HPV Symptoms in Men - How to Know When you're Infected
by kalyani10
HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases or STDs in the world today. The infection gets its name from the virus that causes it, the human papillomavirus which is actually a collection of several viruses that causes warts on the hands, feet or genitals. According to experts, at least half of people who are sexually active contract the HPV virus at some point in their lives. Yet many do not know it because they do not have any symptoms.
HPV symptoms in men depend upon the strain of HPV that is the cause of the infection. There are more than 100 types of HPV around. Sometimes an HPV infection will give rise to no symptoms at all or very minor ones which a man may not take seriously. In these cases if the infection goes away on its own, it may not even be reported to a doctor by the patient. However where HPV infections lead to symptoms, the areas in men usually to be affected are the penis, anus, genital area, scrotum, testicles, groin, and thighs.
Some types of the human papillomavirus cause genital warts. In men, these appear on the penis, groin area, and on or in the anus and may either be flat or raised, ranging from small to large, and others that have been described as looking like cauliflower. These warts usually do not hurt. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US government, at present about 1% of sexually active men have genital warts 1. This particular infection cannot be tracked by any test other than having the doctor inspect a man’s genital areas. Without any physical signs, neither the doctor nor the person infected will ever know about the presence of HPV. The warts can appear anytime from weeks to even months after contact with an infected person.
Among the roughly hundred strains of HPV that scientist know about, around thirty or so have been identified as related to genital cancers. Of these some cause anal cancer while other may cause cancer of the penis. The CDC website further reveals that each year in the U.S. there are about 800 men who get HPV-related penile cancer and 1100 men who get HPV-related anal cancer.The symptoms that of anal cancer are pain, soreness, itching or bleeding in the anal area. There may be some discharge and the lymph nodes in the anal area or groin may be swollen. Besides these there may be changes in bowel habits and stool shape. In case of penile cancer, usually there are no symptoms till the disease in an advanced stage. The initial signs are usually a change of color of the penis, the thickening of skin and build up of tissue on the penis. Eventually there may be growth or sores on the penis which may even cause pain and bleed. In most cases before the symptoms of genital cancer erupt, there is nothing to show that a person is in risk of getting this disease. Only if cells from his anus and penis are tested and abnormalities found, then a man can go in for early treatment for genital cancers. The good news is that cancers of the anus and penis are rather rare especially in men with a healthy immune system. The American Cancer Society estimates about 1,250 men in the U.S. were diagnosed with cancer of the penis in 2008. However men who are sexually active with gay or bisexual partners are seventeen times more likely to develop anal cancer than those who are exclusively heterosexual. Also men with HIV are at greater risk of coming down with this cancer. There is no routine test for men to check for high-risk HPV strains that can cause cancer. However, some doctors recommend anal Pap tests for gay and bisexual men since they are at higher risk of anal cancer caused by HPV. In a Pap test, cells from the anus are collected and then checked for abnormalities in a laboratory.
Some strains of HPV can lead to head and neck cancers as well. In such cases initial symptoms may range from sore throat or ear pain that doesn't go away and constant coughing to pain or trouble swallowing or breathing. Eventually the person may develop a lump or mass in the neck and experience weight loss. Hoarseness or voice changes that last for more than two weeks can also be caused by cancers on the vocal chords. These are relatively easier to diagnose rather than those which develop above or below vocal chords which are usually diagnosed at much advanced stages.
Most men who develop genital warts as a result of HPV infection fear that it will lead to genital cancer. However researchers don’t believe that low-risk, genital warts-causing HPV strains cause cancer of the penis or anus. As yet there is no complete cure for HPV and treatment focuses on alleviating the symptoms as well as treating the health problems that result from HPV infection.
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