What are HPV Symptoms?

How do you know if you have HPV? Sometimes that isn't an easy answer. What are HPV symptoms and HPV treatments?

What is HPV? It is Human Papilloma Virus. A virus that is transmitted by sexual contact.

Sadly, many times there are NO symptoms, especially in males. People can be carriers of HPV and never know it. Women may be infected for many months before signs or symptoms appear.

Here are some of the virus' symptoms to consider. Be sure and talk to your doctor if you think you might have the following:

• raised, bumpy lesions on the genitals or anus

• genital warts that itch

• bleeding from a "skin tag"

• abnormal pap smear (further discussed here.)

In order to diagnose HPV, the doctor needs to biopsy the genital lesion or do HPV DNA testing usually from a pap smear.

What are HPV Treatments?

Genital warts and HPV can be treated several different ways. No one way has proven better than another, therefore I leave it up to the patient's preference:

1. Small warts may resolve without any treatment.

2. Patient applies a prescription cream.

3. Physician administered treatments:

This includes freezing, surgical removal, laser, or chemical coagulation.

Be Diligent

Recurrence is always a possibility, so sometimes combining treatments may be best if warts re-appear.

Prevention of HPV with the HPV vaccine is discussed here.

If you notice genital warts, it is always best to get them treated when they are small.

Mutiple treatments are occsaionally necessary to clear large volumes of warts.