HPV Symptoms

HPV is considered as one of the major causes of STDs in the United States. It is contagious and oftentimes passed on from one person to the next through sexual contact. The symptoms of HPV are commonly found in the genital area, however these vary greatly. This article will discuss the nature of HPV symptoms.

Warts

One of the major symptoms of HPV is the emergence of warts. There are many types of HPV, and those that cause warts are prevalent among those who are infected with the virus. In this case, the infection causes warts to grow as bumps not just on the skin, but also on the cervix, on the vulva, in the vagina, around the anus, scrotum, penis, or groin. These warts look like raised bumps that may resemble a cauliflower-like pattern. However, they may also appear flat, in multiples, as a single bump, tiny, or large. Genital warts are very common. They are also known as acuminate warts, verruca acuminata, condyloma acuminata, and venereal warts.

Changes In The Appearance Of HPV Symptoms

How an HPV symptom like the presence of warts appears visually can indeed change in time. The characteristics of a particular symptom highly depend on the stage of development and the infection’s rate of progression in each patient. Furthermore, the location of the identified symptoms also plays a role in the changes that occur in these symptoms’ appearance or characteristics.

When HPV Symptoms Are Not Visible

It may come to a surprise that you may have HPV but are unaware of it. This is the case for thousands or even millions of other people who may have HPV but do not know of it because symptoms are not obvious or visible to the naked eye. Symptoms become “invisible” when the virus is able to alter the DNA structure of the cell without changing the appearance of the skin.

HPV may cause only very small changes on the skin. These changes on the skin can be what medical specialists consider microscopic warts. These cannot be seen by the naked eye and can only be identified by the use of magnifying devices. This type of infection is called a sub clinical HPV infection.

Symptoms may be so minute that they can be invisible. However, there are other types of HPV infections that cause virtually no symptoms, as with the absence of any warts or other changes in the skin (latent HPV infection). Unfortunately, these cases are more widespread among patients.

HPV-related Symptoms

HPV can actually lead to other diseases and so the symptoms of these diseases should be considered if HPV infection is suspected. In more severe cases of HPV, respiratory papillomatosis and cancer may occur. When papillomatosis is present in an infected person, he or she may experience difficulty breathing and a frequent recurrence of the disease. Rarely does respiratory papillomatosis cause cancer (although it is possible). Precancerous cervical conditions are highly linked with HPV. Pap tests can identify abnormal cervical cells as symptoms of cervical cancer.

In conclusion, HPV symptoms can either be obvious, invisible to the naked eye, or characteristic of other diseases caused by or linked to HPV. Proper treatment can only be administered after diagnosis.