From the appearance on the body of papillomas - small growths resembling simple warts with a wide flat base or thin leg, unfortunately, absolutely no one is safe. They can suddenly appear on any area of the skin:
- on the face;
- on legs or arms;
- in the genital area;
- in the groin.
One of the most unpleasant manifestations of the disease is deservedly considered the occurrence of anal papillomas. Photos of these neoplasms will help you identify the problem in time and distinguish it from other, similar pathologies. Why do these growths appear and how to get rid of them? All this and more will be discussed further.
Etiology
The appearance of anal papillomas is provoked by the corresponding virus. There are many varieties of it - doctors have discovered more than 80 types of HPV. Moreover, it is likely that this list will be replenished in the future with several more species that have not been identified so far.
Papillomas at the anus can appear due to the presence of low or high oncogenic risk in the body of HPV. The first category includes 11, 43, 54, 6, 42, 55 types of virus. The second group includes HPV numbers 18, 16 and 31.
Of course, a person who is concerned about anal papillomas cannot independently determine what type of strains provoked their appearance. That is why when a similar problem occurs, the first thing you should visit a specialist and undergo an appropriate examination. After all, all further therapy depends on the type of pathogen.
Causes of occurrence
As you know, papillomas are an infectious phenomenon. Direct contact even with barely scratched skin or damaged mucous membrane in the area of the growth can cause the development of pathology in a previously healthy person.
It is noteworthy that a very large number of people are carriers of this virus. That is, the person himself may not have papillomas at the anus, but certain strains are present in his blood, and upon contact he passes them. Although in fact, the risk of infection in the absence of obvious external symptoms is significantly lower than in the presence of papillomas.
There are several ways to transmit the virus:
- domestic;
- sexual;
- vertical - from mother to child.
Features of the infection process
Usually, anal papillomas are found in one of the partners, the same manifestations are soon waiting for another. True, in some situations, everything happens differently. One person has growths on the anus and, after removal, reappears, and his partner does not arise throughout life. How to explain this phenomenon? In fact, the reason lies in the ability of the immune system: with poor protection, papillomas respond poorly to therapy and often recur, and with a strong one, a person can remain a carrier of the virus for life. In this case, HPV can only be detected using a blood test.
As for sexual transmission, it can even occur with the use of a condom. Indeed, any contact of the patient with the mucous membranes and skin of a healthy person, subject to even the slightest damage, contributes to the entry of HPV into the body.
Papillomas of the anal canal during infection through the household can occur if all family members use the same common towel.
During childbirth, the baby easily picks up the virus at the time of passage through the birth canal. That is why doctors recommend getting rid of the problem before pregnancy.
Diagnostics
First of all, a person needs to make an appointment with a proctologist. True, in the future, you may need additional consultation with a gynecologist for women, a urologist or andrologist for men, as well as an immunologist.
Just a visual examination to make an accurate diagnosis of "anal papillomas" is not enough. The proctologist must carefully examine the growths and prescribe a coloproctological instrumental examination to the patient. Its carrying out is especially important if neoplasms are present not only in the anus zone, but also much deeper.
Then the specialist gives a referral for a blood test to detect HPV. Only by the results of all the studies conducted, the doctor can understand how high the probability of converting anal papillomas into a malignant growth is high.
Where to start treatment
But be that as it may, regardless of the type of virus, therapy should begin with the removal of the neoplasm. A suitable technique and further treatment regimen are selected taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient and the identified clinical picture.
In addition, it is very important to conduct a differential diagnosis of papillomas with molluscum contagiosum and broad condylomas that appear with syphilis. In addition, it is necessary to distinguish them from malignant neoplasms.
Symptomatology
In the photo, the papilloma of the anus can be easily distinguished from many other similar growths. Although the diagnosis is still better to entrust to an experienced specialist.
A person may suspect that he has papillomas near the anus if he is concerned:
- constant sensation of moisture in the anus;
- unusual seals in this area;
- the occurrence of abrasions;
- regular itching;
- pain during bowel movements.
Severe soreness is usually absent. In some cases, patients complain of such a sign as a sensation of the presence of a foreign object in the anus. Sometimes a small amount of blood is released, this is characteristic of damage to the papillomas.
Quite often, people who first encountered such an unpleasant disease take it for an attack of hemorrhoids. As a result, they stop abnormal bleeding with the help of suppositories or ointments, simply wasting time, instead of immediately contacting a specialist.
Treatment of anal papillomas
Therapy of this pathology can be carried out in various ways. First of all, when diagnosing anal papillomas, the doctor directs the patient to a special procedure - their removal. This is necessary in time to prevent the degeneration of growths into malignant tumors.
Then the patient is prescribed immunotherapy without fail. It is necessary to restore the body's defenses, which should be aimed at the active destruction of the virus. As a result of intense suppression, HPV should fall into a latent state. Only in this case, the pathology will not carry a great danger to human life and health.
Removal of anal papillomas
Destruction of growths in the anus is carried out in various ways.
To eliminate the external manifestations of HPV, the following are most often used:
- cryodestruction;
- the introduction of podophyllin;
- electrocoagulation;
- laser destruction.
Advantages and disadvantages of the proposed procedures
Electrocoagulation is performed using local anesthesia. This procedure is considered highly effective, after its implementation, the reappearance of papillomas near the anus is extremely rare.
Cryodestruction is considered an extremely responsible event that requires maximum attention from a specialist. Indeed, in some cases it can be quite difficult to determine the depth of localization of papillomas and thoroughly remove them.
Laser therapy sometimes leads to complications: microparticles of the growth, which contain the virus, at the time of spraying fall on other damaged areas of the mucous membranes and skin, which leads to the growth of papillomas far from the initial neoplasms. That is why it is necessary to protect nearby areas of the dermis. By the way, excessive safety precautions will not interfere with the doctor himself.
The use of podophyllin makes it possible to get rid of abnormal growths without any trauma. The drug, which is a resin of a special tree - podophyllium, is injected directly into the area of accumulation of papillomas. Most often, after the procedure, there is an active regression of growths and their gradual disappearance.
But such an event also has one danger: in some cases, the medication can provoke injury to healthy areas of the epidermis, itching, erythema and inflammation. In order to avoid such complications, the drug should be administered pointwise, as carefully and accurately as possible. The patient is advised to rinse the product after 7-8 hours after the procedure.
There is another danger: getting on the growths, podophyllin stimulates their change, which in some cases can be confused with the symptoms of carcinoma. That is why doctors, despite the apparent safety of the drug, try to resort to its use extremely rarely.
Therapy Features
Vaccination is considered more effective. For 6 weeks, once a day, the patient receives a certain dosage of the drug. Injections are carried out directly into the papillomas themselves. As a result, growths disappear on their own.
Further therapy involves stimulating the immune system. Means that have a beneficial effect on immunity are introduced into the damaged area or taken in tablet form. After a course of therapy, HPV can for quite some time not remind itself at all and not disturb a person. Maybe he will never even make himself known again. It all depends on the characteristics of the body, the state of the immune system and other factors.
Alternative medicine
In some cases, you can get rid of papillomas in the anal area yourself. But at the same time, you need to understand that by refusing qualified help, a person puts himself at great risk. After all, what he takes for a papilloma may actually turn out to be a malignant neoplasm. The consequences of such an attitude to the problem can be unpredictable and very sad.
Traditional medicine as a therapy offers the use of:
- oxolinic ointment;
- celandine;
- iodine.
These funds must be applied to the detected papillomas every day until the growths dry out and completely disappear. It should be borne in mind: in the absence of competent antiviral therapy, the risk of re-emergence of tumors is extremely high. Relapse usually occurs due to a weakening of the protective properties of the immune system.
Conclusion
Anal papillomas are not in vain considered an extremely unpleasant problem that can cause a lot of inconvenience, and not only physical, but also moral. In addition, such harmless, at first glance, neoplasms can lead to very serious consequences. So, doctors warn: in the absence of appropriate treatment, anal papillomas can cause a secondary infection. In addition, do not forget about the likelihood of their degeneration into a malignant tumor.
Regardless of the initial causes, anal papillomas should be removed first. To do this, several effective methods are used: cryodestruction, laser therapy, electrocoagulation and the administration of podophyllin. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages, so the final choice of procedure is best entrusted to a specialist.
As a supportive treatment, immunotherapy is used, which is aimed at maintaining the protective properties of the body and its ability to fight HPV. Thanks to this technique, it is possible to prevent the reappearance of papillomas in the future.
To prevent the development of all kinds of complications, such growths should be eliminated immediately after detection. Only with a competent approach and following all the doctor’s instructions can you forget about such an unpleasant problem for a long time. Folk remedies are preferably used only as adjuvant therapy.