for cancer that has spread to the inside of the cervix walls but not outside the cervix area is 92%. However, the 5-year survival rate falls steadily as it spreads into other areas. Recently, the combined use of cisplatin and topotecan was shown to significantly improve survival compared with single-agent cisplatin. If you combine all the stages together, the five-year survival rate is about 73%.

As the cancer metastasizes to other parts of the body, prognosis drops dramatically because treatment of local lesions is generally more effective than whole body treatments such as chemotherapy.

About the Author:

Dick Aronson has a background of over 35 years in various facets of the Healthcare industry. He set up and ran clinical trials in more than 20 countries and he has also founded a number of small private health related businesses. Dick now runs a number of informative health websites Go to Health Innovations Online and Go to Cancer Information Online

Article Source:
http://www.freearticles.co.za/health/diseases-and-conditions/cancer/cervical-cancer-what-it-and-how-does-it-affect-me.html

Transmission of HPV Through Child Birth

Most do not think of sexually transmitted diseases when they consider children. Unhappily, our kids do experience harmful effects from adults who catch sexually transmitted diseases. For example, a child, through accidental contact with diseased tissue, could be exposed to the HPV, as in childbirth.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a cause of cancer of the cervix; it needs to be taken seriously by both those who are active sexually, and those who at risk for sexually transmitted diseases and are pregnant or may become pregnant.

Another rare disease caused by HPV infection Laryngeal papillomatosis. The 2 types of virus that are linked with this disease are HPV 6 and HPV 11. With this disease, growths or warts grow quickly and are varied in size; they can grow in number and size until affectively blocking the air passageway. It may become hard for a child to breathe when sleeping and difficulty in swallowing may also be experienced.

HPV is exceptionally contagious via skin-to-skin contact in addition to sexual contact. The one noticeable sign of infection is the appearance of genital warts, not all of which can be seen, especially in infected women. Warts will emerge within 3 months of HPV infection.

In pregnancy, the immune system is lowered, causing a pregnant woman to be more susceptible to viral infections such as HPV. This in turn causes genital warts during pregnancy to grow even quicker and larger.

If your baby should become infected with HPV during the passage through the vagina during delivery, there may appear genital warts or there may be warts on the throat which is known as laryngeal papillomatosis.

Laryngeal papillomatosis is a rare disease that is caused by HPV infection. The two types of virus that are associated with this disease are: HPV 6 and HPV 11. The growths or warts from this disease grow rapidly and vary in size. When they grow in number and size they may affectively block the air passageway. This makes it difficult for your child to breathe when sleeping and they can also experience difficulty in swallowing.

Two tests are available to establish whether your child is suffering from this disease or not. The first is called Indirect Laryngoscopy. This is an in-office procedure conducted by a speech pathologist or a family doctor. A small mirror is placed in the back of the throat to examine the larynx area.

The other test is Direct Laryngoscopy; this is performed in an operating room under general anesthesia. This lets the doctor view directly the vocal cord folds and supplementary parts of the larynx under high magnification. Tissue biopsy may also be taken during the procedure to identify the existence of HPV.

All of this can be avoided with the proper precautions, the most effective of which is inoculation with the HPV vaccine.

To learn about the stages of cervical cancer and cellular changes in HPV, visit http://www.Medopedia.com today.

Article Directory: http://www.ArticleSlash.net

The STD You Might Already Have And Don't Even Know It

You've probably heard of genital warts, right?

Sure, it’s not the typical lunch room conversation topic, but most of know the basics, like... it’s a sexually transmitted disease ...it’s embarrassing... and... we all hope we never get it!

Unfortunately few of us know the real facts. Facts like this: HPV (human papillomavirus) is the culprit, HPV can lead to Cervical Cancer, and 25 percent of women think that Pap tests prevent it.

But, contrary to what most websites (and even some doctors) would have you believe... it’s not all bad news. No, in fact, when you know ALL of the facts, HPV is not as scary as it might sound. The best news is that genital warts are very treatable and there have been major advancements in the medical world to treat the dreaded virus, not to mention ways to boost your own immune system to deal with it as much as possible.

Not All HPV types are Created Equal

There are literally hundreds of the human papillomavirus types, but only thirty of them are sexually transmitted. The other little troublemakers show up as warts on the hands, feet, eyeballs or other parts of the body when you come in contact with the skin of someone infected with the virus.

So what happens when you find out your partner is infected with the sexually ...and terribly embarrassing... form? Do you panic and wait for massive outbreaks in unspeakable regions? Interestingly enough, only about fifteen viruses will ever show up. Most can be fought off by your immune system, given enough time and provided you are a healthy person (also not smoking and staying out of stressful situations can help too.) In these situations, you might never see or be aware that you were ever infected.

But what about the fifteen remaining culprits? This is where you’ve got to be especially careful! In these cases, genital warts may crop up and should be treated while your body tries to fight off the virus. Not only do these HPV types cause trouble, they can lead to Cervical Cancer if left unchecked.

The Day You Discover You Have It Can Be A Nasty Surprise

HPV is more common than most people would ever guess. In fact, the chances are that at any rodeo, race track or other social event, there is an all out viral attack going on inside the jeans of three out of four people you see. White hair and a senior citizen status don’t nix the chances of infection, either. If you’ve reached your 50th birthday, you have a whopping 80% chance of having had the virus in your lifetime.

Why would a virus be so common that it’s perfectly normal for women in their teens and early 20s to test positive? Because the virus is spread just by touching infected skin. You know what that means? Intercourse isn’t necessarily the culprit and no, condoms don’t always do the trick. If you touch an infected penis or scrotum with your skin, bingo... you’ve got it.

Genital Warts – More Bark than Bite

Out of all the STD's you could possibly have, genital warts are probably the most tame. The worst part of it is probably the embarrassment factor, because these types rarely progress into anything serious or threaten fertility – unlike more serious STDs such as Chlamydia or Gonorrhea.

Within as little as one week to six months of contracting genital warts, you’ll notice the appearance of warts or clusters of warts – usually white or flesh colored. The sizes range from tiny little bumps to larger growths the size of a pea. Don’t freak out... these problematic growths usually don’t burn or bleed, but can sometimes itch.

It's important to remember that once you’ve discovered genital warts, your sex life is not forever in ruins and your life is not over. You just need some help. I've helped a lot of people from this point forward, but as far as your gynecologist or doctor goes, they can prescribe a cream, however many people have reported it to badly burn and a lot of times not work very well anyway. It's also fairly expensive, especially when you have to go back and get more of it next time. Another option they might suggest is getting the warts frozen or burnt off. Sometimes this works for people, but many report the warts returning within three to four months.

When it comes to genital warts, just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean that the virus isn’t busy at work. The only way to be sure that it’s safe to have unprotected sex is to have your gynecologist check with a special magnifying glass. After about two years of no new eruptions, you’ve probably kicked the virus.

When something like HPV is so easily spread, we expect that every gynecologist will test for it along with the yearly exam and PAP. Right? Wrong! Here’s the deal...

Almost ALL of us would have a positive HPV test should we be tested annually. But not all HPV viruses are worth even worrying about. They show no symptoms and our bodies beat them up and kick them out without us ever knowing it. So why have most of the women across America sweating it out for nothing?

Another reason? Who would guess that HMO’s would be concerned with the cost-effectiveness of the test? So until you turn 30, or have symptoms that concern you, don’t expect a test. Before 30, a PAP smear that checks the cervical cell is probably all you’ll need or get.

What happens at 30? HPV that is still hanging around and hasn’t been beaten by then could be cause for concern. At that point your gynecologist will want to watch closely to be sure cervical cells are not being affected, changing and become early stage cancer cells.

Cervical Cell Changes... Then What?

About 5 percent of the 55 million PAP tests performed each year come back ASCUS (indicating an undetermined abnormality). If this happens to you, don’t start an all out panic attack yet. The lab will retest the cell sample for HPV. If the results are negative, the abnormal PAP was due to an inflammation.

What if it’s not negative? The next step is a colposcopy, a procedure that let’s your doctor get a close up look at the cervical cells. If there’s nothing suspicious, a six month follow-up PAP will be scheduled. Any threatening looking cells will be sent off for a biopsy.

It gets scarier sounding by the moment, but even if you have cells sent for a biopsy the chances that you have anything to worry about are only 50/50. So keep your head on your shoulders and remember that most of the cases disappear on their own.

If after two years the cells haven’t cleared up, your gynecologist may want to get rid of them using a scalpel, laser treatment or an electric current.

An HSIL (high grade cervical change) result is more cause for concern than the ASCUS. This means that precancerous or cancerous cell changes have been noted. You can expect a colposcopy, a biopsy, and even immediate removal of the cancerous cells.

The Shot That Prevents HPV From Getting Out Of Control

In 2006 the FDA approved a shot (for women only) that is nearly 100 percent effective for the two types of HPV that are the culprits in 90 percent of genital wart outbreaks. Better yet, it also protects against two virus types that 70 percent of cervical cancer cases stem from.

Just three shots in a six month period can keep you HPV free. Who can get these shots? Females between the ages of 9 and 26. The shot is intended to protect females by immunizing them before they become sexually active.

That may be good for them, but... what about the rest of us?

Once you’ve reached 27, you’ve probably already been exposed to the virus. Some gynecologists argue that women over 26 may not have been exposed to all of the virus types the shot targets and would also benefit from it. The only drawback is that the effectiveness of the shot has not been tested on women over 27. Should your gynecologist suggest that you get it, regardless, you may want to consider both the pros and the cons.

Don’t throw away the condoms and safe sex rules! There are still cervical cancer causing types of the HPV that you aren’t protected from. A vaccine targeting these four types is expected to be introduced soon. And another thing to think about... the shots are so new that they don’t even know yet whether you’ll need a booster shot every five years to stay protected!

Safe is Best!

Did you know that for every partner you slide between the sheets with during a month, your chances of contracting HPV increase ten times? It pays to put the breaks on your sex life, if it means living longer.

Smoking too is a cause for concern for gynecologists who detect cervical abnormalities. Their advice to women is to QUIT. Yes, I know it’s easier said than done, but women who have HPV are 67 percent more likely to have cervical cell changes.

Here’s the easy one... eat more pink and red fruits. Dining on a succulent and divine watermelon or eating a fresh vine-ripe tomato isn’t hard to do. The great part is that while we’re enjoying the delicious taste lycopene, an antioxidant, is invading your body and fighting for you. In fact, eating these two foods can decrease long-term infections from cancer causing HPV types by a whopping 56 percent!

As for men and those of you who have already contracted the virus or are out of range to benefit from the vaccine, you CAN be helped. Check out my website for pictures and more information.

Sick and tired of all the scams and disinformation on the internet about successful genital warts treatment options, Greg Thompson has helped thousands overcome genital warts after his personal experience prompted him to write The Genital Warts Report and create a website of the same name at http://www.GenitalWartsReport.com

Article Directory: http://www.ArticleSlash.net

Setting the HPV Record Straight

You've probably seen Digene's new ad for their HPV test with the tagline, “take the test, not the risk." I'm flabbergasted that this commercial hasn't been taken off the air, for it completely misrepresents what the test is meant for. The commercial clearly makes the implication that the life of Jodi, “whose story every woman should hear" was saved because her positive HPV test allowed her doctor to catch her disease before it became cancer. THIS IS COMPLETELY FALSE. A positive test is only useful if your pap smear is equivocal.

Otherwise, a negative test along with a normal pap smear can reassure you that your cervix is fine and doesn't need to be checked on again for three years (instead of the standard 1 year).

The reason they don't recommend the test for women under 30 is because around 60% of sexually active women in the under 30 age range are positive for a high risk strain of the HPV virus anyway. We want those women to come back yearly for their paps regardless of what Digene says about their HPV status. Jodi's pap was normal, but she was HPV positive.

All this means is that she had a normal pap smear and an unnecessary test and would have to come back again the following year for another pap smear - which, apparently, “showed that she had cervical disease." But, if she'd never taken the test, her doctor would have told her to come back in a year for another pap smear ANYWAY. Therefore, Jodi, “whose story every woman should hear" is exactly the person for whom the HPV test is of no value whatsoever!

Take home message = please help do your part to help in not contributing to the high cost of healthcare by not asking your doctor for an unnecessary test unless you are a) over 30 and b) are not engaged in any high risk behavior. Second take home message = please don't engage in any high risk behavior.

Article Directory: http://www.ArticleSlash.net

Vaccinate to Protect Against HPV

Several issues about the vaccine remain to be addressed. It will be important to confirm that the strong safety profile remains intact as more individuals receive the vaccine. It remains to be determined how long the high level of type-specific protection is maintained, as this issue will have implications for whether and when booster injections might be advisable and will also contribute to the cost-effectiveness of the vaccine.

A substantial degree of cross-protection could increase the potential impact of the vaccine by further reducing the incidence of serious genital HPV infections and by reducing the number of abnormal Pap tests and the cost of their follow-up. On the other hand, protection against heterologous HPV types is likely to wane more quickly than that against the HPV types specifically targeted by the vaccine, which could also have implications for boosting.

Another unanswered question is whether vaccination might alter the natural history of prevalent HPV infection by reducing the incidence of persistent infection or cytological abnormalities. The large vaccine trials may have a sufficient number of prevalent infections attributable to the HPV types in the vaccine to address this question.

If such a “therapeutic effect” were seen, it could provide an added rationale to vaccinate sexually active women who might have prevalent infection with one of the types in the vaccine. The most likely explanation for such an effect would be that the vaccine had reduced the efficiency of transmission of an early infection from one genital site to other genital sites, presumably via specific antibodies in the genital tract.

It is also possible that the vaccine could have direct therapeutic effects against established lesions. However, this possibility seems less likely, as persistent infection is usually attributed to the presence of the viral genome in long-lived basal epithelial cells, which do not express L1. The experimental evidence also does not support this possibility.

A key question will be whom to vaccinate. In the United States, the main national advisory committee will be the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Until there are data that show the vaccine is protective in men, it would seem most logical to focus public health efforts primarily on vaccinating women.

If the principal activity of the vaccine is the prevention of incident HPV infection, the greatest reduction in the number of infections would likely result from immunizing girls or women before they become sexually active. In the United States, this consideration would imply that pre- or young adolescent girls would be prime candidates for the vaccine.

Of course, older girls and women with no prior sexual exposure should also achieve maximum benefit from the vaccine, which implies that “catch-up” vaccination for these groups should be seriously considered. Giving the vaccine to women who have had some prior sexual activity could also reduce their number of infections, although their degree of benefit from the vaccine would probably be inversely related to their degree of prior sexual activity.

Most pharmacology efforts now focus on developing a vaccine to inoculate the population in order to stop the HPV virus from infecting the system. This is ideal for the pharmaceutical companies as it would of course reap a monetary windfall of epic proportions for the drug companies, but not useful at all for those already affected with warts. Most doctors use cauterization or freezing as a first option to cure genital warts.

Unfortunately, success achieved with this method is often temporary and the warts soon reappear. HPVCurative is a new, highly effective and potent way to cure genital warts. It is valued for its role in the realm of genital warts cures, and has provided total clearance of the infection time after time.

It contains certified organic medicinal plant extracts and antiviral essential oils, which have demonstrated the ability to act as an HPV cure in laboratory tests. Users of HPVCurative experience rapid elimination of genital warts without scarring or recurrence. The treatment is painless and provides superb results when compare to other HPV cures.

It eliminates genital warts and restores skin tissue to the state it was in prior to the infection. Since the treatment can effectively remove genital warts and wart-like substances on the genitals, acid or surgical HPV cures may soon become a thing of the past. To learn more, please go to http://www.bcured.net. 

bcured - About the Author:

staff of Nature Power Company, which is a network company dedicated to promoting customers' websites and developing softwares. You can go to the following websites to learn more about our natural organic products. http://www.bcured.net  http://www.naturespharma.org

Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/vaccinate-to-protect-hpv-1615650.html

HPV Vaccine and side effects

A group of British teenagers has launched the first legal action in the U.K. against the makers of cervical cancer vaccine, Cervarix. They have suffered symptoms ranging from paralysis and ­seizures to fatigue and muscle aches since being given the vaccine. But a growing number of parents and medical experts believe the vaccine may have alarming side effects.

A spokeswoman for GlaxoSmith-Kline, which makes Cervarix, said: “Cervarix had to undergo rigorous testing with large numbers of people in numerous clinical studies.” She said more than 70,000 doses of the firm’s vaccine had been given in trials and recipients had been monitored for more than six years. Clinical studies had shown Cervarix was “generally well tolerated”. Critics say its sister vaccine Gardasil, used in the US for nearly three years, is linked to almost 12,000 reactions including 32 deaths, paralysis, seizures, blood clots, heart ­attacks, sight problems and blackouts.

With any type of mass immunization there will always be some vaccine reactions the question as I see it is whether there are significantly more reactions than expected or projected. In the U.S. those with injuries can file lawsuits but they can also go through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The link takes you to a much more thorough website than you would expect and gives all the information needed to file a claim.

It makes me wonder though, How high would the risk of side effect have to be to keep you from receiving a vaccine that could prevent a recurrence of your cancer?

Kate Burton - About the Author:

Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/hpv-vaccine-and-side-effects-892200.html

Month of January Dubbed as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

We were browsing the web searching for some informative articles on just how dangerous HPV can be in women, and indeed, we find yet again some rather startling truths. There are thousands of women that die in the US each year due to cervical cancer that is caused by the HPV virus. With these shocking numbers revealed, we also found out another interesting thing: the National Cervical Cancer Coalition has dubbed the month of January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, as they try to educate women around the world of the dangers of having HPV.

Even more interesting is this related article that we found that was published on January 5, 2010 in the Baltimore Sun, entitled, “January is Cervical Health Awareness Month.”

The article cites,

“National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) launches campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) cancer menace.

Cervical Cancer is the only cancer known to be exclusively caused by a common virus, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Nearly 4,000 women in America die of cervical cancer every year. An estimated 11,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States during 2010.

Recent research indicates that high-risk HPVs also cause some cases of cancers of the mouth, head and neck in men and women. Other than persons practicing lifelong abstinence, most women, and men, acquire an HPV infection during their lifetimes. Fortunately, most HPV infections are benign and disappear spontaneously. Some, however, do not go away and if persistent for many years, and even decades, may cause cancers.

Early detection of these precancers can be effectively treated before they become cancer. Regular gynecological Pap tests detect most cell changes due to HPV long before they progress to cervical cancer. New guidelines continue to recommend regular screening. Cervical cytology screening is recommended for women every two years beginning at age 21.

The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) founded in 1996, is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to serving women with, or at risk for, cervical cancer and HPV disease (www.nccc-online.org).”

(Source: Internet, 2010; http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/women/sns-health-cervical-awareness-month,0,5953980.story.)

If you think that you have signs and symptoms of HPV, such as warts, genital warts or anal warts, then don’t delay. Seek a medical doctor right away! You may also want to look into taking daily supplements that provide a natural remedy for HPV to better help fight off this virus.

New Guidelines for Pap Smears Released for Women

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has released some important 2010 guidelines for Pap Smears that we all think you should be aware of—especially since the HPV virus can lead to cervical cancer in women, and getting regular pap smears is crucial to preventing cervical cancer. To better help you stay informed about this we have cited, directly from their website (http://www.acog.org/) their guidelines.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2010 Guidelines for Pap Smears, as cited from their website:

•The new guidelines state that all Pap smears can begin at age 21. This is a subtle change from the previous recommendation, which had screening begin by age 21 or one to three years after the onset of sexual activity. The change represents the low incidence of cancer in youths. Abnormal Pap smears and cervical dysplasia do occur in the adolescent. All sexually active adolescents should still have an appointment with a pediatrician or gynecologist to be screened for sexually transmitted diseases and have safe sex counseling and discussion about contraception.

•Cytology screening should be performed every two years for women ages 21-29 under the new guidelines. For women 30 and older, the Pap smear might be performed every three years if there are three consecutive normal Pap smears. These recommendations don't apply to high-risk women such as those who are HIV-positive or immunosuppressed. Despite these recommendations for the cervical cytology screening, there are still many reasons an annual exam should occur. Often during the annual exam, other health issues are addressed.

•The screening may cease at ither age 65 or 70 if there are three or more normal Pap smears leading up to that age, and no abnormal Pap in the past 10 years. For women who have had a hysterectomy for benign disease, the Pap smear may cease if there is no previous history of cervical dysplasia. This group of patients needs to have a discussion with their doctor. Many women have had hysterectomies but the cervix is still present. For those individuals, Pap smears would continue to at least age 65 to 70.

•There are several high risk factors associated with cervical cancer. The first is lack of screening - in 50 percent of cervical cancer cases, cytology screening has never been done. In another 10 percent of cases, screening had not been done for five years before diagnosis. Other risk factors include human papillomavirus infection, smoking, early onset of sexual activity, multiple sexual partners and being HIV positive.

If you do find out that you have had an abnormal pap smear and you are infected with HPV, consider some all natural solutions for treating HPV.

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Private Places: All About Genital Warts

Genital warts are very friendly and spread easily - in fact, it's estimated that if you have sexual contact just once with someone who has them, there's a 60 percent chance you'll get them yourself. Because of this, they are the most common sexually-transmitted disease caused by a virus that we know of - but are also relatively easy to treat in most cases. However, preventions is always better than cure...

A Warty Issue

Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), and can appear on both men and women. More than 30 different types of the nasty buggers can cause warts on our genitals, although there are 100 types of HPV warts in all. Some types of HPV warts show up on our hands and feet - Plantar's warts are the most common example - which most people would find preferable than on the penis or vagina!

In men, genital warts show up on or near the penis, anus and/or scrotum. In women, they appear on the vagina, vulva, cervix and anus. Usually they appear as little growths or tiny bumps that can be slightly raised, flat, reddish or flesh-colored - although occasionally they get quite noticeable and big. One problem is that they often don't appear at all - they can be so small that only a doctor scan see them with a microscope, and can cause no symptoms whatsoever.

Warts are passed on by sexual contact, and if you contract them it may take up to several months, and in some cases years, for them to appear. That means you can easily spread them to other people, as you may have no idea you have them yourself. Sometimes they go away without treatment, sometimes they don't. And they can lie dormant and reappear again - thus causing infection to others.

Why Worry?

You might wonder why we worry about these tiny warts, if they are often virtually invisible and cause no itching, burning, pain or discomfort (although in rare cases they do). The reason is because in women, HPV can cause cervical cancer. They cause problems with the cervix, or neck of the womb, so women who have had sex should have regular cervical smear tests to rule out HPV. In even more rare cases, HPV can also cause cancer of the penis, vulva, vagina and anus, as it causes abnormal cell changes which you may not notice for a long time.

Genital warts can also cause problems during pregnancy. They can get bigger and obstruct the birth canal, or bleed as the baby passes through it. Rarely, a baby can develop warts in the throat as they are being born. The vast majority of babies, however, are not affected, although some doctors prefer to either get rid of the warts if a woman is pregnant (see below) or deliver the baby through a C-section.

It is estimated that about half of all sexually active people are infected with the virus that causes genital warts, although not all of us actually develop the warts themselves. However, the US government has invented a female vaccine that can prevent against some strains of HPV - 6 and 11. That means it is effective only for females who have not come into contact with the virus, meaning girls who have not yet become sexually active. That's why so many girls get the vaccine at age 11 - 12, to protect them in later life. There is currently no vaccine available for men, although it is being investigated at the present time.

Prevention Better Than Cure

Genital warts, also known as venereal warts, can be burned off, cauterized, frozen off or made to disappear with laser therapy or surgery, but as they can lie dormant in the body there is no guarantee that they will not reappear at a later date. The best way to avoid getting them is to have the vaccine early, and to not have unprotected sex (the vaccine does not protect against all strains of HPV, nor does it protect against other STDs. That's what a condom is for, dum-dum).

Using a latex condom EVERY TIME you have vaginal or anal sex is important to protect yourself against a variety of annoying and/or potentially fatal sexually-transmitted diseases and infections, including HPV. But be aware that any type of close genital contact can spread warts, not just intercourse.

If you believe your or your partner may have genital warts, it's important to have a medical professional see you and sort it out. While some of the removal processes are not altogether pleasant, it's vital to get rid of those tiny little menaces. Women should also have regular Pap smear tests, and it's recommended that pre-adolescent girls get the HPV vaccine, although it does not protect against all strains of HPV. People who are HIV-positive should also pay attention to warts which can pose a bigger health risk, as well as gay men, who are more at risk of developing penile and anal cancers.

Keep in mind that if you allow genital warts to go untreated, not only will you run the risk of infecting others, but you are also doing yourself more harm. They become more persistent and aggressive the longer they are allowed to grow, and can result in cauliflower-like clusters on the body, which can be painful and unpleasant. So get yourself treated - before they grow bigger! And always use a condom....

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care an appropriate health care provider.

Yodle - About the Author:

Sarah Matthews is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a dermatologist or more skin care articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. Private Places: All About Genital Warts

Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/private-places-all-about-genital-warts-1141036.html