Author: Kimberly Wright

Whether you are a parent or a young adult, you should understand the significant dangers of the HPV virus and how it is spread.

As a parent, you do everything in your power to protect your children from harm. You may have seen ads on the television about getting a vaccine but didn’t quite understand if you should be concerned. Not only should you be concerned, but you should learn all about HPV and the importance of the Gardasil 9 vaccine in order to protect your children and yourself.

What Is HPV and Why the Concern?

HPV, which stands for Human Papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) . There are 80 million Americans currently infected with HPV and 14 million new cases are reported each year, according to the CDC. There are 40 different strains of HPV, many of which cause warts, but others can cause cancer. Not every infection leads to cancer, but nevertheless, you need to understand the severe consequences of ignoring this serious disease.

Most people have no symptoms and are not aware they have been infected with HPV.  Later in life, they can develop risk factors for 6 types of cancer.

• 13 strains can cause cervical cancer in women
• 1 strain can cause cancer of the penis
• Other strains can cause cancer of the vagina and vulva, the anus, plus cancers in the back of the throat, the base of the tongue, and of the tonsils in both men and women.

Warts often develop as a result of HPV, including genital warts, common warts on fingers, hands, and elbows, plantar warts on the feet, and flat lesions in children and adolescents on the face, neck, and other scratched areas. These can be treated by The Wright Center Providers if they are diagnosed as HPV.

How HPV Is Transmitted

Although designated as a sexually transmitted disease, a person does not have to have sex to be infected with Human Papillomavirus. This is a crucial piece of information to remember since any skin-to-skin contact can lead to the spreading of the virus, including open-mouth kissing with an infected person.  Most commonly the virus is transmitted through vaginal, oral, and anal sex and can even be transmitted to infants during birth.

Thus, virtually any sexually active person can get HPV.

Protecting Your Children and Yourself from HPV

There are a number of ways to protect yourself and those you love from Human Papillomavirus.

Women should get regular pap tests to spot any issues of the cervix, and they can concurrently be tested for HPV during this regular gynecological exam. Women can also be tested separately for the HPV virus. In addition, there is a DNA test to detect the high-risk strains for women age 30 and older, and this test can also be given to females age 25 and older without a pap smear.

Men should look for any warts in their genital area and report any abnormal symptoms to their physician immediately.

The Gardasil 9 vaccine is the ultimate protection from HPV.  The best age for the vaccine is prior to any sexual experience. Children aged 11 and 12 can be vaccinated using two doses that are required six months apart from one another. Adolescents aged 15 and older who have not had the vaccine will need three doses. The CDC now allows children to receive the Gardasil 9 vaccine as early as age 9.

Quite recently, the CDC expanded the use of Gardasil 9 for adults ages 27 through 45. Ask The Wright Center Providers about the new changes, and don’t delay in getting your vaccination. There is no cure if you have the virus, but you can protect yourself and your children before they are infected.

Almost 34 thousand people are diagnosed with cancer caused by the HPV virus every year.  Almost 90% of those cancers can be prevented with the vaccine.

Contact The Wright Center for Women’s Health in Naperville, IL to have your children and/or yourself vaccinated from the HPV virus as soon as possible! Call us today at (630) 687-9595.

At the Wright Center for Women’s Health, we believe in nurturing a workplace culture that not only promotes professional excellence but also fosters a sense of satisfaction and well-being among our dedicated team. In our continuous pursuit of improvement, we recently conducted an internal survey to gauge the pulse of our staff and gain valuable insights into their experiences within the company.

This survey delves into various aspects of our organizational culture, aiming to celebrate our strengths and identify areas for enhancement. The candid feedback from our team members serves as a compass guiding us toward a workplace that not only meets their expectations but exceeds them—fostering a positive and supportive environment for all.

When asked what the pros were of working at the Wright Center for Women’s Health, the team ranked People as #1, followed by culture, advancement, and learning opportunities. The team felt the benefits provided were good and a large majority of the team indicated that they saw themselves staying at the Wright Center for Women’s Health for a very long time.

We also asked the team a few open-ended questions to allow for more candid feedback. You can view our team’s responses below; the darker the box, the more staff members who had a similar statement.

The positive work atmosphere we have cultivated at the Wright Center for Women’s Health has a direct impact on the caliber of patient care we provide. When our staff members genuinely love their work and their workplace, that passion translates into a higher quality of care for our patients. The enthusiasm and dedication of our team create a ripple effect, ensuring that each patient receives not only medical expertise but also a compassionate and supportive environment that contributes to their overall well-being.