HPV Infection and cervical health

The Human Papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases. If not cleared by your body it can develop into abnormal cellular changes in the cervix. To read part one of this article series head across to this link.

In this post I’ll be discussing some of the research on HPV and the application of naturopathic medicines, herbal and beyond. Please note nothing mentioned in this post is intended as medical advice and you should seek out professional support for your health.

It’s worth noting that many women who have HPV will clear the virus using their own immune system. However there’s a percentage of women for whom the virus persists and can lead to ongoing issues.

If you have recently received a HPV diagnosis regardless if it’s the 16-18 strain or another seek support from a naturopath who’s experienced working with this. They may be able to help with clearing the virus faster to decrease your chances of developing cervical cellular changes and in the long run something potentially more serious.

Essentially HPV is a single DNA strand virus that has been linked to cancer. It’s most prevalent in young women early twenties as sexual activity commences for many. Please note that women of any age including those in their late 30’s and 40’s can be diagnosed as well.

Men also carry and are affected by this virus but are generally not screened for it.

HPV 16-18 are the strains that are closely related to cancer and monitoring these types is important. Generally when you have your screening done for HPV in Australia you will be alerted to the presence of 16-18 HPV types or simply noted that that these stains aren’t present.

The types of HPV that cause the wart like growths are not as closely linked to the development of cancer. Those being HPV 6 and 11.

Vulval cancers are also strongly related to HPV type 16, so you want to be on the look out for any changes or growths on this part of your body. Please don’t delay seeking care and further investigation if you have lesions. Time is of the essence so when in doubt just get it checked.

HPV and fertility

Did you know that HPV is associated with male infertility?- With studies showing a positive HPV diagnosis has been implicated in a decrease in the capacity for fertilisation, impacts on motility and intergrity of sperm DNA. So this is something to be taken into consideration if fertility is an issue for you. With testing showing that HPV has been detected in both semen samples and spermatazoa.

How does a man know if he has had HPV?

Unfortunately in Australia men are not regularly screened for the virus. So having open and frank discussions with sexual partners is important. Seeing as people carrying this virus are asymptomatic it can be challenging to know if you have it or not.

Your naturopath may ask a lot of questions around sexual habits as reinfection with HPV can become problematic, if you have a persistent strain it may be necessary to have your partner treated also to reduce the chance of reinfection through sexual activity.

Why does HPV progress to more serious cellular changes?

While many people clear this virus before they know they had it. When your immune system is impaired, as is the case with an increased toxic load/ alcohol consumption smoking, high stress, poor sleep and nutrition, then you’re more likely to see a struggle in clearing this virus and a progression to cellular changes.

There needs to be the environment for this virus to flourish, understanding this is key, because an initial diagnosis of HPV and cervical cellular changes can bring on a lot of stress and panic. There is a lot you can do.

Regular health checks are vital!

Screening is so important, the earlier you uncover HPV the better your chances are of miminising the incidence of it devleoping into something more serious.

Cervical cancer screening changed from 2 years to a 5 yearly HPV test for women ages 25-74. You can request and pay to have a screen done more frequently. If you have a family history of cancer, along side a HPV diagnosis it may be worth paying for more regular testing.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the factors that may lead to a persistence HPV infection:

Elevated circulating estrogens and issues with recycling and clearance of oestrogen in your body, poor liver function or exposure to environmental hormone disruptors.

There has been a study that shows oral contraceptive pill (OCP) can have some impact - HPV positive women who use oral contraceptives for 5 to 9 years experienced a significant increase in the risk factors of cervical cancers compared with women who never used the OCP.

(Gierisch et. al. 2013)

It’s thought that perhaps the exposure to synthetic hormones and the depletion of B12, B6 and folate from taking the pill may lead to issues with healthy cell division. Something to keep in mind if you’re deciding to take OCP. Your naturopath can help ensure you’re getting adequate amounts of essential nutrients. Or help you coming off the OCP if you have cellular changes.

Some research has shown elevated levels of circulating estrogens have been detected in women with HPV lesions and cancers. If you’re dealing with more significant cellular issues you can have a DUTCH test which takes a deep dive into your current hormonal status. Find out more about this test here.

How else can a naturopathic approach help HPV clearance?

It appears that if you have a lack of healthy bacteria in your vagina this can lead to issues with clearance of HPV. Helpful to note that healthy bacteria help combat bad bacteria and viruses not just in your gut but also around your vagina. Lactobacillus gasseri has been associated with the fastest HPV remission. (Brotman et. al, 2014)

Gardnerella vaginalis have also been found in higher amounts in HPV positive women (Clarke et al. 2012) This is the bacteria most commonly associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). So reducing these microbes and increasing the desired ones can be a focus for many of my clients.

You can have a vaginal microbiome test done through functional labs however this is an additional expense, and may be unnecessary. Chat to your naturopath about the options.

Keeping your vaginal microbiome healthy appears to be just as important as keeping your gut microbiome healthy.

L. Crispatus is another key bacteria thought to help in reducing and clearing HPV.

Leep procedures…

These are considered minor procedures generally performed by your gynaecologist who will remove part of the cervix where there is an abnormal cellar growth. While it is considered minor and recovery is quick for most patients, there are risk factors associated, including pre-term birth and decreased libido. Ask your gynaecologist about these, depending on your current diagnosis you may have some time up your sleeve to implement different approaches. Working closely with your gynaecologist and other specialists is vital. So open those lines of communication early.

Holistic approach to HPV

Dependent on where you are with the diagnosis and CIN grading you don’t want to delay care. A collaborative approach with your gynocologist and naturopath is ideal to help ensure you get the best possible outcomes and recovery.

A common question is whether it’s safe to delay Leep treatments? This is something to discuss with your gynaecologist, they will be able to inform you of the risks and safe time frames.

How can your naturopath help?

If you’d like to review a full case study from a patient I recently supported with HPV and CIN head across to this post where I cover the full approach.

Most important is remembering that your naturopath will tailor the treatment to you and your current needs. For optimum results we need to take a thorough case history and potentially address some of these key areas:

Restore vaginal Lactobacillus bacteria

Restore vaginal pH 3.6-4.5 (this can easily be tested in clinic or at home)

Address dysbiosis and microbial balance in the gut.

Address and modify risky behaviours- sex, lifestyle, diet, smoking, stress.

Holistic- Liver function and genetic tendencies. For the clearance of excess estrogen.

Addressing any nutrient deficiencies you might have.

Addressing gut health.

Addressing chronic immune issues.

Support nervous system health- through stress management.

Oestrogen issues- too high?

Support you off oral contraceptive if possible? taking out a factor that might be contributing.

Herbal medicines to support clearance of virus.

Probiotics vaginally and orally.

Referrals for other practitioners.

Avoiding re-infection/ treating partners.

As you can see this is a process and requires you to engage over a period of time to implement these changes, if you’re considering this be prepared to be working with your naturopath for at least 3-6 months. Generally speaking after my first consultation with a patient I’ll see them again in two weeks and then every four after that for 3-6 months.

Specific Naturopathic medicines for HPV

DIM- (Diindolylmethane) one study showed it improved pap smear results in 49% of participants. Be mindful that this substance can alter your cycle so avoid self prescribing. (Del Priore et. al 2009)

Vitamin D - For immune function, using it vaginally and orally can be indicated.

Studies have shown that intra vaginal zinc can be very useful- 12 weeks of a zinc citrate solution treatment resulted in the elimination of HPV in 64.47% of patients compared to the non zinc control group 15.25% (Kim et al. 2011)

Lactulose works as a prebiotic topically and helps benefit Lactobacillus and can be used in combination with probiotics.

Green tea- Inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells, orally and topically. You can use a good quality matcha or green tea. When larger doses are needed a supplement may be best.

Curcumin treatment topically helps to inhibit the replication of HPV. With a study showing a significant clearance of the virus when applied topically (Debata et al.) We commonly use this herb as a part of a comprehensive cancer treatment for its benefit in reducing abnormal cellular changes.

I make custom pessaries for my patients at the clinic, these are made with any number of the items mentioned here as well as others. If pessaries aren’t an option for you they can be replaced with creams.

Medical mushrooms- These are known to enhance natural killer cell activity. Improving immunity, which is key for a sluggish immune system.

Addressing nutrient deficiencies some of them already mentioned above is vital, start keeping a diet diary so that you’re able to run through potential holes and dietary solutions with your naturopath. There are a host of foods which are high is anti-oxidants and key nutrients that will help support your immunity and therefore your clearance of HPV.

If you have any questions please feel free to book a complimentary obligation free call with me below.