Many people assume that when they are tested for sexually transmitted diseases that they are also being tested for genital warts, but this is not the case. There is currently not a test for genital warts. If there is not a genital warts tests you may be wondering how exactly people get diagnosed with the disease. This is a common question, luckily one that is easily answered, the short answer is no, unfortunately.

How Do I Get Diagnosed if There Isn’t a Genital Warts Test?

Worried that you might have genital warts and want to have a genital warts test? If so, you’ll be out of luck because there is not yet a genital warts test. If you are worried that you might have been infected with the disease you can visit your doctor, but there is only one way to be diagnosed with it. To be diagnosed with genital warts you need to have visible warts for your doctor to see.

If you aren’t sure whether or not you have genital warts, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor can look at the infected area and tell you on the spot if you have been infected with the disease or not. Most doctors can easily tell if it is genital warts and if you have a doctor that is not sure you will likely want to get a second opinion to be sure.

When you are diagnosed with genital warts, despite their not being a genital warts test, you’ll find that there are a variety of treatments. Treatments range from applying creams to the warts, applying acid to the warts that will allow the warts to slough off, and even surgery where the warts are removed via laser or cryosurgery. With all of the treatment options you’ll find that you don’t have to live with the symptoms of genital warts.

Despite having a lot of different treatments for genital warts, you should know that after treatment you are not cured. Even though the symptoms of the genital warts have been taken care of, the virus will stay in your body. What this means is that at any time you can become symptomatic again. This also means that you can spread the disease, so once you have been diagnosed it is important to have protected sex at all times, even when you are in a monogamous relationship.