HPV: Signs, Prevention, & Natural Remedies
HPV, Human Papilloma Virus, is a very common and misunderstood STI. In fact, it is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States with nearly 80 million cases and about 14 million new cases each year Considering there are hundreds of strains, some causing no symptoms at all, some causing warts, men hardly ever showing symptoms, etc. it is a very difficult virus to pin down and treat. In this blog we will discuss exactly what HPV is, what are the possible signs of symptoms, how to prevent it, and natural remedies for treatment if you are infected.
What is HPV?
HPV is a viral STI that spreads very easily through skin-to-skin sexual contact. It is so common in fact, that research suggests anyone having sexual intercourse with the opposite sex throughout their lifetime has over an 80% chance of acquiring the virus at least once. Papilloma viruses are the pathogenic agents of HPV, a group of 200 viruses that can infect the genitals, mouth, and throat, The reason the rates of acquisition are so high yet it is so rarely discussed, is that in about 90% of cases, the body can fight off the infection on its own and symptoms will never be expressed.
The problem arises when your immune system is compromised, if the infection is left on its own to spread you can develop warts weeks to months after exposure. Left unchecked, it can also lead to certain types of cancer, around 14 strains can lead to cervical cancer. There are over 100 strains of HPV, and around 40 of them (mainly HPV 16 and 18) affect the genital area! For all these disrespenies described, it can be very difficult to control the spread of this virus.
Prevention of HPV
Similar to other STI’s, prevention is really the main point of focus when it comes to HPV. Since it is viral, treatment options are focused mainly on symptom control and halting the progression of the virus. Given the effectiveness of vaccines and proper screenings, the main reason that thousands of women each year are still dying of cervical cancer each year is in marginalized communities and inaccessible preventative health care.
It is recommended to get the HPV vaccine before you become sexually active for highest effectiveness
Bivalent vaccines prevent against HPV 16 and 18. Used in girls and young women ages 9-25
Quadrivalent vaccines prevent against 4 types of HPV: type 6, 11, 16, and 18. This is 3 total doses and is recommend mostly for males between the ages of 9-26
9-Valant vaccines prevent against 9 types of HPV: 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. This is considered the safest and most effective vaccine
Pap test. A minimum of every 3 years it is recommended that a pap test is done where biopsy of cervical tissue is taken and tested for cervical cancer
HPV screenings. Getting a pap test and a HPV screening combined is referred to as a co-test and is recommend every 5 years after the age of 31. This test screens for the presence of high risk HPV viruses
Safe sex with the use of condoms can reduce risk of genital warts and cervical cancer from HPV by roughly 70%
Note that if your results from a pap test do come back labeled abnormal or pre-cancer, you do not need to panic. Many clear on their own and further testing is always needed before you jump to a conclusion!
Natural Remedies
Remedies for HPV hone in on control and relief of genital warts and lesions in addition to slowing or halting the progression of the virus after a procedure has been done to remove the cells.
The two most common procedures are a LEEP or a laser procedure. A LEEP procedure (loop electrosurgical excision procedure) is the scraping of abnormal and/or precancerous cells from the cervix. Laser therapy has the same end goal but will attack the cells by zapping them with a laser.
After either of these procedures are done, it is still possible for the virus to remain in your system due to a weakened immune system that is unable to completely fight off the virus.
For ease of understanding, I am going to break up natural remedies into two categories: treating the warts and slowing the progression of the virus.
Treatment of Genital Warts
Tea Tree Oil. Research suggests that the antimicrobial and anti inflammatory properties of tea tree oil can help eradicate warts when applied topically. Be sure to dilute this in a carrier oil such as jojoba or coconut to avoid irritation.
Witch Hazel is a milder alternative to tea tree oil that also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for warts. This study found it to be particularly effective against HPV-16!
Green Tea. Instead of drinking it, applying a green tea extract combined with a carrier oil such as coconut is shown to be highly effective.
Castor OIl. Making a paste of baking soda and castor oil and applying it before bed it shown to cause warts to shrivel and fall off. To make this extra effective and highly anti viral, you can also add a thin slice of fresh garlic and bandage it all on the wart and wash it off in the morning.
The following remedies focus more on targeting the viral replication and spread in your body, as opposed to physical symptoms
Slowing the Progression of HPV
These natural remedies will essentially consist of boosting your immune system so that it can adequately fight off the virus. There are also specific supplements that target HPV strains that you can focus on. Really what we are doing here is giving our body that extra support to do its’ job.
AHCC-Active Hexose Correlated Compound. In other words, shiitake mushroom extract. This is shown to be very effective at supporting immunity, specifically for clearing HPV from the body
Folate (Vitamin B9). This specific B vitamin is very often associated with cervical health and assists in the production repair of DNA in addition to red blood cells. This study shows a strong effectiveness when paired with Vitamin B12 in lowering rated of HPV 16. Folate is found in dark leafy greens, avocados, chickpeas, lentils, and more.
Vitamin C, A, D, and Zinc. These vitamins are known for their superb ability to support and boost your immune system. Include foods in your diet such as wild caught salmon, broccoli, dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, berries, carrots, and more.
Lower stress levels. When the cortisol levels in your body are high, your immune system is drastically suppressed and you will be far less likely to fight off any virus including HPV. Include daily movement, breath work, counseling, prayer, or whatever else may work for you.
Specific supplements I recommend: AHCC by Papillex , Myco-Immune by Thorne , Coated Silver by Cymbiotika , ZincPlus+ by Organic Olivia
I just want to reiterate again that if you test positive for abnormal cells, it is not always a cause for concern. It is key to stay in contact with your doctor and formulate a plan together for further testing and maintenance. STI’s are far more common than we think and there are always ways that we can incorporate daily immune system support and safe sex prevention to stay on top of it.