In most cases, HPV will go away on its own without any health concerns;  however, persistent infections with "high risk" types can cause cellular changes and can lead to cervical disease and cancer. There is no treatment for the HPV virus but there are treatments for the health problems that may arise such as genital warts. If a cervical pre-cancer presents itself through a routine Pap test, preventative treatments for it developing further into cancer can be implemented. HPV cancers are more treatable when diagnosed and treated early.

Ways To Avoid HPV

Vaccination: It is recommended that all boys and girls ages 11-12 should get vaccinated for HPV. It is a safe and effective protection against diseases caused by HPV. Vaccines are given in three shots over six months and all three doses should be administered.

Screenings For Cervical Cancer: It is important to keep with routine screenings and Pap test by an OB/GYN annually from ages 21 to 65.

Keep Protected: If you are sexually active, use latex condoms every time you have intercourse, even though they may not give full protection, and maintain a mutually monogamous relationship

Types of Testing And Detection

There is no specific test to determine one's HPV status, however there are tests that can screen for certain cancer indicators. Current screenings and diagnostic techniques have been effective but often lead to unnecessary testing and procedures.

Most recently, there has been a focus on improving the type of testing to help distinguish between self-resolving HPV infections and infections that progress to pre-cancer and cancer.

The most common annual screening test has been the Pap test in which cervical cells are collected and analyzed under a microscope. However, the Pap test is often deemed as subjective as it is analyzed through visual examination.

DNA testing has been utilized more recently for women with abnormal Pap results and is most often used for women who are 30 years and older. DNA testing can help identify certain strains of HPV, however it is limited in specific identifications of cells. It is often used as a second test to a positive Pap. It is important to note, there is large room for false positive results.

A more recent approach to detection is the mRNA test which helps identify specific markers (E6 and E7 proteins) that may be responsible for progressing neighboring cells into cancers. It may help to more accurately assess cervical cancer risk in HPV-infected women.

Research continues to find the best resources for detection, prevention and treatment of HPV.

The following article is an excerpt from Oprah.com, April, 2014, presenting studies that suggest ways to improve your morning:

Have a little tulip with your coffee.

Why it works: Evolutionary psychologists believe that we see flowers and plants as a subconscious cue of safety ("Things can grow here-let's set down roots"), reward ("All that foraging paid off") and promise ("These buds mean that fruit is on the way"). So the sight of a colorful bouquet in the morning, they theorize, can convince you that everything's coming up roses today.

Strange, true thing that might convince you: In a study led by Harvard Medical School psychologist Nancy Etcoff, PhD, women who saw flowers when they woke up reported feeling happier (and less anxious) at home, as well as more energetic at work.

Squeeze yourself a glass of fresh orange juice.

Why it works: It's not just because oranges are the color of the morning sun: They're also high in vitamin B6 and folic acid, both of which have been found lacking in patients who suffer from depression.

Go to bed an hour earlier.

Why it works: For all the obvious reasons (you'll be better rested, more alert, more optimistic about what the day holds).

Strange, true thing that might convince you (as if you need it): When you lose sleep, you also risk losing your sense of humor. No joke: The ability to "get" that something is funny requires you to process information cognitively as well as emotionally-and that processing is severely affected by a lack of sleep, explains William D.S. Killgore, an associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. In one of his studies, sleep-deprived participants had significant difficulty recognizing when items like news headlines and cartoons were supposed to make them laugh.

Do 10 burpees in the yard.

Why it works: Cardio exercise wakes up your heart and your muscles and can set your mood on an upward trajectory that lasts until nighttime (and may even extend into a more restful sleep). Doing it outside seems to compound the effects. If you don't have time before work for a trail run, this jumping-squatting-planking move, which can be done in a few minutes and a few square feet of outdoor space, is the most efficient cheat.

Strange, true thing that might convince you: Just 5 minutes of exercising in nature can enhance your mood and boost your self-esteem, researchers found (that's at least 20 burpees).

Never cry yourself to sleep.

Why it works: Sleep has been shown to make memories more vivid and durable, particularly emotional ones-perhaps as an evolutionary mechanism to help us learn from these experiences.

Strange, true thing that might convince you: People shown disturbing images at bedtime had strong reactions both before and after sleeping, found a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience. But when shown upsetting images first thing in the morning and then after a day awake, they didn't seem nearly as fazed. Staying awake after an upsetting experience neutralizes some of the emotion, the scientists concluded, while going to sleep helps "preserve" the emotional response.