Most of the women infected with HPV don't develop any symptoms. It is so as the immune system neutralizes any of the infections caused by HPV. When the virus gets the chance to develop the symptoms, women witness the warts in the infected areas.
The appearance of HPV warts can vary depending on the HPV virus you are infected with. The most common types of warts you might develop include planter, common, flat, and genital warts. But remember that the warts could also be the signs of other skin diseases. Therefore, for confirmation, you must visit a doctor.
The HPV virus causing the warts is low-risk and will not develop into cancer. But the warts can be irritating or can make you uncomfortable. The high-risk HPV virus doesn't show any signs and might cause cancer. The other thing you need to be concerned about is that you can transfer the HPV to other people. Therefore, you must take the screening test and continue the medication per your doctor's recommendations!
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Which Are The HPV Symptoms All Women Should Be Aware Of?
There are hundreds plus stains of human papillomavirus, and thousands of people get infected from the virus annually. The virus is transmitted from person to person so quickly and easily. On top of that, one can have this virus without knowing, as HPV is harmless and may not show any symptoms. The virus can affect any of your body parts—for instance, about 40 types of this virus: mouth, throat, and genitals.
Below are the HPV symptoms in females any of you infected with HPV might ever witness:
Symptoms Of Low-Risk HPV
Most of the HPV infections do not show any symptoms. The patient's immune system is strong enough and neutralizes the effects of infection. But, if the virus presents any symptoms, they are usually the warts in the infected area for low-risk HPV.
Warts are the growths in the mucous or on the skin. The appearance of the growths or warts varies depending on the virus you are infected with. The following are the warts the patient might develop:
Common warts
The rough and raised bumps on the fingers or hands are the common warts. These warts are not only painful but can make the patients uncomfortable. Due to their fragile nature, they are at risk of injury or bleeding. If you encounter injuries, it makes you more susceptible to bacterial infections. It is a common sign of HPV in women.
Genital Warts
The genital warts are fleshy and soft; they often look like cauliflower. These warts are caused by HPV type 6 and 11 and are harmless as they don't cause pain. Also, the warts will never make the patient uncomfortable. But, sometimes, the warts might feel a little itchy.
Flat Warts
The slightly raised growths with flat tops are known as the flat warts. These warts can appear on any body part but are most commonly found on the legs in females.
Planter Warts
If the warts appear on the balls of the feet or heels, that is the planter warts. These are a little harder and painful as you walk on them.
Symptoms of High-Risk HPV
High-risk HPV can increase the chance of developing cancer in the patients. Well, it does not mean that all the high-risk HPV will develop into cancer, but there is a chance for cancer development. The high-risk HPV does not show signs or symptoms until it reaches a severe condition.
The most common symptoms of HPV cancer include:
- Throat cancer can appear, and patients can suffer from constant coughing, ear pain, neck lumps, or trouble swallowing.
- Patients can feel pain in the vulva or a change in skin color or cells around the vulva, which indicates the development of vulvar cancer.
- The pain, itching, or bleeding in the anus is a sign of anal cancer, the third symptom of high-risk HPV.
- Cervical cancer is the major sign a woman suffering from HPV will witness. In the early stages, the patient does not feel any pain or doesn't witness any sign, but later on may feel pain.
Impact Of HPV On The Health Of Females
HPV is very common, and about 80% of females may get infected by this virus without knowing. Only half of the infections caused by the virus are health-threatening. The patient's immune system controls the virus, but in rare cases, the virus can convert the infection into cancer.
The high-risk HPV causes the cancer (3%) in females. Therefore, the major and most common cause of cervical cancer in females is HPV. HPV 16 and 18 cause cancers (70%) and precancerous lesions.
Treatment And Prevention Of HPV In Women
The virus leaves the patient's body on its own for two years. Also, the body's natural defense system destroys the virus and neutralizes all its symptoms. Even if the patient develops the warts, they are easily removed by surgical procedures or medication.
As for the high-risk HPV, the virus causes cancer, which can be controlled and treated via regular screening. It is because the virus takes about 20 years to develop cancer from the day it infects the patient. Therefore, during that time, the patient can easily get diagnosed and get the medication before the cancer reaches a serious stage. So, the females aged 25 to 64 must go for regular screening.
Conclusion:
The low-risk HPV causes warts around different body parts, most commonly around the genital parts. If high-risk HPV infects you, you might develop cancer. Unfortunately, the high-risk HPV don't show any warning sign, and you may come to know about cancer at the last stage.
So, saying that HPV usually doesn't show signs would not be wrong. The virus is removed from the body within two years; you may never know about it. But, the chance of transfer of HPV is always there. Therefore, you must undergo screening tests to get the medication per your needs.
