HPV Oral Testing for Men

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When we find abnormal pap smear results in women, indicating a diagnosis of cervical dysplasia, it isn’t just a woman’s problem. For sexually active women, an infection with the very common Human Papillomavirus (HPV), can be transmitted between partners. The virus often clears on its own, but when it doesn’t, certain types of HPV can result in cervical cancer, as well as vaginal and vulvar cancer in women, anal cancer or genital warts in men and women, and genital and oral cancers in men.

More than half the men in the U.S. will have HPV at some point in their lifetimes, and many will clear the infection on their own, just as many women do. But if your partner has HPV virus, it is likely that you will, too. That’s why testing for men is so important. The same type of HPV that is found in the genitals can be present in the mouth and throat, and can cause oropharyngeal cancers. Michael Douglas’s cancer of this type was spotlighted in the media, and added to the conversation about HPV.

That’s why I encourage men to visit me for baseline blood work and oral HPV testing, particularly when their partners are found to be HPV positive, or have a diagnosis of cervical dysplasia. I perform a visual and tactile exam, in addition to a salivary test sent to a laboratory for analysis. There are more then 100 HPV types, some slow growing, others highly aggressive. A suspicious lesion on the tongue or in the mouth should always be immediately investigated. Because it does sometimes clear on its own, a naturopathic approach to immune system support can be an important strengthening agent for the body’s own ability to fight the virus. That’s a first step in the process, although any positive HPV result should be taken seriously, and indicates either ongoing monitoring or a treatment plan.

HPV does not create symptoms in its early stages, so if you’re in an intimate relationship, and your partner has tested positive for the virus, you owe it to yourself to be tested. Naturopathic medicine is the least invasive, most natural, and safest approach to protecting your health.

A 15 minute phone session can answer many of your questions. Schedule your call by contacting me at my office, Shalva Clinic, at 203-916-4600.

The Distress of Dysplasia

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Dysplasia isn’t a word that comes up very often in conversation, even among women who might have received a diagnosis of cervical dysplasia. But it’s more common than you think. Although it doesn’t create any symptoms, a routine pap smear can find abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.

The words “abnormal cells” can strike fear into the heart of any woman, which is why it’s easy to agree to medical treatments that include electrocauterization, cryosurgery, laser vaporization, or surgical removal of the affected area. Cervical dysplasia requires attention, because the abnormal cells are considered a precancerous condition. But let’s talk a little more about what’s actually the best course of action.

Dysplasia can be mild, moderate, or severe. Mild dysplasia is the most common form, and often resolves on its own. Moderate to severe dysplasia have a higher rate of progression to cancer, and require intervention. Here’s what you need to know about a Naturopathic solution for dysplasia, and why you should consider it:

Often, an underlying health issue makes women vulnerable to the HPV virus, the precursor of a cervical dysplasia diagnosis. My approach is to look at a woman’s entire body and current lifestyle, and seek to improve overall health as a first step. This is an integral part of treating any disease or condition, and often is a primary difference between seeking specialized, localized medical treatment, or using a Naturopathic approach. Cervical dysplasia can be the first warning sign a woman receives that she needs to change her lifestyle, diet, and nutritional supplementation.

When we’ve discussed lifestyle alterations, my next step is either a vaginal suppository protocol you can perform at home, or Escharotic Treatment performed in the office.

Rather than using a heated electrical loop to cauterize abnormal tissue, or a carbon dioxide cooled probe to freeze affected tissue, Escharotic Treatment relies on a topical treatment of the cervix, relying on zinc chloride along with a more gentle, botanical formula. I use a cervical bath along with naturopathic suppositories, coupled with a systemic treatment to treat both externally and internally at the same time.

A typical Escharotic in office treatment protocol requires twelve visits, twice weekly, for six weeks, followed by retesting and a maintenance schedule. A success rate of 95% for this non-harmful approach brings many women to my practice for the first time, and the majority of them remain as longterm patients. The treatment timing can be modified for patients traveling or having other time restrictions.

A 15 minute complimentary phone session can answer many of your questions about treatment for cervical dysplasia. Schedule your call by contacting me at my office, Shalva Clinic, at 203-916-4600.