Nobody likes to talk about Cancer or sexually transmitted diseases but they can go hand in hand, especially in women. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) doesn’t always get the publicity that it should, being that it can be an extremely dangerous disease going as far as causing cancer and possibly death.
HPV is a very common STD that is the cause of genital warts (See Genital Wart Pictures) as well as the number one cause of cervical cancer. It is the most common STD in the United states with over 20 million people infected in the US alone and extremely easy to pass along. The thing is that it doesn’t have to be.
MERCK came out with a vaccine for the most problematic strains of the disease in hopes to help wipe out cervical cancer in women called Gardasil but when Gardasil first came out it was looked upon as a problem in many circles instead of the breakthrough it really is. Gardasil has been approved for women ages 9 to 26 and is used to vaccinate against the 2 strains of the virus that cause 75% of all cervical cancers as well as the 2 strains that cause 90% of genital warts.
It has little side effects that are well worth the benefits of the inoculation and may include:
- Pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site
- Headache
- Fever
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Fainting
If you develop any other more serious symptoms it’s important to contact your health provider immediately as adverse effects may occur.
It may seem controversial to vaccinate your young daughter with something that has to do with sexually transmitted diseases but it’s a very important vaccine that statistically will most likely help her out in the future in a big way. HPV is out there and there is no reason not to get the vaccine and put a stop to this dangerous STD.
