Genital warts and other STIs are frequently transferred through anal and vaginal sex, toy sharing, and sporadically through oral sex. Services provided by a sexual health clinic may be advantageous.

Symptoms:

• One or more painless lumps or growths close to your penis, anus, or genital region
• Scratching or bleeding from the genitalia or anus
• a persistent shift in the typical flow of your urine, such as when it starts to flow sideways.
• Even if you don’t have any symptoms, your partner may have genital warts

If you have these symptoms, you might have genital warts. Visit a sexual health clinic to be examined.

Other names for sexual health clinics include genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.

Complications of Genital Warts

The presence of genital warts has been linked to an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. It is strongly recommended that people who have been diagnosed with genital warts undergo routine Pap tests.

In addition to this, it has the potential to produce complications during pregnancy, including issues with urination due to the growth of the warts and an obstruction in the delivery process due to the presence of warts on the vaginal wall (birth canal).

Treatment might help with wart removal and stop the infection from spreading.

The benefits of going to a sexual health clinic:

You can visit a general physician, but if they think you could have genital warts, they’ll probably suggest that you visit a sexual health facility.

Clinics dedicated to sexual health address problems with the genitalia and urinary system.

There are many sexual health clinics that accept walk-in patients without an appointment.

What occurs in a facility for sexual health

A doctor or nurse can frequently detect warts by looking at them.

Once they:

• Ascertain your sexual partners and symptoms.
• Examine the bumps on your genitalia and anus using a magnifying glass, perhaps.
• A physician might need to check your vagina, anus, or urethra depending on where the warts are located (where urine exits the body).
• It might not be possible to establish how long you’ve been ill or where you got your genital warts.

Treatment for Genital Warts

For the treatment of genital warts, a prescription from a doctor is required.

Treatment options include:

• In most cases, you can treat warts by using a cream or liquid once or twice a week for several weeks, but in rare cases, you might need to attend a sexual health clinic so a doctor or nurse can treat you instead. These treatments may be uncomfortable, stinging, or blistering.
• Surgery: A doctor or nurse may cut, burn, or use a laser to remove the warts. Scars, soreness, or itching could arise from this.
• The nurse or doctor freezes warts. Sometimes the therapy may be administered more than once. This might cause pain.
• The warts could come back, and the treatment might not work for several weeks or months. The treatment is ineffective in some patients.
• Although the virus that causes genital warts cannot be treated, your body may eventually be able to do so.

Things You Should Do

• Inform the doctor or nurse if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant because you won’t be a good candidate for several therapies.
• Avoid using scented soap, shower gel, or bath products while undergoing therapy because they could irritate your skin.
• Ask your doctor or nurse if using condoms, diaphragms, or caps could interfere with your medication.

Things You Should Avoid

• Since these medications weren’t created for genital warts, avoid using them.
• Steer clear of smoking; many genital wart remedies work better when you don’t smoke.
• Until the warts have removed, stay away from oral, anal, or vaginal sex, but if you must, always use a condom.

What triggers the spread of genital warts?

The genital warts virus can spread even if there are no visible warts.

Despite the fact that many virus carriers may not show any symptoms, they can nonetheless spread the illness.

If you have genital warts, you should have your current partners checked because they can have them without knowing it.

It could take weeks or months after the infection before symptoms start to appear.

It is possible to get genital warts from:

The type of treatment that is suggested for you depends depend on the size and appearance of the warts. You will talk to the doctor or nurse about this.

• Anal and vaginal contact are examples of skin-to-skin contacts.
• Providing sex toys
• Despite its rarity, oral sex
• After delivery, the mother may also pass the infection to the baby, but this seldom happens.
• It is impossible to get genital warts from:
• Kissing
• Sharing towels, utensils, drinks, and toilet seats

How to stop genital warts from spreading

Genital warts can be prevented from spreading by:

Using a condom every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex; but, the virus could still be spread if it is present in any region that is not covered by a condom.

Avoiding sexual activity when receiving genital wart therapy

Don’t share sex equipment, and if you must, wash it or cover it with a brand-new condom before using it on someone else.

Causes of recurrent genital warts

• The virus that causes genital warts is called the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are numerous variations of HPV.
• If the HPV virus stays in your skin, you run the chance of getting warts once more.

Warts may eventually go away without treatment, but it could take months. The warts could come back, and the virus is still contagious.

Genital Warts and Cancer

Cancer is not caused by or caused by genital warts.

In Nigeria and most other countries, the HPV vaccination, which offers protection against genital warts and cervical cancer, is administered to boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 13.

The HPV vaccine is also available to people with HIV, certain transgender individuals, sex workers, and men who have sex with men (MSM) up to the age of 45.

Genital warts and Pregnancy

It’s important to tell your midwife or doctor if:

You believe you have or have genital warts, and you are or think you are pregnant.

Genital warts while pregnant:

• May grow and develop
• They may make their debut or make a comeback after a long time.
• May be treated without risk, although certain treatments should be avoided.
• To avoid problems during delivery, they might be removed if they are rather large.
• Although the infant’s throat or genitalia may get infected with the HPV virus, this is rarely passed on to the child after delivery.
• Genital warts are common in pregnant women who give birth vaginally. You might incredibly rarely be given the choice of a caesarean section depending on your circumstances.

References

https://www.healthxchange.sg/men/prostate-health/genital-warts-symptoms-complication