Virtually all sexually active people will become infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) within their lifetime. The good news is that most HPV-infected people don’t experience any symptoms or realize they have the virus. The bad news is that some infected people may develop genital warts or possibly even cancer.
Common HPV Symptoms
Over 100 HPV types are circulating in the country. Most don’t cause symptoms, while a small number may cause genital warts on your anus, vagina, or penis. Genital warts appear as small, flat lumps or growths on your genital region. They are not usually painful unless they grow bigger.
You can experience symptoms in your mouth and throat as well. It all depends on whether you had oral sex with someone infected with HPV. Since HPV is contracted from intimate skin-to-skin contact of the mouth, anus, or vagina during sex, any one of these areas could develop symptoms. It doesn’t even matter if you only had oral sex and no penetrative sex because you can still contract HPV either way.
HPV Cancer Risks
Genital warts are the best-case scenario when dealing with symptoms of HPV. The worst-case scenario is when a high-risk HPV type causes abnormal cell changes that lead to precancerous and cancerous cells forming. Then you can develop cancer in the affected area, such as anal cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, vulval cancer, and penile cancer.
HPV Testing
People can carry HPV for several years without knowing if there are no symptoms. So stopping your sexual activity won’t change anything if you have contracted HPV already. That is why the safest and most responsible thing would be getting HPV testing and cervical screening regularly.
Women between 25 and 64 should get cervical screenings because they can recognize early signs of cervical cancer. Once these signs are recognized, you can seek treatment to slow down the progression of the cancer. Men who engage in anal sexual activity with other men should get tested for HPV and anal cancer as well.
HPV Preventative Measures
There is always some risk when having sex with someone else. You can practice safe sex by wearing condoms to prevent HPV transmission, but they won’t protect all your skin.
Your best bet would be to get the HPV vaccine as early as possible. Getting vaccinated helps protect you from many low-risk and high-risk HPV types, including the ones that cause cervical cancer and genital warts. HPV vaccines are not 100% effective against all HPV types, but they significantly decrease your genital or oral cancer risk from sex.
HPV & AHCC Supplements
Remember, there is no cure for HPV. However, if you have contracted the virus, your immune system will likely eradicate it within two years. But if you experience abnormal cervical cell growth or genital warts, you must seek treatment to control them.
One of the newest treatments to support the immune system and combat the symptoms of HPV infections is AHCC supplements. AHCC (active hexose correlated compound) is a natural fungal chemical compound from a mushroom that can assist the immune system in eliminating HPV infections.
Not all medicinal mushrooms have the same effect as AHCC. For instance, AHCC supplement manufacturers use a unique enzymatic process to enhance the compound and help the immune system fight viruses. By cell culturing a particular mushroom, researchers created AHCC to boost the immune system’s ability to kill harmful cells. It is the only medicinal mushroom that can do this to eradicate HPV.
Look for AHCC supplements at your favorite health food or nutritional supplement store. AHCC clinical studies have proven its immune support and
