Many people think they know what genital warts are and then when they go to the doctor for medication or treatment for what they believe is genital warts they find that they have genital herpes or something else. It is a great idea, if you are sexually active, to know what the symptoms of genital warts actually are. Why should you specifically know the symptoms of genital warts? Because it is the most common sexually transmitted disease of all of the STD’s out there, and so many people don’t even know that they have it! If you know what to look out for you may be able to spot the symptoms in yourself before you spread the disease to others.

Common Symptoms of Genital Warts

It’s important to acknowledge that not every person infected with genital warts will have the same symptoms and you may not even have exactly the same symptoms every time you have a reoccurrence or outbreak of the warts. There is a wide range of possibilities where symptoms are involved including:

• Unexplained itching in the affected area
• Swelling or redness in the genital area
• Fleshy bumps that are painless in the genital region
• Bleeding during or after intercourse
• Bumps in the genital region that join together
• Discharge
• Urinary obstruction
• Painful sex
• Previous history of sexually transmitted disease
• Warts or bumps in more than one area

If you experience some or all of these symptoms of genital herpes you should visit your doctor. With a quick and simple physical exam your doctor will likely be able to diagnose the disease. Many times the doctor will place vinegar on the spots to determine if they are in fact warts if they are in doubts while other doctors will simply take a biopsy.

If it is found that you do have genital warts you will have a variety of treatment options to choose from. Many of these treatment options are not very invasive while others are surgical in nature. When you talk to your doctor they will help you create a treatment plan that is based on your specific warts, where they are located, and your overall health. There are also many at home treatments that you may be able to work with that will allow you to treat at home once you have been properly diagnosed.