The term HPV stands for human papillomavirus, which is the most common sexually transmitted infection. HPV may spread from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, labor, or nursing. It may also spread by having unprotected sex. HPV is different from HIV and HSV (genital herpes) and should not be confused.
Any individual who is sexually active can get HPV, even if they have had sex with only one person. Most people who have a complicated type of HPV will never show any signs of the infection, meaning that regular checkups are very important. While symptoms may be as simple as warts, other varieties of HPV can cause cancer. Here are the various symptoms of HPV to be aware of:
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1. Warts
Warts are the most common symptoms of HPV. Among the different types of warts, genital warts are the most common symptom. HPV warts can appear as:
- Genital warts: They appear as a small bump, a cluster of bumps, or stem-like protrusions. They commonly affect the cervix or the vulva in women and the penis or scrotum in men, and may also appear around the anus. They may differ in size and appearance, being large, small, flat, or cauliflower-shaped, and may be white or flesh tone.
- Plantar warts: These warts are hard and cause grainy growths on the feet. Most commonly, they appear on the heels or balls of the feet.
- Flat warts: These usually affect children, adolescents, and young adults. Flat warts appear as slightly raised, flat-topped lesions that are darker than normal skin color. They are most commonly found on the face, neck, or in areas that have been scratched.
- Common warts: These warts are described as rough raised bumps, and they mostly develop on the hands, fingers, and elbows.
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2. Cancer
The most common places for cancer to develop as a result of HPV are the base of the tongue and tonsils, the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx. However, HPV takes years or decades to develop into the various cancer types. Here are symptoms of cancers to know:
- Throat cancer: It causes sore throat, consistent ear pain, constant coughing, pain or trouble swallowing or breathing, weight loss, or a lump in the neck.
- Penile cancer: This is a cancer of the penis and shows symptoms like changes in the color or thickness of the skin of the penis. In some cases, a painful sore may show up on the penis.
- Vulvar or cervical cancer: Cancer of the cervix or vulva can produce symptoms like changes in the color or thickness of the skin in those areas. There may also be chronic pain, itching, or lumps.
- Anal cancer: This can cause anal bleeding, pain, itching, or changes in bowel habits.
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3. Preventive measures
While there is no complete cure for HPV, there are many precautions you can follow to keep HPV from negatively impacting your health, including:
- Vaccines to prevent certain types of HPV.
- Removal of genital warts by a doctor.
- Regular check-ups like Pap/HPV tests to treat high-risk HPV before it turns into cancer.
