The appearance of growths on the skin in the pubic area causes discomfort and anxiety. The worries are not in vain: warts in intimate places not only interfere with relationships, but also signal the presence of a virus in the body, and if events develop negatively, they can degenerate into cancerous tumors. It is important to understand the reasons for the appearance of tumors, and if suspicious symptoms appear, immediately consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Warts in intimate places: causes

The culprit behind the appearance of warts is the human papillomavirus. Penetrating into the blood through the skin or mucous membranes, it is able to “hide” for a long time, without outwardly appearing in the carrier. The virus “wakes up” when the immune system is weakened and makes itself known by the appearance of warts in a variety of places - on the face, neck, chest, arms, legs, armpits, intimate parts of the body, mouth and throat.

Ways of infection with genital warts

1. Sexual – with unprotected sex, including anal and oral. The probability of infection is almost 100% and even a condom does not always provide the necessary protection, since it does not cover all genital warts
2. Contact-household - in direct contact with the affected area of ​​the body or using shared towels, washcloths, sitting on uncovered benches in the shower, bathing after an infected person - the virus survives well on surfaces, especially wet ones
3. From infected mother to baby in labor
4. Self-infection - “migration” of the virus from affected areas to healthy areas

Risk factors for the appearance of warts on the genitals

Genital warts are highly contagious, affecting men and women equally.

Frequent and random changes of sexual partners, neglect of personal hygiene rules and factors that reduce immune defense increase the likelihood of infection:

1. 1. Chronic diseases and their exacerbations
   2. Sexual infections
   3. Vitamin deficiencies
   4. Stress
   5. Hormonal imbalances during pregnancy or oral contraception
   6. Treatment with antibiotics, intestinal and vaginal dysbiosis
   7. Skin damage
   8. Chemotherapy.

Types and locations of damage

Pubic warts most often belong to one of the types caused by papillomavirus:

1. Condylomas acuminata
2. Flat papillomas.

Usually these are benign tumors, their size is from 1 mm to 2 cm, and the color is similar to the color of the mucous membranes.

Condylomas are dense, pointed formations. They often form groups resembling cauliflower or cockscomb, but can also be found alone. Genital warts are usually found in young people - under 30 years of age.

Condylomas in men are concentrated around the head of the penis, less often in the scrotum or groin.

Warts on the genital organs of women are located on the labia minora and majora, the clitoris, in the vestibule of the vagina and on its walls, and the cervix may be affected.

Condylomas are also observed around the anus, in the urethra, and the mouth of the urethra - regardless of gender.

Genital warts are usually painless, but flat papillomas, which look like small bumps, can cause itching and pain.

Symptoms

The appearance of warts on the genitals is usually not accompanied by any special symptoms. They can be detected when examining the genital organs - on the labia, penis, if the growths arise in the external part, and not in the vagina, for example.

Redness, pain, bleeding, itching, unpleasant odor, and abnormal discharge appear due to injury to intimate areas - during sexual intercourse or wearing tight underwear - and the addition of a secondary infection. Against the background of such complications, women may develop cancer of the vagina or cervix.

Diagnostics

For timely detection of intimate warts, women need to visit a gynecologist twice a year. For diagnosis, the doctor examines the woman on a gynecological chair using a speculum and takes a cervical smear to determine under a microscope the presence of atypical cells in the wash.

Men with possible infection should consult a urologist or dermatovenerologist.

To exclude the malignant nature of condylomas and according to indications, anoscopy, urethroscopy, colposcopy, histological and cytological studies, acetic acid test and biopsy are used.

Treatment of warts on intimate places

Warts on intimate parts of the body can disappear on their own over time, but sometimes they become inflamed and cause significant discomfort, and in advanced cases they develop into cancerous pathology.

You cannot remove tumors on your own, without examination and examination by a doctor! They can be malignant, in which case the disease is treated by an oncologist.

An effective method of treating or removing condylomas should be chosen by a specialist, depending on the location, number of growths, and the presence of inflammation.

Removal

Genital warts are removed:

1. Laser
2. Radiosurgical knife - using the Surgitron device
3. Cryotherapy - freezing single tumors with liquid nitrogen
4. Electrocoagulation - cauterization with high-frequency current
5. Treatment with acids - pointwise, in small areas: with Solcoderm or trichloroacetic acid
6. Surgical excision under local anesthesia. Rarely used to prevent the growth of large tumors.

Inguinal warts in men are removed with a laser, condylomas in the anus with liquid nitrogen, and pubic warts with radio waves.

Drug therapy

After removal of genital warts, antiseptic and antiviral agents and immunomodulators are prescribed.

During pregnancy, only laser or cryotherapy is used; medications are contraindicated.

We treat warts in intimate places at home

You can independently remove intimate warts in accessible places - on the penis, pubis - by:

1. The drug
2. Celandine - juice or Super celandine. The product is poisonous, it may leave scars, it is used on the labia without pain, but on the mucous membranes it is very sensitive
3. Potato juice
4. Fir oil
5. Garlic ointment
6. Castor oil.

You cannot bandage or cut off condylomas - this is fraught with inflammation, spread of infection to other places, or tissue necrosis.

Prevention of warts on the labia

Significantly reduce the likelihood of genital warts and the development of their complications:

1. 1. Using high-quality condoms for any intimate contact
   2. Avoiding casual sex
   3. Vaccination of girls against highly oncogenic strains of the papilloma virus with a vaccine
   4. Strengthening the immune system, hardening
   5. Good nutrition, vitamin therapy
   6. Compliance with the rules of hygiene of intimate parts of the body
   7. Use of personal accessories when visiting a swimming pool, sauna, bathhouse.

Intimate warts are not so much an aesthetic drawback as a threat of degeneration into cancerous tumors, as well as infection of sexual partners, household members, and the child by the mother during childbirth. If condylomas are detected or suspected, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible. Self-medication is allowed only for a small number of warts, after confirming their benignity.

Intimate warts

Issues of intimate health are always very sensitive. We often hesitate to talk about a problem with family or friends because of embarrassment and are afraid to go to the doctor in anticipation of a bad outcome. One of these issues can be considered warts on intimate places.

In medicine they are called condylomas. Most often they are presented in the form of a skin nodule, which is benign, although it is a viral disease. Mostly they appear in the most sensitive places. Many people mistake them for one of the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, but this is not the case. There are many types of warts, which have their own characteristics and appear under different circumstances.

It is important to note that not all condylomas can be seen by you in person. It happens that only after visiting a gynecologist the problem is discovered.

How to recognize warts?

Warts in women

Any wart appears as a result of a failure in the growth process of the epithelium. With excessive growth, new formations appear. Usually their size does not exceed 5-6 mm. Otherwise, it may be a full-fledged tumor, which immediately needs to be shown to a specialist.

In color, condylomas are no different from the skin itself, although it is not an exception that they may become a little darker. The shapes of warts can be different. One of the most unattractive looks like cauliflower. There are times when several warts grow together. And flat condylomas simply merge with the skin. Only a doctor can recognize them.

Localization of warts

The location of warts in intimate places depends on various factors. One of them may be the characteristics of a person’s sex life.

In men, condylomas appear in the following parts of the body:

• urethral halo and inner skin
• penis head
• anus (if the patient is prone to non-traditional sexual relationships)

As for women, the areas most susceptible to infection are

• urethra
• labia
• vagina and cervix
• anus
• if a woman practices oral sex, then there is a possibility of warts appearing on the lips, cheeks and tongue

Main symptoms

Warts in men

Of course, or the labia are easy to recognize. But if they are in inaccessible places,
then it's much more complicated. In order not to let the situation get worse, you need to carefully study the symptoms when a wart appears on intimate places:

• At first you may feel mild irritation, which will gradually develop into severe itching.
• Symptoms of a common cold may occur.
• During sexual intercourse, you will experience either simply unpleasant sensations or pain.
• An unpleasant odor may emanate from the genitals.
• In serious cases, bleeding occurs.

Causes of warts

There is a papilloma virus. It can develop quite quickly in the human body. It is this that serves as the main factor causing warts in intimate places. This virus is transmitted through genital contact. In some cases, infection can occur through household contact or during childbirth. If a person has problems with immunity, then he is especially at risk of contracting papilloma.

To date, there is no remedy that can completely cure the virus. But there are many cases where the papilloma itself disappeared after a few years. This process is influenced by factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, taking certain contraception and age.

Warts on intimate places can be caused by various reasons. Each body fights viruses in its own way, so only a specialized doctor can make a final conclusion.

Treatment options

Thanks to modern medicine, we know for sure that condylomas are benign formations that should not be

afraid. They do not form new metastases, so they are quite harmless. But in order not to feel discomfort, both in your personal life and in your health, it is better to immediately address this issue.
Warts on intimate places can only be corrected by high-quality treatment. Depending on the type of condyloma and its characteristics, special procedures will be allocated. Of course, they also depend on the patient's budget. All forms of treatment are effective. This has been proven in many examples.

You can simply trust the professionals. Let's look at the main types of treatment. The most popular is local surgical intervention. Its essence is to remove all the consequences of the virus in the human body, that is, warts. They can be burned with thermal means or frozen with chemicals. After such an operation, the patient will be prescribed special antiviral antibiotics. But this type of treatment is strictly prohibited for pregnant women. The use of radio waves when removing condyloma is considered safe.

This not only gives the desired result, but also ensures that there will be no similar manifestations of the virus in the future. If there is a health risk, it is better to use special antibacterial products for intimate areas. They will not give quick results, but there will definitely be progress.

In general, warts on intimate places are just minor troubles that our medicine can easily deal with. The main thing is to pay attention to your hygiene.

Removal of genital warts (video)

Genital (venereal) warts appear when infected with the human papillomavirus. They are part of a group of diseases that are sexually transmitted. Visible neoplasms appear on the skin and mucous membrane of the external genitalia, around the anus, in the inguinal folds, between the buttocks. They can be single or multiple, and can take the form of spots, nodules or pointed growths (condylomas). Sometimes they merge with each other and affect large surfaces.

When localized on the walls of the vagina and the surface of the cervix in women, genital warts remain unnoticed for a long time and are detected by chance during a gynecological examination. New growths in the intimate area are contagious, often damaged, inflamed and painful, and some types of papillomavirus can lead to the development of cancer. In men, condylomas sometimes affect the urethra, which leads to difficulty urinating. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly treat genital warts and other sexually transmitted diseases.

How and where to treat genital warts? Treatment is carried out in a skin and venereal disease clinic or a private medical center. A dermatovenerologist will select the optimal treatment regimen and tell you how to get rid of warts on intimate places quickly and effectively.

First you need to conduct an examination:

1. Diagnosis of papillomavirus using PCR to determine the type of pathogen and its quantity in the body. In men, a scraping is taken from the urethra for analysis, and in women, from the cervical canal.
2. Test for other sexually transmitted infections (blood from a vein and smear).
3. In women, a smear for cytology (Papanicolaou test) to exclude precancerous conditions and cervical cancer.
4. Before removing internal formations, women need to take a vaginal smear and, if necessary, cure the inflammatory process.

To achieve the best effect, treatment should be comprehensive:

• removal of genital warts;
• antiviral agents;
• immunostimulants.

The choice of drugs and method of treatment depends on:

• from the localization of education;
• its size;
• prevalence;
• general condition of the patient, presence of concomitant diseases;
• human material capabilities.

Both partners should be treated at the same time.

General contraindications to tumor removal:

• acute infectious diseases;
• exacerbation of chronic conditions;
• inflammatory process in the affected area.

Prompt removal methods

There are several methods for the destruction of papillomatous neoplasms. Only a doctor should determine how to remove papilloma in each specific case.

Radio wave method (Surgitron device)

Under the influence of radio waves, tissues are heated and the tumor is destroyed. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Removal is carried out in layers to avoid scar formation. The depth of exposure is adjustable. The method allows you to remove all growths, including large ones, in one session.

After the manipulation, a small ulcer remains, which is recommended to be treated with chlorhexidine (an antiseptic) for the first 24 hours. Healing time is 2-3 weeks.

The radio wave method is contraindicated in patients with a pacemaker.

This is the most modern method that can be used to remove genital warts of any location. Unfortunately, the method is only available in private clinics.

Laser method

The principle is the destruction of tumors using laser energy. Pain relief is required before the procedure. The method is contactless and bloodless. It allows you to select the required depth of exposure. Not suitable for removing large condylomas.

For multiple warts, several sessions are performed. After exposure, a small depression is formed, which quickly heals. Healing time is 2-3 weeks. Using a laser, you can remove warts on the external genitalia, in the anus, in the vagina, and on the cervix. The method is available only in private clinics.

Cryodestruction

Removing tumors using liquid nitrogen. Under the influence of low temperature, local frostbite and tissue necrosis occur. The procedure is well tolerated and performed without pain relief. The manipulation time is several seconds.

The main disadvantage is the inability to regulate the depth of exposure. Therefore, liquid nitrogen is not used to remove warts located on the walls of the vagina and on the cervix.

After manipulation, a blister with serous-hemorrhagic contents is formed, which then becomes covered with a crust. Healing occurs without scars within 10-14 days. For large condylomas, several sessions are required. Cryodestruction is available in public and private medical institutions.

Surgical method

The method is used to remove extensive growths in intimate places when it is impossible to use other methods. The procedure is contraindicated in case of blood clotting disorders. Under local anesthesia, the affected area of ​​tissue is excised and sutures are applied. In the postoperative period, they are treated daily with fucorcin. To prevent infection in the anal area, it is possible to use Levomekol ointment. Tissue healing time is about a month. After the procedure, a scar remains.

Electrocoagulation

Burning out intimate warts with electric current. The manipulation is performed under local anesthesia. The total procedure time is no more than 10 minutes. Used for small condylomas. It is the method of choice for the treatment of vaginal and cervical masses. After exposure, a dry scab forms at the site of the condyloma. It takes about 10 days to heal. After electrocoagulation there are scar changes.

Use of chemicals and drugs

The use of drugs containing aggressive components that lead to the destruction of wart tissue.

The 80% solution is used only in hospital settings. The product is carefully applied to the wart using a cotton swab. As a result, a chemical burn and tissue death develops. If acid accidentally comes into contact with healthy skin, use a soda solution to neutralize it. If the effectiveness is insufficient, the procedure is repeated after a week.

The method is suitable for removing small single formations. After cauterization, complications are possible: deep ulcers and scars.

Solcoderm (solution)

This medication contains a mixture of trichloroacetic, oxalic, lactic and nitric acid. The product is applied to the wart with a plastic applicator or glass capillary. A crust forms on its surface, which disappears after 10 days. If the effect is insufficient, the procedure is repeated. Using the product you can remove warts on the external genitalia.

Imiquimod 5% cream

On the recommendation of a doctor, it can be used to remove warts at home. The product is applied to the formation once a day before bedtime, 3 times a week. In the morning, wash the affected areas with soap. The course of treatment is 8-12 weeks.

Podophyllotoxin (Condilin)

Cream or solution is a drug with antitumor, cauterizing and drying effects. The patient independently applies the product to condylomas 2 times a day for 3 days. Then they take a break for 4-7 days and repeat the course. The number of courses is determined by the attending physician.

5-fluorouracil, 5% cream

This is a medicine with antitumor and cytotoxic effects. Apply to affected areas 1-2 times a week at night, wash off with soap in the morning. The drug has many contraindications and side effects, so its independent use is strictly prohibited.

After removing the warts, it is recommended to avoid sexual intercourse until complete healing.

Antiviral agents

Isoprinosine tablets are one of the most popular drugs for the treatment of HPV infection. It is prescribed 2 tablets twice a day. The duration of the course is determined by the doctor.

To treat warts on the genitals, topical preparations are widely used: ointments, creams, gels, sprays. They are used for a week before the procedure for removing tumors and after it during the recovery period.

The use of antiviral drugs increases the effectiveness of treatment and reduces the likelihood of relapses.

1. Viferon in the form of ointment and gel is a drug based on recombinant human interferon. The product is applied to the affected areas 3 times a day.
2. Panavir cream and intimate gel - the medicine is applied to warts with a cotton swab up to 5 times a day. The product is well tolerated and does not cause side effects.
3. Oxolinic ointment 3% is used 2 times a day; when applying the ointment to the mucous membranes, a short-term burning sensation is possible.
4. Epigen spray is a drug with antiviral and antipruritic effects, reduces inflammation. The product is sprayed onto the affected areas up to 6 times a day; the kit includes a special nozzle for vaginal use.

Immunostimulants

Human papillomavirus infection affects people with reduced immunity, so drugs with an immunostimulating effect must be included in the treatment regimen. They combine well with antiviral agents:

1. Immunal, tablets and drops - contains Echinacea purpurea extract, take 1 tablet or 20 drops three times a day, for a course of 10 days
2. Likopid - 1 tablet per day for 10 days.
3. Immunomax - intramuscular injections according to the scheme, 6 injections per course.

Treatment results

The total duration of treatment for HPV infection ranges from 1 month to six months. During this period, it is possible to achieve clinical recovery. It is impossible to completely rid the body of the pathogen. When immunity decreases, the virus can become more active. 20% of patients have relapses.

Warts on the genitals should be treated under the supervision of a specialist. Self-medication is unacceptable. Ointments and solutions that are used to remove growths on the hands and body should not be used in the intimate area.

In medicine, we mean specific benign formations on the skin and mucous membranes that look like cauliflower. They can be single, multiple, or spread over a large area. Most often, their favorite localization is the hands and feet. But, often, these warty elements are also found in intimate places - on the genitals, around the anus, in the inguinal folds, around the genitals. The appearance of these growths causes a lot of inconvenience and frightens patients.

Causes of warts in intimate places

The most common “culprit” for the growth of warty growths is. Therefore, in medical terminology, warts caused by this pathogen are called , and the disease papillomatosis. On the body, warts appear as: ordinary(vulgar), flat(youthful), senile.

One of the wart varieties grows in intimate places - . Upon examination, this formation is pinkish in color, resembling a papillary nodule on a stalk. Has a tendency to merge. Appears after a virus enters the body. It penetrates through the skin surface and mucous membranes. It can remain in a “hidden” form for a long time, without making itself felt by any manifestations.

Please note

The development of condylomas begins against the background of immunity problems in the carrier of the virus.

How does the papillomatosis virus become infected?

In practical dermatology, it is customary to distinguish the following routes of infection with “intimate warts”:

• Sexual. The virus can penetrate from a sick person or a carrier during sexual intercourse. The pathogen invades microtraumatic injuries and “takes root” in the new “host”.
• Contact. General use of household supplies (washcloths, towels, clothes, bath furniture) in damp and warm conditions of baths, saunas, showers and bathrooms. These places have optimal conditions for transmission of infection.
• Childbirth. If a woman giving birth is a carrier of this virus, then during childbirth, which is accompanied by trauma for both her and the baby, favorable conditions are created for infection with papillomatosis.
• Reinfection (self-infection). Scratching warts can lead to the transfer of infectious agents to healthy areas of the skin and mucous membranes.

Factors contributing to the development of intimate warts

After infection, condylomas may not appear for a long time. But a number of factors can lead to a weakening of the protective immune properties and then the virus becomes more active. The growth of these formations begins.

Weakening of the immune system contributes to:

Characteristic complaints and manifestations of warts on the genitals

Primary symptoms of the presence and development of condylomas often pass without specific complaints. A person does not notice or feel them in any way. Most often they are accidentally discovered during examination or palpation. The patient notices the presence of growths that were not there before.

When rubbing with rough linen, bruises, thermal effects and other factors, the following may appear:

• redness of the skin around the wart,
• abnormal discharge, including bleeding,
• itchy sensations leading to traumatic scratching,
• specific smell (if condylomas are localized in the vagina),
• pain (during and/or after sexual intercourse), during bowel movements (if warts are localized around the anus).

The process of developing intimate warts can be complicated by secondary infection and malignancy.

Diagnostic methods

Detection of condylomas is carried out by examining open areas of the intimate areas t. In the vagina, these growths are detected during a gynecological examination with mirrors and a colposcope. In the urethra, condylomatous formations are determined by a urethroscope. The anus is examined with an anoscope and, if necessary, supplemented with sigmoidoscopy, which gives a complete picture of the problems in the rectum.

The nature of the formations is determined using a dermatoscope.

If necessary, biomaterial is collected () for histological analysis.

Treatment and removal of warts in intimate places

Condylomas may disappear on their own. This occurs when immune processes in the body are normalized. But, if there is an increase in them, additional complaints, discomfort, and also to prevent oncological degeneration, treatment should be undertaken.

Please note

All cases of self-medication are strictly unacceptable. Warts should only be examined and treated by a doctor (dermatologist, gynecologist, surgeon, urologist, andrologist).

The same warning applies to traditional medicine methods. The choice of treatment method should only be recommended by a specialist.

Before using radical methods of disposal, in some cases it makes sense to use general antiviral agents combined with the administration of immunomodulators.

The most effective use:

• Laser and radiotherapy(especially in case of complications with the presence of inflammation).
• Cryotherapy(freezing warty nodules with liquid nitrogen).
• Electrocoagulation– using high-frequency currents to destroy condyloma tissue.
• Application to pathological nodules liquid and crystalline acids, which lead to their destruction. The most practically applicable are salicylic and triacetic acids, Feresol.
• Surgical removal(curettage of condylomas with a sharp Volkmann spoon), using agents that cause local anesthesia, especially in cases of recurrent condylomatosis.
• Kondilina(external remedy), Solcoderm.

After any type of wart removal, it is necessary to treat the remaining wound surfaces with antiseptics. The most suitable drug for these purposes is a solution of methylene blue (1% aqueous pyoctanin).

Traditional medicine methods

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe one of the home remedies.

For these purposes the following is used:

• Preparations and natural juice, aloe (care is required, as celandine can damage the surrounding skin).
• Finely grated garlic, mixed in equal proportions with oil and applied to the warts overnight.
• Young potato juice, moisten napkins with it and then apply it to the areas affected by condylomas.
• Fir and castor oil, both separately and in an equal mixture.
• A tincture with cauterizing properties.

Treatment of intimate warts during pregnancy

Drug treatment in this case is not recommended. The safest treatment option for women preparing for motherhood is the use of electrocoagulation.

Warts on intimate places have their own specific course. They also have a different shape than normal ones and appear in completely different places on the body. Warts in intimate places are pointed and are characterized by the fact that they protrude above the surface of the genital mucosa. Such warts have their own name - condylomas.

Both sexes can develop warts on their private parts. In men, they are located either under the foreskin or on the head of the penis. Sometimes the scrotum or groin area is affected by the appearance of such formations. It is also noted that in almost 25% of cases, an intimate wart may appear inside the urethra.

Condylomas in women, in turn, often find their place at the entrance or on the walls of the vagina, clitoris and labia. In some cases, growths develop inside the urethra or in the area around the anus.

Factors causing pathology

Warts develop in intimate places because the body is exposed to human papillomavirus infection. The infection process occurs through unprotected sexual intercourse with a carrier of the infection. The reasons why the disease occurs are as follows:

It is sometimes observed that warts in intimate places also appear in children during childbirth, since they are directly infected from the carrier.

The following types of warts are distinguished:

1. Papules.
2. Buschke-Levenshtein condyloma (develops quite rarely).
3. Pointed.
4. Intraepithelial neoplasia.
5. Stains.

How to determine the presence of warts

The symptoms of warts on an intimate place are easy to identify. In appearance, such neoplasms are soft and growing. May have similarities to the shapes of cockscomb and cauliflower. As a rule, the size of such warts ranges up to 6 mm, but if there are several of them, they combine into multiple formations.

The colors of such warts are light brown, pinkish or flesh-colored. They are often narrow in shape at the base and wide at the top.

Warts in the intimate area almost never appear separately. In almost all cases, condylomas unite and create a large tumor. Symptoms include itching and bleeding during walking or sexual intercourse. If any infection occurs, then there is a possibility of an inflammatory process and an unpleasant odor.

Treatment of genital warts

You should first consult with a specialist who can find out the etymology of the origin of the disease and whether there are any other sexually transmitted diseases. A visit to the doctor should be the first step on the path to recovery.

Trichloroacetic acid is most often used in drug treatment.

It has a necrotic effect. Using an applicator, the product is applied to the affected area. This drug is used on small areas of damage. When applied, a strong burning sensation appears. And subsequently there is a possibility of scarring.

There is another necrotic substance - Solcoderm. It combines all kinds of acids (acetic, lactic, oxalic acids) and copper nitrate. The product is applied to the formation using a glass spatula. It is important not to catch healthy areas of the tissue. If necrosis is not complete, the procedure is repeated.

The above-mentioned ointments have a strong effect on the affected areas of the genitals, therefore they help best as a treatment. It is also very good to find an ointment for warts that is plant-based or acid-based. Antiviral ointments effectively cope with this problem.