If you have to go through an HPV test, there is no reason to worry. Most procedures are absolutely painless, and some patients are quite tolerant. Consider the most common questions regarding test delivery.
What is HPV?
The human papilloma virus is a microorganism that contains the cellular structure of DNA. When introduced into the human body, HPV DNA causes a mutation, leading to irreversible processes. Most of the population is already a carrier of the virus, but few people realize this because the virus does not manifest in any way.
As soon as the body fails, the immune system weakens and growths appear on the body. All skin formations, except moles and acne, are affected by HPV. If the growths are not treated immediately, malignancy occurs and a harmless wart can turn into cervical cancer in women and urethral cancer in men.
Why is the human papilloma virus dangerous?
When papillomas, genital warts, or warts appear on the body, the average person can hardly distinguish them from each other, replacing them with something that is unable to cause damage.
It's not that simple - a small papilloma can grow to such a size that it will cause a lot of discomfort - from aesthetic discomfort to the development of cancerous tumors. More than 130 strains of human papilloma virus are known and each manifests in different ways.
The most common of these are types 16 and 18 which cause cancers of the mucous membranes, cervix, vagina, penis and other similar diseases. Because a person is initially unaware of the presence of the virus in the body, HPV gradually develops, and after 5-10 years a person sees changes in their body in the form of growths.
Papilloma analysis can be performed in any clinic. After 40 years, more than half of the lesions become malignant. A timely diagnosis gives a person the opportunity for a painless age, which will not be overshadowed by cancer.
Why test for human papilloma virus?
To protect yourself from oncogenic diseases, you should identify a potential threat to life and health in a timely manner. With an extensive list of reasons for the spread, HPV is transmitted from person to person through close contact - hugging, kissing, sexual intercourse, using common hygiene products.
The virus takes root under the skin and destroys the healthy structure of DNA, mutating throughout the body. When immunity drops, HPV appears on the skin in the form of warts, papillomas and similar rashes. Only an examination can detect the virus at an early stage and prevent its further spread.
When is the HPV test scheduled?
When the first signs of the disease appear on the body, the doctor can see them even with a visual examination. An HPV test is prescribed to understand where the virus came from in the body, identify the type, and then eliminate it.
Even since not every infected person is capable of becoming a cancer patient, no one wants to try their luck, which means that tests need to be conducted. If a woman is planning a pregnancy, she must be tested for HPV, because the virus will easily penetrate the baby. The father should not be indifferent either, because he can be a carrier of the papilloma virus.
Features of passing HPV analysis
It is believed that the detection of HPV before the age of thirty is not informative because the disease develops far beyond the human eye. After the age of 30, the first tests are prescribed that can detect the papilloma virus even in the earliest stages.
The less time has passed since the moment of infection, the subsequent treatment will be more effective. It is necessary to identify the moment when normal cells begin to grow into carcinogens. Methods of diagnosing human papilloma virus depend on several factors:
- Identification of the virus and the very fact of its presence in the body
- Learn diversity
- Assess the damage that occurred during the period in which the person did not seek medical help
- Prescribe quality and effective treatment
Remember:the virus will never completely leave the host because it is already interacting with the body’s DNA cells. HPV will remain dormant until the immune defenses weaken.
What analysis do you go through to detect HPV?
- Colposcopic examination. This method is used to perform HPV tests on women. It is designed to detect genital warts. Women are prescribed to detect genital warts located in the cervical region.
- Cytology. A swab containing epithelial cells is taken and then the samples taken are examined under a microscope. If the cells change, there is a risk of developing HPV. There is a danger of a false result.
- Histology. It is an addition to cytology to rule out error. A small portion of the affected tissue is taken and the doctor assesses the difficulty of the position through a microscope. With the help of histological examination, it is possible to determine the nature of the formation.
- PCR diagnostics. The most honest way with 98% accuracy. Take a swab, urine, blood or amniotic fluid
If at least one examination reveals the presence of the virus, the patient will be sent for further analysis to ensure the accuracy of the results. If the result is found to be false positive, the cause may be contaminated test material or a violation of a generally accepted sampling technique.
Sometimes patients mistakenly prepare for analysis or choose the wrong time for the procedure - these factors can also cause false results.
Testing rules
In addition to relying on the doctor, the patient must follow the process of passing the analysis and know the basic processes. The doctor is a specialist, but the health belongs to the patient.
How is biomaterial taken?
The strokes are taken with a soft brush, which looks like a brush. Volkmann's spoon is sometimes used in free clinics - it is a small spoon on a long stalk. Such a brush is gently inserted into the channel and then removed by rotational movements. The brush is placed in a sterile flask and sent for further examination.
How to prepare for the procedure for women
2 days before the procedure you can not live sexually, use soap with antibacterial action, take a shower, use tampons. If a cervical swab is taken, you cannot have sex, play sports, overheat, swim in public places, or take medications that affect blood thinning after the 3-week procedure.
How to prepare for the procedure for men
Sexual intercourse is excluded, take a shower for 2 days without detergent. Do not urinate before the procedure.
General preparation for the procedure
It is necessary to inform the doctor about all the medications that the person has taken in the last 2 months.
How is an HPV blood test taken?
Used for PCR diagnostics. From the finger, sometimes from a vein, depending on the type of analysis the person will take. The feeling of a slight burning sensation after the injection is the biggest discomfort after the procedure. If the veins in the elbow area are narrow, then the process of taking blood will become difficult, but the doctor will tell you how to properly dilate the vein.
The procedure is performed on an empty stomach, you can not even drink water. It is advisable to bring a bar of chocolate with you. 3 days before donating blood, it is necessary to exclude from the diet all foods that cause an allergic reaction.
How is urine tested?
It is better to take care of the sterile jar yourself. You can buy it at the pharmacy. Collect morning urine in a jar on an empty stomach. Then take it for an examination, preferably immediately, the maximum period is 4 hours or the result will be invalid. The method is not as precise as taking blood, but if it is not possible to donate blood, you will have to use this method.
How long does HPV testing take in women and men?
If a colposcopic examination is performed, the result is issued immediately. Cytological examination results will be ready only after a week. Histology is done for 3 days and then you can get the test result on your hands. With PCR diagnostics, you can get results right away or wait up to 2 days.
When and how often should you be tested for HPV?
By age 30, only those who have clear signs of growths on the body are examined. Usually at this age HPV is dormant and does not spread throughout the body.
From the age of 30 to 60, it is necessary to go for examinations every 3 years. The level of immunity is declining, so the signs of human papilloma virus should be detected in time.
After 60 years, no examinations are usually done. If the presence of the virus has not been detected during the last two tests, you do not have to worry. If there have been manifestations, you will need to engage in treatment until the last 2 results are negative.
Costs and delivery costs of HPV tests
In the presence of acute diseases or after the cessation of a cancerous tumor, most examinations are free. They can be prescribed by an oncologist.
For a complete picture of virus development, 2 methods are usually used to remove the likelihood of false information.
Decoding the results
Deciphering should only be done by a physician. Patient intervention will not do any good. To understand what this is about, pay attention to the following words:
- reference values - HPV is absent;
- positive result - an oncogenic strain of HPV was detected;
- the result is negative - no cancerous manifestations have been found, but there is a possibility of finding other types of HPV.
If the patient opted for health and found out about the presence of human papilloma virus in his body, then the above methods should be resorted to. Timely diagnostics saved millions of people and helped to find a peaceful, healthy life. Only after a thorough passing of tests is it possible to prescribe quality treatment.
Sometimes the patient is sent for tests without external signs of the disease, and the procedure shows that there is HPV in the body. In this case, the treatment will not last long. For this reason, doctors recommend that you seek help in a timely manner.