What is HPV?
The Early Days of HPV
Believe it or not, the first hints of HPV's existence can be traced back to ancient times. In 400 BCE, Hippocrates, the famous Greek physician, described lesions that resemble what we now know as genital warts. However, it wasn't until much later that the link between these warts and cervical cancer was established.
Fast forward to 1907, when Italian researcher Giuseppe Ciuffo first suggested that genital warts might be caused by a virus. This groundbreaking idea set the stage for further investigations into the mysterious world of HPV.
The Pap Smear Revolution
In the 1920s, a Greek doctor named Georgios Papanikolaou made a serendipitous discovery while studying guinea pig cells. He noticed that cervical cells could reveal abnormalities that were indicative of cancer. This observation led to the development of the Pap smear, a screening tool that has saved countless lives by detecting precancerous changes in the cervix.
By the 1940s, the Pap smear had become a routine part of women's healthcare in the United States, and its use quickly spread around the world. This simple but effective test has played a crucial role in reducing cervical cancer rates and improving women's health outcomes.
Unravelling the Types of HPV
As research into HPV continued, scientists began to uncover the astonishing diversity of this virus family. In the 1980s, German virologist Harald zur Hausen made a groundbreaking discovery: he identified HPV types 16 and 18 as the primary culprits behind cervical cancer. This finding revolutionized our understanding of HPV and paved the way for the development of HPV vaccines.
Today, we know that there are over 200 types of HPV, each designated with a unique number. While most HPV types are harmless and resolve on their own, about 40 types can infect the genital area and potentially lead to health issues.
HPV types are generally categorized into two groups:
1. Low-risk HPV types, such as HPV 6 and 11, which can cause genital warts but rarely lead to cancer.
2. High-risk HPV types, like HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, and 45, which are associated with various cancers, including cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers.
This knowledge has been crucial in guiding screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for HPV-related conditions.
Something that has been missing in the conventional medical approach to the treatment of HPV-related conditions is the role of the immune system in clearing HPV. In my own healing journey I found that 90% of people clear HPV naturally within the first two years. This led me to ask what was different about the 10% in whom HPV persists and potentially lead to more severe downstream health problems. When I emerged from the rabbit hole I had devised an approach for understanding HPV from a holistic point of view and actionable steps to help the immune system to be at its best to clear HPV in this group of people. And it worked!
The Future of HPV Research
With each passing year, we learn more about the intricate relationship between HPV and our immune systems, and how we can harness this knowledge to promote better health outcomes. There are many research studies and papers containing supporting evidence for this holistic approach.
While there is still much to discover, one thing is clear: by understanding the history of HPV, the importance of screening, and the various types of the virus, we are better equipped to make informed decisions about our health and well-being.
Importantly, by understanding that there are many things that we can do in the early stages of HPV infection that can increase our chances of clearing it naturally we can jump into ACTION and help ourselves to have a better chance of eliminating stress and worry further down the line.
So, let's celebrate the incredible progress we've made in the fight against HPV, and look forward to a future where holistic approach is part of the advice given by the conventional medical system.
Until then…
Stay curious, stay informed, and most importantly, stay empowered!
In love and power,
Rosemary