Human Papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, is one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases. HPV usually exists in low-risk strains and high-risk strains. Low-risk strains are harmless and tend to clear with time, while high-risk strains include HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 are known to cause cancer. Research shows that most people who have engaged in sexual intercourse must have contracted the virus at some point. But worry not. Screening, vaccinations, and management services are available at Orlando HPV.
How is HPV transmitted?
HPV is transmitted through contact, especially during sexual intercourse with an infected person. The nature of this virus is that it does not matter whether you have had sex with one partner or multiple partners. Skin-to-skin contact and touching during sex transmit the virus from an infected person to a healthy person.
Beware, HPV Has No Symptoms!
If you have HPV, you will not experience any signs and symptoms. If you get infected today, it takes years for symptoms to manifest. Furthermore, some of the low-risk HPV viruses clear out after some time, and as such, without undergoing screening and testing, one will go for years without ever knowing that they were infected. The danger of the absence of symptoms is that a person can contact high-risk HPV and develop cervical cancer. If that person does not go for regular screening and testing, cancer will progress to become a life-threatening condition.
Testing for HPV
During a reproductive wellness clinic or regular screening clinic, a woman can undergo screening and testing for HPV. The Obstetrician-Gynecologist will request the lady to get tested for the different strains of HPV by taking swabs of cells from the cervix. A woman undergoes a Pap smear screening in instances where the Obstetrician-Gynecologist wants to test for cell abnormalities caused by the onset of cervical cancer. Every woman should undergo screening and testing for HPV as a preventative measure.
The Obstetrician-Gynecologist can also recommend a colposcopy, a screening procedure that involves an examination of cervical tissue using a lighted magnifying device. If the Obstetrician-Gynecologist discovers there are abnormal tissues, she will advise you to consent to a biopsy.
Some strains of HPV also cause genital warts. Genital warts are small bumps in the genital area. They appear in different shapes and sizes, and the Obstetrician-Gynecologists will establish whether you suffer from genital warts by examining the genital region.
The following groups of people should undergo regular screening for HPV;
- Sexually active women
- Women living with HIV
- Women from 30 years
With HPV Prevention Is Better Than Cure
As we all know, viruses such as HPV are challenging to treat because they integrate themselves into the human DNA, making it difficult to treat them without damaging the DNA. Thus the only solution is to prevent the infection by using the vaccine. The HPV vaccine contains explicitly high-risk strains which cause genital warts and cervical cancer. Thus if you are a woman between 9 and 45 years get vaccinated because preventing HPV is better than curing it because there is no cure.
Since HPV requires regular screening and testing for better management, the specialized team of medical professionals at Contemporary Women’s Care provides the mentioned services to many women within Florida. The benefits are conveniently available because the facility has a Winter Park and Lake Nona branch. Book an appointment now for all HPV-related issues.
