Health Digest Daily » Genital Warts

Fighting genital warts

Sunny — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:04 +0000

Genital warts can be an embarrassing problem. Physically manifesting themselves as cauliflower-textured bumps occurring in and around the genital area, genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease that is rarely talked about or discussed. In this article, we'll discuss what you can do if you come down with genital warts to better help your body to fight off the disease.

When people think of genital warts, they often think of a condition that will stick with them for life. However, if you employ the proper methods of treatment for the disease, you can cause it to go into remission to such a degree that your body will naturally rid itself of the problem. While there are several different methods that doctors use to get rid of genital warts, there are certain things that you can do on your own in order to help your body fight the disease.

Getting rid of a genital warts issue is largely a responsibility undertaken by the body's immune system. When the body can successfully fight off the disease, it will no longer be a problem. The first step in helping your body to rid itself of the infection is to get rid of any warts that are already present. This can be done by a doctor, who may employ such methods as cryotherapy to freeze the warts off or surgery to clip the warts away from the body. Since the warts are largely the stronghold of the disease, getting rid of them is tantamount to curing the disease.

After the warts are gone from your body physically, one of the best things that you can do is to boost your immune system in any way that you can. One great way of doing that is to maintain a healthy diet that is rich in foods that contain the vitamins and minerals that the body requires to function properly. Many take supplements such as tea tree oil, Echinacea, and Vitamin C in order to boost their immune function. Also, high levels of exercise are encouraged in order to get your body into the best working shape that it can be in. Be cautioned when looking for wart cures at the store, however; you shouldn't use normal wart treatment for the treatment of genital warts. Salicylic acid is commonly used to treat normal warts, and some believe that it would help their genital wart condition, but they could be no more wrong.

Using home cures such as salicylic acid can only damage your body. If you believe that you have genital warts, one of the most important things that you can do for your health is to visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis for your problem. While home cures may seem to be a little less scary since you don't want to have to admit your problem to someone, the only guaranteed method of properly diagnosing the disease is to speak to a doctor. With proper treatment, diet, and exercise, the disease may go into remission and eventually disappear altogether within a few years. Practice safe sex, and get a proper medical consultation if you deem it necessary.

The controversy surrounding HPV vaccine

Sunny — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:15:05 +0000

There's a new medical treatment in the works that may prove to be effective in preventing a host of cases of cervical cancer across the world. It would save numerous lives and cause the emotions of many to be effectively lifted from a stressor that has plagued generation after generation of humanity. But there is some political controversy being undertaken about this new vaccine. In this article, we'll give you a basic idea of the genital wart vaccine that is currently developed and the roadblocks that it is facing in the present.

Known as Gardasil, the new vaccine that has been developed proves to decrease the rate of genital wart infection across the world. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a subset of the Center for Disease Control has voted unanimously regarding the fact that this new vaccine should be administered to young women between the ages of 11 and 12. Since genital warts can lead to the development of cervical cancer in women, there's no wonder that a vaccine has been created to curb this deadly problem. While the genital warts themselves are largely harmless, this greater problem is causing much dismay to females around the world. So a vaccine to prevent this disease from occurring should be heralded as a godsend. That's not to say that the vaccine does not have its detractors, however. Conservative groups across America have been condemning the idea of making this vaccine mandatory.

They do this on moral grounds, stating that by giving our children less risks regarding having sex, we are giving them more of an incentive to engage in risky behavior. While the standpoint is held by a minority, their influence may still have a profound effect on the women of the world. Since the guidelines for mandatory vaccines are set on a state-by-state basis, there is a chance that the vaccine may not be made mandatory in some states across the nation. And the problem doesn't stop there. In order to vaccinate someone under the age of 18, doctors need to have the express permission of the child's parents or caretaker. In right-winged conservative families, the attitude of 'abstaining from sex until marriage' may cause these girls to be disallowed from getting the vaccine.

While the controversy is one with two sides, it's clear that genital warts infections are a problem across the United States and elsewhere that could be solved with a simple new method. All religious beliefs and moral guidelines aside, the problem is one that we must face united as a nation. To make the vaccine mandatory for some while laying others by the wayside only puts those not vaccinated at a disadvantage. The refusal of medical treatment on a moral ground is one that is foolhardy to those who care for and respect the health and well-being of their children. While everyone has the right to their own opinion, genital warts is a problem that we've been faced with for centuries, and it's one that we finally have the opportunity to solve. All that it takes is a full understanding and a bit of responsibility on the part of parents across the world.

Treating Genital Warts

Sunny — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 01:00:08 +0000

Genital Warts are caused by a sexually transmitted disease that is known as the Human Papilloma Virus. Known by the acronym HPV, the disease is spread through sexual contact. There are actually over one hundred different types of the human papilloma virus, and warts that occur on the hands are caused by a different type of HPV then genital warts. In the case of genital warts, one may end up growing warts on both the genital area and the anal area. These warts are a growth that sticks up from the normal smoothness of the skin and is commonly referenced by the cauliflower-like texture of the tops of the warts. The warts can be passed on through simple skin contact, but one may contract them by simply doing something such as sharing the same towel that a person with genital warts has previously used. The warts are largely harmless, but in women, they are known to cause an increased chance of developing cervical cancer. For that reason, women with sexual exposure should participate in 'pap' smears at least once per year, with pap standing for papilloma. In this article, we'll inform you about what you can do if you should come down with genital warts.

There are several treatment options available when you find out that you have genital warts. The warts will often disappear without any treatment, but they may not go away for months, or even years. To that end, if you wish to solve the problem in a quicker way, there are a few treatments that you can consider. While warts that occur in different parts of the body can often be treated by over-the-counter drugs and home remedies, your best bet in curing genital warts is to speak to your doctor for a more medical option.

Liquid nitrogen has long been used to help remove genital warts. Liquid nitrogen is a chemical that is used in a process known as cryotherapy in which the warts are frozen, causing them to die off and dissipate. You may need to visit the doctor several times in order for cryotherapy to completely remove the presence of warts in your genital area. There are also several different types of chemical treatments that are commonly employed to remove genital warts. Among these options are podophyllin and tricholoroacetic acid, which doctors can apply and work by dissolving the warts, as well as imiquimod cream, podofilox solution, and fluorouracil cream, which are some at-home treatments that you can apply.

Another surgical option which can be used to remove genital warts is known as LEEP. Standing for loop electrosurgical excision procedure, this surgery is performed by a doctor, and is performed by cutting the wart away from the skin using a loop-shaped device. If your genital warts are large, doctors may ask that you perform a CO2 laser surgery to completely cut out the warts.

When none of the above methods are working for ridding your body of genital warts, interferon injections are often employed. Interferon is a chemical that is actually created by the body to help stave off infections, and for that reason, an excess supply of interferon can work wonders in helping the body to fight off warts. Interferon injections often occur twice a week for up to eight weeks.

New genital warts ointment

Sunny — Sun, 27 May 2007 07:30:10 +0000

When it comes to treating genital warts, there are several methods available that doctors may employ. However, there doesn't appear to be one type of treatment for genital warts to effectively treat every person that comes down with the disease. In the fight against genital warts, doctors have been performing plenty of research noting possible new treatments for the disease. In this article, we'll take a look at a new treatment that is being developed to give doctors another option when it comes to helping patients with genital warts.

Known as Polyphenon E, this new type of ointment was created by a bio-tech company known as MediGene AG, with the A-G part of the name representing the two countries involved in the research – America and Germany. Based in Frankfurt, the phase 3 trial of testing the drugs has already been completed, and MediGene couldn't be happier about the results. The trial was conducted with over 500 patients that had genital warts who were in 48 different hospitals in 7 different countries. The studying method that was employed for the test was double-blind, meaning that neither the physicians that were applying the treatment nor the patients that were receiving the treatment had absolutely no idea if they were getting the real Polyphenon E or a placebo.

This type of study helps to eliminate the possibility of the placebo effect, in which a patient merely believes that a treatment is working, and through that, they feel better. In the test, the Polyphenon E ointment was applied three times daily for up to sixteen weeks if necessary. The ointment itself is actually made of an extract that is found in the leaves that make up green tea. After the phase 3 test was complete, the results showed that a full fifty three percent of all the tested patients exhibited a complete lack of genital warts by the end of the sixteen weeks. In approximately seventy eight percent of all of the cases, most of the warts were removed. Less than five percent of all the test subjects experienced a recurrence of genital warts within the twelve weeks of follow-up questions posed by the research team.

Since the results of the phase 3 test showed to be of promise, MediGene AG is now planning on performing similar tests in the United States in order to gain approval for the drug. The bio-tech company also feels that the drug may be of merit in helping different problems with the skin as well, and they have figured the potential net earnings from the development of Polyphenon E to be in excess of one hundred million dollars. It's important to remember that the drug has not been completely cleared yet, and there may be some problems with it. However, if the drug is to meet the approval of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, it may prove to be an effective tool in the arsenal of doctors who are waging war against genital warts.

Genital wart basics

Sunny — Mon, 21 May 2007 23:15:05 +0000

Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease that can really inspire fear in an individual. The name, the symptoms, everything about the disease can really be frightening. In this article, we'll give you some basic information about genital warts so that you can better understand the problem. Rest assured, the more you know about the disease, the less fear that you'll have.

Genital warts are a widespread problem. As many as ten to twenty million Americans have genital warts, and as many as one million people contract the disease per year in America alone. While anyone participating in a form of unprotected sexual activity can get the disease, there are some groups that are more susceptible to contracting it. Pregnant women are especially at risk for the disease, and may contract it easier than others; also, those with some type of deficiency of the immune system are more likely than the average person to catch genital warts. Sometimes, there are abnormal skin growths that can appear to be genital warts, but in all reality, they are a harmless development that will go away. That's not to say it's not important to get a condition checked out; if you are suspicious that you may have the disease, it is crucial to get the situation properly diagnosed by an expert in the medical field. Genital warts themselves are actually merely a symptom of the contracting of something known as the Human Papilloma Virus. This is the same virus that can cause warts to grow on the other parts of your body, such as your hands and your feet. A special type of HPV causes genital warts, so if you have warts on your hands or feet, you needn't worry about them causing genital warts.

Genital warts are contagious through sexual contact and widespread throughout society, but the warts themselves do not cause much harm to the body. The only real problem that genital warts may have from a significant medical standpoint is the fact that those with genital warts face an increased risk of cervical cancer. This fact, of course, applies only to females with the disease, and statistics show that of those with cervical cancer, a full 90 percent have diagnosed cases of genital warts. For those who have genital warts, although there is an increased risk of developing cervical cancer, it is not a sure thing. To keep yourself safe, you should visit a doctor to have a pap smear performed at least once per year. In this way, you can better determine if the genital warts are causing a problem.

Now that you can better understand exactly what genital warts are and exactly what types of other problems that they can cause, you can better foresee the importance of taking proper care when having sex to ensure that you will not contract the disease. Although it is not life threatening, it can be an annoyance which you do not want to partake in. Your body is your responsibility, so stay safe!

Genital warts statistics

Sunny — Mon, 07 May 2007 09:00:08 +0000

One of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world, genital warts is a worldwide problem. Few realize exactly how prevalent the disease is, permeating cultural and affecting millions worldwide. In this article, we'll provide some hard numbers about genital warts so that you can see the entire extent of the problem.

According to a study conducted by the American Social Health Association, or ASHA, the number of new genital warts cases that occur throughout the United States on a yearly basis rests at around 5.5 million. In America today, there are over 40 million citizens that are infected with the disease, representing quite a high number of infections.

There are over one hundred different types of Human Papilloma Virus, the virus that is responsible for genital warts. While some types of the virus spread warts to areas of the body such as the hands, the feet, or the mouth, the types that spread genital warts are among the highest risks. Of the total number of types of Human Papilloma Virus, 30 of them can be spread through sexual contact.

The most commonly affected age group for genital warts in America is those who are between the ages of twenty and twenty four. Both males and females in this age group are known the be equally susceptible to the disease.

Genital warts represent a more significant risk to females than males. While the disease is relatively harmless in males, in females, development of the disease may lead to a case of cervical cancer due to the growth of abnormalities on the cervix. As a matter of fact, a full eighty five percent of all females with cervical cancer were found to have a case of genital warts. What can be the most frightening is the fact that over fifty percent of all females who are infected with genital warts experience absolutely no symptoms. For that reason, doctors recommend that any sexually active females get a pap smear performed at least once per year to confirm that there is no presence of the warts.

The United Kingdom is also a location in which genital warts is especially prevalent. As a matter of fact, it's the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted disease in the entire country. The highest rates of infection in the UK are among men that are between the ages of 20 and 24 and women that are between age 16 and 19.

Now that you can see how prevalent the disease is, you can more accurately tell how important it is for you to employ safe sex practices. Using a condom is often not enough to avoid infection with genital warts, since genital warts may occur on parts of the body not protected by the condom. For that reason, be sure that if your partner shows any signs of genital warts that they seek immediate treatment and avoid sexual activity until the problem is solved. Your health is your responsibility, and it's important to stay safe when considering the risks that are out there.

Commonly asked questions about genital warts

Sunny — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:45:07 +0000

Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease that can cause a great deal of confusion and fear in one who has become afflicted with them. In this article, we'll give you some answers to some of the more commonly asked questions regarding genital warts so that you can increase your understanding of the disease.

Question: If I've had sex with a partner who has genital warts and I contract the disease, how long will it be before I have noticeable symptoms?
Answer: Genital warts are a unique sexually transmitted disease in that the time that it takes to exhibit symptoms can range from anywhere between three weeks and years and years. Some people that are afflicted with Human Papilloma Virus, the virus that causes the disease, never exhibit any symptoms of the actual warts. These people who exhibit no symptoms may still pass the disease on, however, so it's important to ensure that you practice safe sex even when your partner appears to be physically fine. That being said, warts generally begin to occur between three months and eight months after the sexual contact occurs. The warts tend to only show up in those who have a weakened immune system that is unable to successfully fight off the warts.

Question: Can genital warts be transferred to the mouth via oral sex?
Answer: There are many different strains of the Human Papilloma Virus that can cause warts to appear on the body. However, most of these different strains affect different parts of the body, and warts that appear in the mouth are rarely caused by giving oral sex. While it is possible to contract some form of oral warts via giving oral sex to someone with genital warts, it is quite unlikely. However, you are still encouraged to engage in safe sexual practices to ensure your safety from genital warts as well as other sexually transmitted diseases.

Question: Can the Human Papilloma Virus be effectively cured?
Answer: Unfortunately, there is no way to completely rid the body of the virus that can cause genital warts. However, there are methods of treatment that can allow the body to fight the virus off effectively enough so that the disease is in such remission that it is no longer able to spread to others. When you've gone wart-free for a while, it's safe to say that the problem is likely in remission and your body is successfully fighting off the infection. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't inform your sexual partners about the situation. It's everyone's right to know what exactly they're signing up for before engaging in sexual activity, and even those with no symptoms can sometimes spread genital warts. Many people recommend that if you are infected with genital warts, one of the best things that you can do for your body is to get your immune system functioning as efficiently as it can by taking supplements and immune-boosting entities to aid your body's natural ability to fight.

Now that you know a little more about genital warts, you can better understand where the disease comes from and what you can do to keep yourself safe. Always employ the best sexual protection that you can before engaging in risky sexual activity, and be sure to inform your partners about any problems that you may have prior to participating.

Homeopathic genital warts remedies

Sunny — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 16:45:06 +0000

There are many different ways of treating genital warts, and it can be tough to choose exactly which one is right for you and your personal condition. Even doctors must choose between a number of methodologies when it comes to choosing what would work best for you. In this article, we'll take a look at some possible home remedies that you can perform to rid yourself of a genital warts problem.

One of the main methods used by those who study homeopathic medicine for its usage in treating genital warts are the essential oils of thuja and tea tree. These two types of oils have been used the world over in treating genital warts, and their efficiency has been proven since the pharmaceutical companies are actually developing a treatment based off of tea tree oil as of this writing. When these oils are applied to genital warts for an extended period of time, they are known to make the warts go into remission and eventually may cause them to disappear. However, using the oils themselves may be too much for your body to handle; in that respect, there is an oil concoction that you can create to allow your body to use the oil efficiently without harming your body. To create the oil, you're going to need thuja essential oil and tea tree essential oil, as well as castor oil and Vitamin E oil. Combine the ingredients, using half an ounce of castor oil combined with a quarter teaspoon of the thuja essential oil and the tea tree essential oil. Add in 800 IUs of Vitamin E, and mix them until they are clearly combined. Next, you're going to need to take this oil and place it onto a q-tip. Take the q-tip and gently swab the mixture onto the surface of your warts. Be sure to only apply the concoction to the wart itself, as it can cause damage to the skin. This is one of the most surefire methods of removing genital warts while at home.

Another way to fight against genital warts is to strengthen your immune system as much as you can. You can do this through maintaining a healthy diet and a regular level of exercise, and there are a number of different herbal supplements which can help to give your system a boost. Among these herbs are Astragalus, Echinacea, Gingko Biloba, Goldenseal, St. John's Wort, and Olive leaf.

While these home remedies can do much to improve your genital warts condition, you may wish to speak to a doctor to ask them their proper medical opinion on what you should do to remove the problem as quickly and efficiently as possible. While the options above have shown to have some merit, they are not medically proven by any substantial organization and you should use the methods with caution. Be sure to heavily research any type of alternative therapy that you may be considering before actually engaging in the activity. Your health is your responsibility!

Genital wart treatment questions

Sunny — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:00:12 +0000

Genital warts can be a confusing and traumatic problem. Those with the disease would do best to learn all that they can about the disease to get their mind at ease about the problem that they face. In this article, we'll be discussing some questions that are commonly asked regarding genital warts and their treatment so that you can find the answers and be more understanding of your condition.

Question: Are there any kind of pills available that can treat a genital warts problem?
Answer: The answer to this question is a bit of a mixed bag. While there are no pills that can effectively rid your body of a genital warts infection, there are pills that are available that can help you to get rid of the warts that are currently present in your body. These pills are of the utmost importance to females with the condition, as genital warts may grow on the inside of the vagina that are unable to be treated via a normal genital wart removal. One of these pills is known as tagamet. It's actually a medication that is commonly used to treat heart burn, but some doctors have found it to be an efficient method of genital wart removal. When one takes high doses of this medication, the immune system is effectively boosted and therefore more able to fight off the genital warts.

Question: Are lasers a good method of getting genital warts removed?
Answer: When it comes to treating genital warts, what works wonders for one may falter for another. In that respect, some treatments may be better than others for certain individuals, so by responding to this question, we'll just give you the pros and cons of laser therapy. One of the downsides of getting laser therapy performed to remove genital warts is that the recovery period can be very painful. Also, it tends to be one of the more expensive forms of treatment for wart removal. However, laser therapy is found to be necessary sometimes in genital warts cases in which the warts are unusually large in size. Also, warts that occur within the female genitalia may be treated with laser therapy due to a lack of availability of an alternative treatment. While painful, the treatment generally is well tolerated and effective at removing the warts.

Question: What about cryotherapy for wart removal? How's that work?
Answer: Using liquid nitrogen to freeze the surface of the warts is one of the more effective methods of ridding yourself of a genital warts problem. The treatment is quick and easy, and while some may experience excessive discomfort, the pain from cryotherapy isn't usually unbearable. One of the most commonly employed methods of treating genital warts, cryotherapy can be very effective.
Now that you know more about the various methods in which one may rid themselves of a genital warts problem, you can better understand what to expect when a doctor tells you what they believe you should do to remove the warts. Getting rid of the warts that are currently present is a very important first step in ridding yourself completely of a genital wart condition.

Causes and risk factors for genital warts

Sunny — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:00:12 +0000

Few people realize that genital warts is actually a symptom of a virus. Known as the human papilloma virus, many people around the world have had some type of the virus. There are over 100 different kinds of the virus that can cause warts to appear on various parts of the body. The warts may be spread through many different methods, and genital warts may be spread easier than you may think. In this article, we'll discuss how you can become afflicted with genital warts and who faces the highest levels of risk.

Those who are at the highest levels of risk for developing the type of human papilloma virus that is responsible for genital warts include those who are faced with a compromised immune system. Those who use immune system-depressing drugs may be more at risk, and those who have poor levels of nutrition and/or hygiene are known to be the most susceptible. Those with another type of sexually transmitted disease are also more likely to become afflicted with genital warts.

While genital warts are most often spread through the act of performing unprotected sex often, even those who use condoms may be at risk for developing the disease. The reason for this is that the human papilloma virus rests in the skin, and there are some parts of the body that are not covered by a condom when having intercourse that may rub up against the other partner's skin. Due to that, using a condom does not completely confirm that you will not develop genital warts should your partner have them. Consequently, not everyone who has unprotected sex with someone that has genital warts is going to actually contract the disease themselves; as a matter of fact, only two out of every three people who have unprotected sex with someone with genital warts will come down with the disease. One terrible aspect of genital warts is the fact that it doesn't necessarily matter when you performed the unprotected sex when it comes to when the symptoms start to show up. You may notice the warts growing within a month; in other cases, however, the disease may not begin to show itself for years.

There has been a recent development in genital warts that may prove to provide some type of help when it comes to decreasing one's risk for getting the disease. The Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America has recently approved the use of a vaccine which promises to provide protection against the disease, and many are considering the idea of giving the vaccine to girls between the ages of 11 and 12 to help them to avoid exposure to the disease, which can cause the most trouble in women. This is due to the fact that genital warts may cause growth abnormalities of the cervix that can lead to cervical cancer.

To keep your risk for developing the disease to a minimum, you need to ensure that you are employing the safest sexual practices that you can. Keep healthy and clean, and if you notice the presence of genital warts on a sexual partner, ensure that they get them treated before resuming sexual activity.