Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing for Men and Women
Human Papillomavirus, also called HPV, is a contagious skin virus that can be sexually transmitted. There are currently believed to be 120 to150 stains of HPV. Currently at lease 14 sexually transmitted stains of HPV can cause cancer, These cancer causing strains of HPV are called high risk HPV, and have no symptoms. High risk sexually transmitted strains of HPV are currently believed to cause the majority of cervical cancers in women and throat cancers in men. High risk strains of HPV also increase the risk of cancers of the penis as well as anal/rectal cancers.
Stains of HPV that do not cause cancers are called low risk strains. Low risk strains of HPV often cause symptoms of cauliflower like bumps called warts, sometimes also called condyloma acuminata. HPV warts can infect virtually any surface of the body. Low risk strains of HPV that are sexually transmitted are often called genital warts or venereal warts. Some low risk strains of HPV are commonly found on other parts of the body such as the hands or the feet. When HPV infects the soles of the feet they are referred to as plantar warts.
All strains of HPV are contagious and can be transmitted from one part of the body to another. Low risk strains of HPV can be transmitted from an infection of warts on the fingers to the face, nose, mouth, tongue, eye lids or genitals area including the vagina, penis or anus. High risk strains of HPV can be transmitted to the cervix or penis from unprotected penis in vagina sex. High risk strains of HPV can also be transmitted to the vagina, penis, mouth, throat and anus through oral (mouth on genitals) sex, or to the anus and rectum through anal/rectal sex.
HPV warts can be treated by a variety of methods to try to help eliminate the current outbreak of warts such as by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. High risk strains of HPV on a woman's cervix are sometimes treated by freezing the infected skin on the surface of the cervix with liquid nitrogen, which may result in a follow-up HPV RNA testing of the cervix being negative.
However, both high and low risk strains of HPV never leave the body and can reoccur/re-outbreak in the future. Women who have tested positive for high risk strains of HPV are encouraged to have periodic follow up tested to see if they develop a re-occurrence/outbreak of HPV.
You can be infected with any strain of HPV but not have a visible outbreak of warts or other symptoms, so it is not always possible to know if you are contagious
Costs for HPV Testing:
Stains of HPV that do not cause cancers are called low risk strains. Low risk strains of HPV often cause symptoms of cauliflower like bumps called warts, sometimes also called condyloma acuminata. HPV warts can infect virtually any surface of the body. Low risk strains of HPV that are sexually transmitted are often called genital warts or venereal warts. Some low risk strains of HPV are commonly found on other parts of the body such as the hands or the feet. When HPV infects the soles of the feet they are referred to as plantar warts.
All strains of HPV are contagious and can be transmitted from one part of the body to another. Low risk strains of HPV can be transmitted from an infection of warts on the fingers to the face, nose, mouth, tongue, eye lids or genitals area including the vagina, penis or anus. High risk strains of HPV can be transmitted to the cervix or penis from unprotected penis in vagina sex. High risk strains of HPV can also be transmitted to the vagina, penis, mouth, throat and anus through oral (mouth on genitals) sex, or to the anus and rectum through anal/rectal sex.
HPV warts can be treated by a variety of methods to try to help eliminate the current outbreak of warts such as by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. High risk strains of HPV on a woman's cervix are sometimes treated by freezing the infected skin on the surface of the cervix with liquid nitrogen, which may result in a follow-up HPV RNA testing of the cervix being negative.
However, both high and low risk strains of HPV never leave the body and can reoccur/re-outbreak in the future. Women who have tested positive for high risk strains of HPV are encouraged to have periodic follow up tested to see if they develop a re-occurrence/outbreak of HPV.
You can be infected with any strain of HPV but not have a visible outbreak of warts or other symptoms, so it is not always possible to know if you are contagious
Costs for HPV Testing:
HPV Low Risk Genital Warts Acetic Acid (Vinegar) Test
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$80
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HPV RNA High Risk RNA Testing: From the Cervix, Penis, Throat or Anus
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$180 each location
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Symptoms of Low Risk HPV can include:
Symptoms of High Risk HPV:
Who Should Test for HPV?
What We Have Seen Testing for HPV in our Clinical Practice here at Progressive Health Services
- We have seen women test positive for high risk cervical HPV without any symptoms, even many years after becoming infected.
- We have seen women have negative/normal Pap smears results who test positive for high risk strains of HPV.
- We have seen men test positive for high risk strains of HPV from the penis.
- We have seen both women and men test positive for high risk strains of HPV from the throat, and anal/rectal area.
How HPV Testing is Done
Low Risk Strains of HPV/warts:
High Risk HPV Testing Preparation:
For Women: Please do not douche or put anything in your vagina for 3 days before testing.
For Men: Please do not wash the genital area for 24 hours before testing.
HPV Treatment
There is no cure for HPV. However current HPV outbreaks can be treated and controlled with a variety of integrative medicine options including freezing with liquid nitrogen and Chinese medicine.
Progressive Health Services tests and treats all types of HPV.
Please call us at 619-260-0810 for more information!
- Cauliflower like fleshy protruding bumps, called warts, on the skin
- Leathery callous-like spots or patches on the skin
- HPV may feel a little irritated, itchy or numb, or may infrequently feel slightly painful
- Skin usually is the same color as the surrounding skin, or may be pinkish or brow
- HPV can appear anywhere on the body including the penis, vulva, vagina, anus, tongue, throat, hands, arms, feet, face, eye lids, etc.
- An outbreak of HPV warts may be only a small single wart smaller that a pencil eraser, or they may spread causing clusters of many warts, some if which may grow larger. Some strains of low risk HPV warts cause prominent bumps that have the texture of cauliflower, which is more consistent with the stereotypical appearance of warts. Some strains of HPV are more flat and callous like and are not very noticeable to the eye.
Symptoms of High Risk HPV:
- None! When high risk strains of HPV infect the cervix (entrance to uterus in the back of vagina) women typically have no symptoms and the cervix may not look or feel any different in appearance. The same is true with high risk strains of HPV infecting the penis, the throat or the anal rectal area.
Who Should Test for HPV?
- If you have any of the above symptoms after sexual contact with a partner you should test for HPV.
- If you've had unsafe sex with partners who's sexual past is unknown you should test for HPV.
- If you have any doubts after sex, even if you have NO symptoms, you should test for HPV.
What We Have Seen Testing for HPV in our Clinical Practice here at Progressive Health Services
- We have seen women test positive for high risk cervical HPV without any symptoms, even many years after becoming infected.
- We have seen women have negative/normal Pap smears results who test positive for high risk strains of HPV.
- We have seen men test positive for high risk strains of HPV from the penis.
- We have seen both women and men test positive for high risk strains of HPV from the throat, and anal/rectal area.
How HPV Testing is Done
Low Risk Strains of HPV/warts:
- HPV Testing with Acetic Acid, also called the Vinegar Test is used to help identify low risk strains of HPV that commonly cause warts. Vinegar can cause cells infected with HPV to blanch or whiten when acetic acid or vinegar is applied. Combined with a HPV exam, this test can be very helpful in identifying low risk strains of HPV. Not all HPV whitens but in a significant number of cases HPV will whiten if the vinegar is applied correctly.
- From the Cervix- Pap Smears are commonly used to collect cervical cells to test for RNA from high risk strains of HPV. Cells collected from a Pap smear can be used to identify if an HPV infection is one of the high-risk strains associated with an increased risk for developing cancer. Having yearly HPV RNA testing done as part of an annual Pap smear can increase the chances of detecting a high risk HPV infection on the cervix
- From the Penis- Researchers have identified that high risk strains of HPV can be identified from the penis by gently swabbing the urethra with a special swab, and by gently swabbing the skin on the glans or head and lower shaft of the penis with an additional swab.
- From the Throat- Cells are easily be collected from the throat by gargling with saline (diluted salt water) solution and then spitting the solution into an HPV testing vial.
- From the Anus- A special swab is gently inserted into the anal/rectal area to collect cells for the HPV test.
High Risk HPV Testing Preparation:
For Women: Please do not douche or put anything in your vagina for 3 days before testing.
For Men: Please do not wash the genital area for 24 hours before testing.
HPV Treatment
There is no cure for HPV. However current HPV outbreaks can be treated and controlled with a variety of integrative medicine options including freezing with liquid nitrogen and Chinese medicine.
Progressive Health Services tests and treats all types of HPV.
Please call us at 619-260-0810 for more information!