Symptoms
Usually there are no other symptoms.
What Are Warts?
From Modern Western Medicine
Warts are caused by the papilloma virus, of which there are 30 types. A wart is a contagious, harmless growth that forms on the skin or mucus membranes. Warts appear only on the uppermost layer of skin. They have no roots, seeds, or branches. Sometimes, capillaries appear as black dots within the wart. There are several types of warts. Common warts, which are hard, irregular or round, with a firm exterior, flesh-colored to brown, grow up to ¼ -inch in diameter. Common warts often appear on the hands, face, knees, and scalp. Flu warts are flat-topped and fleshy-colored. They appear on the wrists, the backs of the hands, and the face, and they may itch. Digitate warts are dark-colored growths with finger-like projections. Filiform warts are long, slender growths that appear on the eyelids, armpits, or neck, often on people who are overweight and middle-aged. Plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet. Genital warts are pink, cauliflower-shaped growths that appear on the genitals of men or women. Genital warts require medical attention because the infection can spread between partners. Condoms can prevent transmissions.
Most warts usually last between six and 12 months, then disappear without any treatment. The exceptions are plantar warts, which can be painful underfoot, and genital warts, which are highly contagious.
Several treatments exist for the removal of warts. Liquid nitrogen freezes warts, causing them to fall off. Corrosive salicylic acids are also used, as is surgery.
From Traditional Medicine
As viral infections, warts are a sign that the immune system has been weakened and that immediate repair of the immune system must begin. Proper diet and immune boosters must be undertaken. (See the section on Immune Boosters in Part IV.)
Remedies
Food to Eat
- Miso soup
- Whole grains
- Lots of raw, fresh vegetables
- Seaweeds, especially nori
- Burdock
- Garlic
- Alfalfa sprouts (good for plantar warts)
Foods to Avoid
- Refined grains
- Sugar
- Caffeine beverages
- Spicy foods
- Oily foods
- Chemicalized foods
Herbs to Treat Warts
- Alfalfa: To make tea, steep 1 tbsp. seed or 2 oz. dried leaf in 1 quart boiling water. In powder form, add to soups and salads.
- Buttercup: apply juice of leaves and flowers directly to warts
- Bloodroot: apply ointment
Homeopathy
- Thuja: Apply tincture twice daily and cover with plaster. Protect surrounding skin.
Physiotherapy
- Garlic: apply thin section over warts as a continuous poultice
- Vitamin E: Apply 400 IU capsules, three times a day, and cover with a band-aid. May take two months.
- Vitamin A (miscellized): 25,000 IU applied topically three times per day and night; cover. Especially useful in plantar warts.
- Salicylic acid: Apply two or three times a say. Protect surrounding skin.
Supplements
- Beta-carotene: 15 mg daily
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 1.5 mg per day
- Vitamin B6: 2- 10 mg per day
- Vitamin C: 100 – 500 mg per day
- Vitamin E: 100 – 400 mg per day
- Zinc: 15 mg per day