Most people with HPV don’t have any symptoms or health problems. Sometimes HPV can cause genital warts. Some types of HPV can cause cancer.
High-risk HPV doesn’t
have symptoms
Unfortunately,
most people who have a high-risk type of HPV will never show any signs of the infection
until it’s already caused serious health problems. That’s why regular checkups
are so important. In many cases, cervical cancer can be prevented by finding
abnormal cell changes that, if left untreated, could develop into cancer.
A Pap test can detect
these abnormal cells in your cervix. A Pap test doesn’t directly test for cancer,
or even HPV, but it can discover abnormal cell changes that are likely caused
by HPV. These problem areas can be monitored by your nurse or doctor and treated before
turning into something more serious.
There
isn’t a test for high-risk HPV in the vulva, penis, anus, or throat, and the
HPV itself doesn’t have any symptoms. If it becomes cancer, then there may be
some symptoms.
Penile cancer — cancer of the penis — might show symptoms like changes
in color or thickness of the skin of your penis, or a painful sore might show
up on your penis.
Anal cancer might cause anal bleeding, pain, itching, or discharge, or
changes in bowel habits.
Vulvar cancer — cancer of the vulva — might show symptoms like
changes in color/thickness of the skin of your vulva. There may be chronic
pain, itching, or there may be a lump.
Throat cancer might cause a sore throat, ear pain that doesn’t go away,
constant coughing, pain or trouble swallowing or breathing, weight loss, or a
lump or mass in your neck.
If
you develop any of these symptoms, see a doctor right away.
1 comments
I didn't know all all the symptoms of HPV. This was very helpful information. I will have to pass this along to my peers so they have this knowledge.
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