What Are Anal Warts?

Anal warts are abnormal growths found around the opening of the anus, inside the anal canal, or in the lower portion of the rectum.

They usually produce no symptoms, although some people complain of itching and discomfort. They are very contagious and spread quickly.

Most people with anal warts will have somewhere between five and ten warts.

What Do Anal Warts Look Like?

Anal warts look like small flesh-colored bumps around or inside the anal opening. They can grow singly or in clusters. Sometimes they will be hard and scaly, whereas other times they may be barely noticeable.

What Causes Anal Warts?

Anal warts are caused by the human papilloma virus. This virus is responsible for warts all over the body. When infections occur in the genital area, the virus has usually been contracted through sexual intercourse. Often, people with anal warts will also have warts in or around their sexual organs. Men may have warts on their penis or scrotum, while a woman can have warts in or around her vagina, on the vulva, and on the cervix.

Risk Factors

People with multiple sexual partners are more likely to develop anal warts, as are those who become sexually active at a young age. Taking immune suppressants or smoking both increase the risk of having an outbreak of anal warts, presumably because they lower the body’s ability to fight off the virus.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of anal warts is made based on a visual examination. Sometimes a viewing instrument called an anoscope is inserted into the anal canal to check for internal warts.

Treatment

Anal warts can be treated in several different ways. If the warts are outside the anal opening, they can usually be treated with chemical preparations that gradually wear down the warts. Warts inside the anal canal may require cauterization or surgery to remove them. Larger warts can be treated with electro coagulation. Electro coagulation uses electricity to destroy the warts. It is quite painful, and local anesthesia may be required.

While all these different alternatives can effectively remove the warts, none of them are a cure. The virus responsible for the warts may not be affected by treatment. If even a few virus particles survive, the warts can recur. Sometimes, the virus will lie dormant for months, only to cause a new outbreak just as the patient is beginning to feel safe.

Many patients require repeated treatments over the course of several months. Often, surgery is required, and even then, the recurrence rate is close to forty percent. Even when the outbreak of warts has cleared up, the infection may not be entirely eradicated, and transmission to sexual partners remains a possibility. Using a condom may provide partial protection, but since the virus can live in parts of the skin not covered by the condom, this method is far from foolproof.

The virus responsible for anal warts can also cause cancer. While the strains that cause warts usually don’t significantly elevate the risk, taking precautionary measures is still recommended. Many people who have been exposed to one strain of the human papilloma virus have also been exposed to others.

Many doctors nowadays will perform an anal pap smears if you ask them. A pap smear involves studying cells from, in this case, the anus, and ascertaining if there are any abnormalities. If such abnormal cells are caught before they become cancerous, the progression to cancer can usually be prevented without major intervention, so if you suspect you might have an infection, see your doctor.

Learn more about ways to boost your immune system naturally here.

Sources:
http://www.colonrectal.org/patientinfo/conditions/analwarts.htm
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/anal_warts.jsp