Posts Tagged ‘Sexually Transmitted Disease’
Vinegar For Genital Warts Diagnosis and Treatment
Vinegar has several uses for genital warts. First, it is used in diagnosing the said sexually transmitted disease. Next, it can also be used to treat genital warts and alleviate the symptoms while they are still at the early stages.
Genital warts may or may not show symptoms. If they do, the warts may appear as tiny cauliflower-shaped lesions that may be raised or flat. They may start as small, around 2 millimeters in diameter, but they may grow big and expand into huge clusters in the anal and genital areas. They are easy to detect if they are raised and are big enough to be seen by the naked eye. However, there are times when they are present but are barely noticeable. Thus, in diagnosing genital warts, your doctor will usually apply a three to five percent acetic solution, or white vinegar, directly to the suspected infected areas.
White vinegar, which consists of acetic acid, will turn the warts white upon application. To further aid in the direct visual examination, the doctor may use a colposcope, a lighted magnifying device. However, the white spots do not necessarily reflect the presence of genital warts. Your doctor will still test you for other similar-looking conditions, such as psoriasis, lichen planus, and yeast infections. He/she may also perform a biopsy if any more abnormalities are present. This test involves the removal of a sample of tissue for further examination under a microscope.
Vinegar is also used for other tests for genital warts. Some doctors use vinegar in a test called an acid wrap. A gauze strip or piece of cloth is first soaked in white vinegar. It is then wrapped around the genital area of the individual for approximately 10 minutes. Similar to the acetic acid test mentioned above, the parts of the genital area that become white are identified to as potential genital warts. Again, more tests will be conducted after this to rule out any possibilities of similar-looking diseases.
Aside from diagnosis, vinegar is also used as a treatment for genital warts. In particular, apple cider vinegar is used as a natural remedy. It is effective against genital warts because it contains acetic and malic acid that help combat bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These acids work with the naturally-occurring acids in your body to form a new compound that helps fight harmful microorganisms.
According to folk traditions, you should soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and use it to apply the solution to your warts. Then, you should tape it over the affected area and leave it overnight. When you wake up in the morning, take the patch off and wash the area with warm water. This is supposed to be done daily for one week, depending on the severity of your case. If your genital warts are big and severe or if your immune system is compromised, you may have to repeat this method for a couple more weeks. You may also opt to soak the areas with genital warts directly in apple cider vinegar once or twice daily. Note, however, that this may irritate your sensitive genital area so consult your doctor first before using this treatment.
Genital Warts – The Low and High Risk Factors and Causes
Genital warts are one of the most common forms of sexually transmitted disease. These warts appear as small flesh-colored bumps that are raised and shaped like cauliflowers. Genital warts may start as tiny lesions that are approximately 2 millimeters in diameter. Then, they eventually grow and expand into bigger masses.
In men, genital warts develop on and around the scrotum, anus area, and penis shaft. In women, they are usually found in and out of the vagina, uterus, cervix, and around the anus. For both genders, genital warts may manifest around the throat and mouth areas especially when the individual has previously engaged in sexual intercourse with another infected person.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the virus that is responsible for genital warts. There are a total of 100 strains of HPV. However, only 30 strains can infect our genital region. These 30 strains are what we call genital HPV, which can affect approximately 50 percent of women and men who are sexually active.
Two types of HPV exist: low-risk and high-risk. High-risk HPV may bring about cancer of the vagina, cervix, anus, throat, or penis. This type of HPV is not related to the type that causes genital warts. Type 16 HPV is related to approximately half of all the cases of cervical cancer. Types 45, 31, 18, and 16 all together are related to 80 percent of the cases of cervical cancer.
Low-risk HPV is the one that leads to genital warts. To be specific, approximately 90 percent of the cases of genital warts are caused by types 11 and 6 of HPV. Low-risk HPV is often hard to detect since it does not manifest any symptoms. In fact, a lot of people are carriers of HPV but they are not aware of it. Thus, the risk of transmitting HPV becomes even higher. It would be for your own good if you undergo regular check-ups so that you would know whether or not you have the virus.
The most common method through which genital warts can be transferred from one person to another is through sexual intercourse with an infected person. Experts estimate that approximately 66 percent of those who engage in sex with an infected individual will have genital warts either through oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Childbirth is another way by which genital warts can be transmitted. When the infant passes through a woman’s infected birth canal, there is a possibility that he/she can develop warts inside his/her mouth and throat. This is called laryngeal papillomatosis.
The probability of genital warts occurring as well as other HPV-related illnesses are further increased by some risk factors. These risk factors include having many sex partners, becoming sexually active at an early age, having STDs in the past, and engaging in sexual intercourse with an individual even though you are not aware of his/her sexual history. The use of oral contraceptives such as birth control pills may also increase your chances of having genital warts because of decreased protected sexual intercourse.
Smoking, excessive stress, and alcohol consumption may also raise your chances of contracting genital warts. Moreover, a compromised immunity against diseases is a risk factor. Thus, those who have undergone physical trauma through surgery and other invasive procedures as well as those who have had serious diseases such as cervical cancer will most probably have genital warts.