At Home Remedy For Genital Herpes

Can I Treat Herpes Simplex At Home

Avoiding known triggers, such as illness or stress, can help reduce how often you have herpes outbreaks.

How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-1 ?

• Over-the-counter creams such as L-lysine, benzocaine or docosanol .
• Applying ice to blisters or sores.

How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-2 ?

• Apply an ice pack to your genitals. Wrap the ice pack in a washcloth or apply it over your underwear.
• Keep your genitals dry. Wear cotton or other nonsynthetic underpants and avoid tight-fitting clothes. Moist sores take longer to heal.
• Soak in a warm bath.
• Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain.
• Topical 1% or 2% lidocaine may be used as a topical analgesic.

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How To Get Rid Of Herpes Naturally

Not every person with a herpes infection actually experiences breakouts of cold sores throughout his or her lifetime or even after initially becoming infected. How often someone has a herpes cold sore outbreak, how severe the outbreaks are, how contagious someone is after infection and how long the sores take to heal all depend on someones individual immune response.

1. Boost Nutrient Intake

If youre going to keep the herpes virus from frequently causing outbreaks, the first step in how to get rid of herpes is to improve immune function by boosting nutrient intake. Include these healing foods in your diet to keep the virus dormant as much as possible:

2. Avoid Inflammatory Foods

Certain foods can raise inflammation, weaken immune defenses and make skin irritation even worse. Avoid the following foods as much as possible to limit outbreak severity and duration.

3. Consider Supplements

• Antiviral herbs: These include elderberry, calendula, echinacea, garlic, astragalus and licorice root.
• L-lysine : Can help treat and prevent outbreaks.
• Lemon balm extract: Apply as a topical cream for healing.
• Vitamin C : Vitamin C boosts immune function improving herpes.
• Zinc : Zinc benefits include supporting immune function, keeping viruses dormant and rebuilding skin tissue to speed up healing.
• B-complex : B vitamins help your body deal with stress and can prevent outbreaks.

4. Try Essential Oils

5. Ease Cold Sore Pain Naturally

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What Happens If I Dont Get Treated

Genital herpes can cause painful genital sores and can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems.

If you touch your sores or the fluids from the sores, you may transfer herpes to another part of your body, such as your eyes. Do not touch the sores or fluids to avoid spreading herpes to another part of your body. If you do touch the sores or fluids, immediately wash your hands thoroughly to help avoid spreading your infection.

If you are pregnant, there can be problems for you and your developing fetus, or newborn baby. See Im pregnant. How could genital herpes affect my baby? above for information about this.

What Is Herpes Simplex

Herpes simplex is a virus that causes skin infections. The infection lasts your lifetime, and it causes painful or itchy sores and blisters that come and go. Herpes simplex virus typically doesnt cause severe problems. But it can be dangerous in infants and people with weakened immune systems. There are two types of herpes simplex:

• Herpes simplex 1 tends to affect your mouth or face. It causes cold sores. HSV-1 spreads through contact with saliva .
• Herpes simplex 2 is a sexually transmitted disease . It causes sores on skin that comes in contact with the genitals of an infected person.

Sometimes a herpes infection can affect other parts of your body, such as your eyes or other parts of your skin.

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Facts And Statistics About Herpes

• According to the World Health Organization, an estimated two-thirds of the global population under 50 years old are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 .
• Estimates for HSV-1 prevalence in the U.S. among people aged 049 years are 178 million women and 142 million men .
• In total, about 75 percent or more of the American adult population has the HSV-1 virus that usually causes oral herpes , and about 20 percent to 30 percent have HSV-2 that usually causes genital herpes.
• Men and women are affected by HSV-1 about equally. Roughly 6 million women in the U.S. become infected with HSV-1 each year, along with 5 million men.
• Slightly more women than men are affected by genital herpes, whether from HSV-1 or HSV-2. Middle-aged women are most likely to acquire genital herpes.
• Transmission of HSV most often occurs without symptoms, so its estimated that 85 percent of people with genital herpes dont know it. Many dont have any symptoms at all after the initial infection, and only about 15 percent ever receive a HSV-2 infection diagnosis in their lifetimes.
• Most primary oral/facial HSV infections are caused by HSV-1 however, facial infection by HSV-2 is increasingly becoming common.
• Less children are becoming infected with HSV-1 than in the past in high-income countries, mostly due to better hygiene and living conditions.
• After someone comes into contact with an active herpes outbreak on another person, the incubation period takes about one week.

Can Herpes Be Cured By Antibiotics

No. However, antibiotics may be helpful if you have both an infection caused by bacteria as well an infection with the herpes virus.

In this case, an antibiotic will treat the bacterial infection and may make those symptoms go away, but the herpes virus will remain in your body. Antibiotics are ineffective against viruses.

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Types Of Antiviral Drugs

There are three oral antivirals recommended for the treatment of oral or genital herpes:

Preventing genital herpes recurrence is important as it reduces the risk of HIV. According to the CDC, having an active genital herpes infection increases the risk of HIV by 200% to 300%.

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Can You Control A Herpes Outbreak

Honestly there is no cure for herpes in the conventional medicine world. If you doctor is honest he/she will tell you the truth about genital herpes treatment. There are only medications which will help cool the symptoms but no ultimate cure.

But there is good news proper care for your body, you can use natural home remedies and cure herpes at home.

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What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor

You may want to ask your healthcare provider:

• What is the best treatment for me?
• What happens if I dont treat a cold sore?
• What are the side effects of antiviral medications?
• How can I reduce the risk of future outbreaks?
• Whats the best way to prevent getting another STI?
• How can I protect my partner from getting genital herpes?
• Should I lookout for signs of complications?

How Can I Treat Herpes At Home

Certain dietary supplementsâlike lysine, vitamin C, zinc, and probioticsâcan help support your immune system and prevent or shorten outbreaks. Once an outbreak has begun, applying cold compresses, licorice root extract, lemon balm oil, manuka honey, or garlic can reduce its severity and provide symptom relief.

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Home Care Measures For Genital Herpes

First, simple self-care may be enough to relieve most discomfort caused by genital herpes. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, can help ease the pain of herpes symptoms. Doctors sometimes recommend soaking the affected area in warm water. But the area should be kept dry most of the time. If toweling off after bathing is uncomfortable, try using a hair dryer. Then put on cotton underwear. Cotton absorbs moisture better than synthetic fabric does.

Did You Know The Genital Herpes Causes

There are two kinds of HSV, HSV-1 and HSV-2. While HSV-1 causes cold sores, it is HSV-2 that is the cause of genital herpes.

The virus enters the body through the thin layers of tissue lining the openings of the body. These layers, also called mucous membranes, are found in the mouth, nose and genitals. Once the virus enters the body, they stay in the nerve cells of the pelvis. Both forms of the virus can be found in a persons saliva, a mans semen or a womans vaginal secretions.

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Why Genital Herpes Comes Back

Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex. Once you have the virus, it stays in your body.

It will not spread in your body to cause blisters elsewhere. It stays in a nearby nerve and causes blisters in the same area.

If you can, avoid things that trigger your symptoms.

Triggers can include:

• surgery on your genital area
• a weakened immune system for example, from having chemotherapy for cancer

Is There A Cure Or Treatment For Herpes

There is no cure for herpes. Antiviral medications can, however, prevent or shorten outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication. In addition, daily suppressive therapy for herpes can reduce the likelihood of transmission to partners.

Several clinical trials have tested vaccines against genital herpes infection, but there is currently no commercially available vaccine that is protective against genital herpes infection. One vaccine trial showed efficacy among women whose partners were HSV-2 infected, but only among women who were not infected with HSV-1. No efficacy was observed among men whose partners were HSV-2 infected. A subsequent trial testing the same vaccine showed some protection from genital HSV-1 infection, but no protection from HSV-2 infection.

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Treatment The First Time You Have Genital Herpes

You may be prescribed:

• antiviral medicine to stop the symptoms getting worse you need to start taking this within 5 days of the symptoms appearing
• cream for the pain

If you have had symptoms for more than 5 days before you go to a sexual health clinic, you can still get tested to find out the cause.

Epsom Salt For Herpes

Image: Shutterstock

What You Have To Do

How Often You Need To Do This

Repeat this twice a day.

Why This Works

This is one of the best home remedies for herpes that works well for genitals. The salt soak will soothe the itching and pain caused by the sores . It will also dry out the sores because of its hygroscopic nature .

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Impact Of A Genital Herpes Diagnosis

As a practitioner, you may encounter a variety of responses from individuals who receive a genital herpes diagnosis, ranging from indifference to devastation. Some may display strong emotions and anxiety due to how they perceive the infection and the stigma associated with it.

Common psychological, social and sexual distress reactions may include:

• shame, guilt, anger
• anxiety over impact on fertility/childbearing
• depression, low self-esteem and resulting isolation
• fear of being judged, stigmatized, rejected by partners
• confusion, denial
• inability to disclose genital herpes status resulting in concealment

These emotional sequelae may deter individuals from seeking further care, disclosing their status to sexual partners, or even engaging fully in their everyday lives. For example, low self-esteem may decrease the feeling of desirability and adversely affects romantic and sexual relationships. Some feel they are no longer appealing or worthy of a loving relationship as a result of having the infection.Footnote 1Footnote 11Footnote 12

The goal of supportive counselling is to help individuals:

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How Do Doctors Manage Genital Herpes During Pregnancy

Oral antiviral medications as described above may be used during pregnancy. One serious concern with genital herpes in pregnancy is transmission of the infection to the baby during delivery. In an infant, genital herpes infection can spread through the bloodstream and have serious consequences. Cesarean delivery is performed for women who go into labor while there is an active outbreak of genital herpes in order to prevent infection of the baby during birth.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women with recurrent genital herpes be offered oral antiviral medication at or beyond 36 weeks until delivery in order to increase the chances of being able to deliver vaginally.

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How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Herpes Simplex

Preventing HSV-1

You can reduce your risk of contracting HSV-1 by avoiding physical contact with someone who has a cold sore. People can still spread HSV-1 when cold sores arent present, but its less likely.

If someone has an active HSV-1 infection, avoid:

• Sharing utensils, cups, lip balms or other personal care products.
• Touching the skin near their mouth.

Preventing HSV-2

If youre sexually active, you can take these steps to protect yourself and others from the herpes virus and other STIs:

• Be monogamous with one sexual partner or limit your number of partners.
• Get tested for STIs and complete any prescribed treatment.
• Tell your sexual partners if you have genital herpes so they can get tested.
• Use condoms during intercourse and dental dams during oral sex.

Wash your hands often if you have an outbreak or are around someone with symptoms.

If your sexual partner has genital herpes, these actions can lower your risk of getting the virus:

• Dont have sex when your partner has active symptoms. Condoms may not cover all sores, so you may still get the virus.
• Make sure your partner takes antiviral medication as prescribed.
• Wait to have sex until scabs fall off active lesions.

Are Cold Sores Contagious

Yes, cold sores are contagious. While HSV-1 is far more contagious when there is an active lesion, it can still spread while dormant.

The HSV-1 virus can be transmitted through kissing or oral sex, sharing utensils, food, or cups, and any other instance in which another person can come into contact with fluid from an active sore, says Shainhouse. Therefore, if you know someone has cold sores of the mouth, avoid engaging in these activities with them.

Its also import to avoid kissing or engaging in oral sex with someone who has active lesions. Oral sex can spread HSV-1 to the genitals.

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Treatment If The Blisters Come Back

Go to a GP or sexual health clinic if you have been diagnosed with genital herpes and need treatment for an outbreak.

Antiviral medicine may help shorten an outbreak by 1 or 2 days if you start taking it as soon as symptoms appear.

But outbreaks usually settle by themselves, so you may not need treatment.

Recurrent outbreaks are usually milder than the first episode of genital herpes.

Over time, outbreaks tend to happen less often and be less severe. Some people never have outbreaks.

Some people who have more than 6 outbreaks in a year may benefit from taking antiviral medicine for 6 to 12 months.

If you still have outbreaks of genital herpes during this time, you may be referred to a specialist.

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