Genital warts are far from harmless growths, as many men think. Even if the wart does not hurt, this does not mean that it does not pose a danger to the body. Genital warts, if left untreated, can be fraught with serious complications and health problems.
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Causes of growths in men
Genital warts are neoplasms consisting of epithelial cells. Most often formed near the mucous tissues – around the mouth, genitals, anus.
In men, these neoplasms can also be observed around the opening of the urethra, on the frenulum, penis and scrotum,
As a rule, an infected person does not immediately know that he is a carrier of the HPV virus. For a long time, he may not manifest himself in any way. The disease will begin to progress only when there are suitable conditions for this and the immune defense of the body weakens.
There are several reasons why immunity decreases in healthy men and genital warts form , namely:
- Unbalanced diet, nutritional deficiencies.
- Abuse of alcohol and nicotine.
- Prolonged stay in a state of stress, depression.
- Overheating of the body or hypothermia.
- Passive lifestyle, lack of physical activity.
The weaker the body, the more susceptible it is to viral and bacterial infections. However, it is worth focusing on those factors that increase the risk of contracting an HPV infection with the subsequent formation of genital warts:
Promiscuity in sexual relations, frequent change of sexual partners.
- Early onset of sexual activity.
- Frequent traumatic sexual intercourse.
- Sex without a condom.
In men, both genital and flat warts are found, however, the latter are a rare and dangerous pathology. Wide and flat condylomas often transform into malignant oncological tumors that affect the genitals of a man. Most often, the neoplasm appears in the area of the anus, and then grows.
Where are they localized in men (on the head, on the penis)?
Each patient has a different HPV virus. As the disease progresses, rashes characteristic of genital warts appear. They may appear on:
- The head of the penis – cause discomfort to the patient during intercourse due to constant mechanical impact and microtrauma.
- Scrotum – May not be immediately noticeable, however, if the man wears tight underwear, the disease will be accompanied by discomfort.
- Around the anus – large or multiple warts in this area often bleed and hurt. If the growth of genital warts was not suppressed by medication, and the patient’s immunity continues to fall, then they can merge into one neoplasm with the characteristic form of “cockscombs”. Warts are constantly damaged during bowel movements and bleed, and also greatly interfere with walking, making every movement painful. The patient has a psychological barrier before defecation, which often leads to constipation, and in some cases to the development of hemorrhoids.
- In the mouth and on the tongue – a person can become infected with papillomas during a kiss or oral sex with an infected partner. And also HPV is transmitted through unwashed cutlery and a toothbrush.
Outwardly, warts are growths on a thin stalk, ranging in size from a small pinhead to several centimeters. In their structure, warts resemble broccoli. The color varies from gray-pink to maroon (depending on the location). Also find out how warts appear on the penis , diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Infection with the HPV virus is symptomatically manifested as a general intoxication of the body:
- Weakness.
- Chills.
- Increased fatigue.
- Malaise.
Against the background of a decrease in immunity, the patient may begin to suffer from frequent colds and viral diseases, while the disease will be more severe than usual.
What danger do they carry?
Despite the fact that most often such neoplasms themselves do not cause serious harm to the human body, there is still a risk of complications and deterioration in health:
- Some strains of HPV can lead to the development of genital cancers.
- Without timely diagnosis and treatment, condylomas can grow through the mucous tissues of the urethra, which will lead to urinary outflow disorders, burning and itching.
- Condylomas on the penis are often injured and wounds form in their place, through which re-infection occurs.
- Without proper treatment, single warts can coalesce into one large, painful neoplasm, which will cause a lot of inconvenience in everyday life.
- In addition, for most men, such a disease is associated with serious emotional upheavals and complexes.
Symptoms of the disease
The incubation period for warts can last from a few weeks to a year. After the infection has awakened, unpleasant symptoms begin to appear:
- Discomfort at the site of the rash.
- Weak but noticeable pain in the lower abdomen.
- Itching and burning in the groin.
- Discomfort while walking, feels like chafing from tight clothing.
- Pain and discomfort during intercourse.
- Discharge with a characteristic odor.
- Pain during urination (if the inflammation is located near the urethra).
- Blood during bowel movements (if the warts are located around the anus).
If the disease has not undergone timely therapy, then the symptomatology expands, appears:
- Body poisoning.
- Frequent headaches.
- Chills and fever.
- development of depressive disorders.
Diagnostics
The sooner the patient seeks medical help, the more successful the treatment will be. It is very important to prevent the disease from flowing into the last, intractable stage. Most often, for an experienced specialist, it is enough to visually examine the genitals to establish the presence of genital warts. However, in some cases, the patient is sent for a complete medical examination to establish the root cause of the decrease in the body’s immune defenses.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the patient is assigned a series of tests. If oncological degeneration is suspected, the patient is sent for a histological analysis.
Only after an accurate diagnosis is established, the doctor prescribes a complex therapy for the disease. For men, it will be aimed at strengthening the immune system and suppressing the viral infection.
What tests are needed?
You should consult a doctor as soon as the first characteristic symptoms of infection appear. Genital warts are almost impossible to confuse with something else, so the doctor will have enough visual examination to diagnose HPV. However, in order to compile a complete history, the doctor directs the patient to take the following tests:
- Blood tests to detect co-infections and serious illnesses such as syphilis and HIV.
- Histological analysis – is carried out in order to determine the likelihood of developing an oncological disease.
- Urethroscopy – probing the urethra in order to detect warts in the urethra.
- Inspection of the rectum and sigmoid colon with a rectoscope.
Having received all the necessary diagnostic data, the doctor draws up a therapeutic plan.
To whom will he turn?
To get rid of genital warts, the patient must visit one of two doctors – a urologist and a dermatovenereologist. The choice of a specialist depends on the location of the warts.
Treatment
Since genital warts occur against the background of a decrease in immunity, the elimination of HPV signs should be associated with an increase in the body’s immune defenses. Otherwise, the patient will be pursued by constant relapses.
Modern methods of HPV treatment include both surgical methods and treatment of neoplasms with topical medications. In most cases, all manipulations are performed on an outpatient basis.
The methods of surgical treatment include:
- Cryodestruction – warts are frozen with liquid nitrogen, after which they die. The procedure is painless for the patient, does not leave scars and scars on the skin.
- Laser removal – under the influence of a high-precision laser beam, the leg of the condyloma is destroyed. Deprived of base – the genital wart disappears. The method is characterized by high efficiency and the same high price.
- Thermocoagulation – warts are cauterized with a special preparation and scabs form in their place, which eventually disappear. The method is cheap, but not painless, therefore, immediately before the procedure, the doctor gives the patient an injection of local anesthesia.
- Chemical destruction – warts are destroyed under the influence of potent chemical acids. An application is applied to the site of the lesion.
After the condylomas are removed from the skin, the doctor prescribes maintenance drug therapy to the patient, which includes ointments, creams and gels. Medicines are applied to the places where the warts used to be located in order to prevent their re-formation. The most commonly used drugs are:
- Aldara.
- Panavir .
- Epigene intimate .
The method of treatment should be selected by the doctor depending on many features – the type of warts, the patient’s immune status, the location of the warts, their number and the size of the area covered by the lesion. Immunity is increased with the help of drugs, multivitamins, adherence to diet and physical activity.
Treatment at home with folk remedies
In folk medicine, you can find many recipes for warts. Some of them really help to cope with the disease. For example, vegetable decoctions and fruits dry out condylomas due to their acidic environment.
- Garlic – used as a lotion. It is rubbed on a fine grater or squeezed through a garlic press, and the resulting slurry is wrapped in gauze. The compress is applied to the sore spot, while trying not to touch healthy tissues.
- Onions – also used as a compress. A fresh onion should be marinated in vinegar overnight, then grated on a fine grater and wrapped in gauze. Apply the resulting compress to warts until they disappear completely.
- Lotions from sour fruits – apples, pineapple, mountain ash or aloe, have a drying effect.
- Celandine as a means for cauterization, you can use both plant juice and alcohol tincture.
- Kalanchoe – the thick leaves of the plant are crushed to a state of gruel, and applied to warts, previously wrapped in gauze. The lotion must be changed every 4 hours.
- Iodine – also used as a cauterizer for warts. It should be used with caution, especially during the treatment of genital warts. Under the influence of iodine, they quickly die and fall off.
When using folk recipes, you should be aware that you can cure, in this way only small, single warts can be cured. For large neoplasms, folk remedies may simply be ineffective and delay the healing process.
Prevention
Even if the warts were removed, and there were no traces of these unpleasant rashes on the skin, this does not mean at all that HPV was completely removed from the body.
The virus remains in the tissues and can manifest itself after some time if the host’s immune defenses weaken again. To protect yourself from relapse, a man who has cured warts must undergo a complete medical examination together. The same applies to the sexual partner.
It is also necessary to adhere to certain preventive measures:
- Observe the rules of personal hygiene.
- Do not have sex without a condom.
- Avoid casual sex.
- Maintain immunity, if necessary, take medicines and nutritional supplements.
- Avoid overheating and hypothermia of the body.
- Quit or minimize smoking and alcohol.
- Try to devote more time to physical activity.
- Periodically undergo a complete medical examination.
- Do not let infectious and inflammatory diseases take their course.
- Avoid physical and emotional overload.
- Spend more time outdoors.
- Follow your diet.
There are two main rules – to monitor the state of your immunity and avoid promiscuity.
Forecast
Men, especially at the dawn of their sexual activity, often encounter HPV. If the carrier has good immunity, the disease does not manifest itself in any way. In other cases, a course of drug immunomodulation and therapy helps. In most cases, with the relief of genital warts, the prognosis is very favorable.
Some men may, for many years, be a carrier of HPV, while not encountering this disease in any way, which cannot be said about their sexual partners. Most often, the virus remains with the carrier even after a therapeutic course.
If warts have already appeared, this symptom cannot be ignored. Constantly injured during sex or when walking, they begin to bleed and suppurate, resulting in re-infection.
The growth of genital warts and their fusion into cockscombs can greatly affect both the physical and mental state of the patient.
There is a small chance of genital warts developing into oncological tumors, therefore, if a neoplasm is detected, you should not delay a visit to the doctor.
Conclusion
Taking care of your own health and immunity, intelligibility in sexual partners, proper nutrition and a measured pace of life – this is what will help to contain the manifestation of genital warts in men. And also do not forget about regular preventive medical examinations.
