HPV
Worried you may have an STD? Book an appointment for low-cost STD testing at an Obria Medical Clinic near you.
It’s important to look out for your own well-being, and that includes getting tested for STDs. It’s better to know for sure so you can take care of yourself and your partner(s), and most STDs are treatable. It’s the responsible and caring thing to do. So, take control of your health and schedule that test – it’s a simple step towards a healthier you and safer relationship.
What is HPV (Human Papillomavirus)?
Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States. More than 50% of sexually active people will contract genital HPV at some point in their lives, and some will never know due to the lack of symptoms of HPV. There are more than 40 types of this disease that can infect the genital areas, mouth, and throat. Being asymptomatic, many individuals infected with this virus are not aware they have an STD. Left undiagnosed, HPV can eventually cause a variety of cancers (like oral, cervical, and penile).
How does HPV spread?
HPV is most spread through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex, but it is also passed through oral sex. However, you do not need to have intercourse to contract the disease; it can be contracted through direct skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the infection.
A person can still have human papilloma virus years after he or she had sexual contact with an infected person, and because there are often no symptoms of HPV, most infected persons do not know they are infected or that they are passing the virus on to their partner.
It is rare for HPV to spread from pregnant mothers to infants, but it is possible.
A pregnant woman HPV can pass the virus to her baby during delivery. In these cases, the infant can develop Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP); this is a rare condition in which warts can grow in the baby’s throat. If you are pregnant and suspect you may have HPV, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider to discuss.
Is HPV treatable?
There is no treatment for HPV outside of the human papilloma virus vaccine, but there are treatments for the health problems that HPV may cause such as:
Visible Genital Warts
Warts can be removed by the patient him or herself with prescribed medications. They can also be treated by a health care provider. Some people choose not to treat warts, but instead wait to see if they disappear on their own, though no one treatment is better than any other.
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is most treatable when diagnosed and treated early. Women who get routine Pap tests and follow up as needed can identify problems before cancer develops.
Is there a test for HPV?
There is no approved test for men or women to verify their status,” nor is there an official diagnosis for HPV infections on genitals or in the mouth or throat.
In women, the closest proxy for HPV testing is by screening for cervical cancer via Pap Smear. You can prevent cervical cancer by getting regular Well-Woman exams and following up as recommended by your doctor. Pap Smears can detect cell changes on the cervix caused by HPV. In these cases, you can receive treatment before it develops into cancer.
Worried about HPV? Book a Well-Woman exam today.
While there is no official HPV test, regular Pap Smears can monitor for changes to cervical cells caused by HPV and are used to prevent cervical cancer. Book a Well-Woman at an Obria clinic near you today!
What if I have an abnormal pap smear?
If your pap smear returns abnormal results, your doctor will perform a Colposcopy, a procedure where the doctor uses a lighted magnifying device to look at your cervix and take a biopsy. This allows you to monitor any problems with the health of your cervix. You may need to be examined every three to six months until your doctor determines all the infected tissue is removed or has gone away on its own.
If your doctor feels further treatment for HPV is necessary, one of the following procedures may be performed to remove suspicious tissue.
- LEEP – Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure – a procedure where a thin, low-voltage electrified wire loop is used to cut out the abnormal tissue. The intent is to remove the abnormal cells and therefore the infection.
- Cryotherapy – The doctor will freeze the abnormal cells with liquid carbon dioxide, which will destroy them. It is not effective if the abnormal cells are high in the cervical canal.
- Cone Biopsy or Conization – Similar to a cervical biopsy, but a larger cone-shaped wedge of tissue is removed from the cervix and examined under a microscope. The tissue is removed with a scalpel, a carbon dioxide laser or a LEEP. The intent is to remove all the affected tissue.
Take control of your reproductive health by receiving your HPV vaccinations and getting annual pap smears.
If you believe you might have contracted HPV, please schedule a Well-Woman Exam appointment at an Obria Medical Clinic near you. During the exam, a pap smear will be performed to help screen for HPV.
Currently, our Well-Woman Exams are for women between the ages of 21 and 49. We are happy to give an outside referral if we are unable to provide you with a Well-Woman Exam.
Call your local Obria Medical Clinic to get informed about HPV or to schedule an appointment. If you intend to self-test, please note that the HPV tests on the market are only used to help screen women at certain ages and with certain Pap test findings, for cervical cancer, and may not properly screen for the disease across all ages
Worried you may have an STD? Book an appointment for STD testing or treatment today.
It is important to take control of your health and prevent the spread of diseases. If you believe you may have HPV, please schedule an appointment for a Well-Woman exam at an Obria Medical Clinic near you to screen for cervical abnormalities caused by HPV.