Understanding Herpes With H Hunter Handsfield Md
Herpes expert H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, explains the basics about genital herpes, including the difference between genital HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection, testing options and the importance of knowing virus type, and the three-prong strategy for prevention. See more herpes videos at sexualhealthTV.com.
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Patients At Low Risk For Oral Challenge
If the patient gives only a low-risk history of IgE-mediated penicillin allergy that includes symptoms such gastrointestinal intolerance, headache, fatigue, or nonspecific pruritus, or gives a family history only, an oral challenge can be administered to document the absence of allergy . If the reaction occurred in the distant past , the likelihood is reduced even further . The risk for severe amoxicillin-mediated anaphylaxis has decreased over time and is rare. In the United Kingdom during 19722007, one fatal case of amoxicillin-medicated anaphylaxis was reported .
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Referral To A Specialist
If you have genital herpes and you are pregnant, it is very important you are referred for specialist treatment. This is because the infection could pass to your unborn baby.
Read about complications of genital herpes for more information about genital herpes and pregnancy.
You should also be referred for specialist treatment if you have a weakened immune system , for example, if you:
- are receiving chemotherapy
If you have a weakened immune system you will need specialist treatment because genital herpes can last longer and be more severe.
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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.
How Does A Cat Become Infected With Feline Herpesvirus
A cat becomes infected with this virus by direct contact with virus particles. The virus is spread in saliva and in discharges from the eyes and nose of an infected cat. Therefore, an infection occurs when a susceptible cat comes into direct contact with an infected cat, or with inanimate objects that have been contaminated with viral particles.
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What Do Genital Herpes Symptoms Look Like
Other symptoms can include:
- tingling or burning around the genitals
- feeling unwell, with aches, pains and flu-like symptoms
- unusual vaginal discharge in women.
Many people with genital herpes wont get any symptoms, or may get symptoms for the first time months or even years after they were infected.
For most people, the blisters go away within one to two weeks. Although the outbreaks clear-up by themselves, the virus stays in the body. This means that people usually get blisters again which is called having a recurrent outbreak. Outbreaks usually become shorter and less severe over time.
How Can You Prevent Herpes Breakouts
Staying in good general health can help prevent recurrent herpes outbreaks. If you have genital herpes, it is a good idea to boost your immune system with a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Antiviral medications such as valacyclovir are very effective in the prevention of herpes outbreaks. Antiviral medications can decrease the number of outbreaks, lessen the severity of symptoms, and reduce healing time.
Recurrent herpes outbreaks tend to occur when the immune system is weakened, such as during stress or illness. Both physical stress and mental stress can trigger an outbreak. Everyone has different triggers for genital herpes.
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Drug Treatment For Genital Herpes
If you are infected with genital herpes, your doctor may prescribe oral antiviral drugs to help ease your symptoms during both a first episode and recurrent episodes. Your doctor may also suggest taking antiviral drugs daily as a suppressive therapy to reduce symptoms and protect partners.
Remember, though, that antiviral drugs do not wipe out the virus completely. It continues to live in your body, so if you stop taking the drugs that suppress it, you may have more frequent or more intense symptom outbreaks, and the risk of your transmitting the virus to others rises.
Three antiviral drugs, all taken by mouth, are used to treat genital herpes:
Side Effects And Follow
Side effects with these herpes drugs are considered mild, and health experts believe these drugs are safe in the long term. Acyclovir is the oldest of the three, and its safety has been documented in people taking suppressive therapy for several years.
People taking suppressive therapy should see their doctor at least once a year to decide if they should continue. You may find taking the pills every day to be inconvenient, the drugs may not work for you, or you may naturally have fewer outbreaks as time goes on. Your doctor can help you make treatment choices to suit your needs.
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Impetigo Treatment Involves Antibiotics
Doctors treat impetigo with antibiotics, either
- Topical antibiotics
- Oral antibiotics
A doctor might recommend a topical ointment for only a few sores. Oral antibiotics can be used when there are more sores.
Use the prescription exactly as the doctor says to.
Once the sores heal, someone with impetigo is usually not able to spread the bacteria to others.
People with impetigo can return to work, school, or daycare if they:
- Have started antibiotic treatment
- Keep all sores on exposed skin covered
Home Remedies For Cold Sores
Virtuwell recommends these home remedies to ease discomfort:
- Lip balm containing lemon balm
- Tylenol or Advil for pain relief
- Petroleum jelly or Vaseline
There is very limited research to suggest that these home remedies could help treat more than just the discomfort. As always, make sure to do a patch test first in an unaffected area to ensure you dont worsen your symptoms.
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Symptoms Of Genital Herpes
Many people who have genital herpes may not be aware they have the infection, because they may not have any symptoms.
The first episode of herpes can cause considerable pain and distress. Symptoms of the first episode may include:
- flu-like symptoms such as feeling unwell, headaches and pains in the back and legs, with or without enlarged glands in the groin
- small blisters around the genitals these break open to form shallow, painful ulcers, which scab over and heal after one to two weeks
- small cracks in the skin with or without an itch or tingling
- redness or a distinct rash
- some people also have considerable pain and swelling in the genital area, and hence may have additional pain and difficulty passing urine.
Why You Should Go To A Sexual Health Clinic
You can see a GP, but they’ll probably refer you to a sexual health clinic if they think you might have genital herpes.
Sexual health clinics treat problems with the genitals and urine system.
Many sexual health clinics offer a walk-in service, where you do not need an appointment.
They’ll often get test results quicker than GP practices and you do not have to pay a prescription fee for treatment.
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How Far Away Is A Cure For Herpes
Theres currently no cure for herpes, but that might change in the future.
According to 2020 research published in Nature, scientists from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center removed 90 percent of the HSV-1 virus from cells in mice using gene editing.
However, it takes time to transition potential treatments from animals to humans. In a 2020 news article, one of the researchers that authored the Nature paper estimated that it would be at least 3 years before human trials.
Scientists are also researching the possibility of creating a vaccine to prevent herpes. A 2022 study outlined a new approach to developing an mRNA vaccine for herpes. The vaccine mentioned in the study worked well in mice and guinea pigs.
The researchers say that theyre aiming to conduct human trials before the end of 2022, and the vaccine could be available within the next 10 years.
How Does Genital Herpes Affect Pregnancy
Genital herpes doesnt affect fertility or your ability to conceive. Pregnant women diagnosed with herpes genitalis should start a daily antiviral at 36 weeks of pregnancy to prevent outbreaks during delivery. If you have an active infection at the time of childbirth, you can pass the herpes virus to your baby. Neonatal herpes puts a baby at risk for blindness, brain damage, skin infections and death. Your healthcare provider will perform a cesarean section to lower this risk.
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When Is It Time To See A Doctor For Genital Herpes
Its important to see a doctor if you suspect you have genital herpes. Your doctor may collect a sample and test it for the herpes simplex virus and other STIs. Once your herpes diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor can help you select a medication or treatment best suited to minimize the impacts of genital herpes on your health and quality of life.
You may also want to see a doctor if your recurring genital herpes outbreaks are causing you intense pain and discomfort. Though herpes isnt a dangerous condition that causes serious health problems, ongoing outbreaks may become a nuisance or cause embarrassment and pain.
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Genital Herpes Treatment In Pregnancy
You may be offered antiviral treatment:
- to treat outbreaks in pregnancy
- from 36 weeks to reduce the chance of an outbreak during birth
- from diagnosis until the birth if you first get herpes after 28 weeks of pregnancy
Many women with genital herpes have a vaginal delivery. You may be offered a caesarean, depending on your circumstances.
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Recurrent Herpes Outbreaks How Long Do They Last
Statistically, 8 out of every 10 people who have a primary outbreak will also go on to have a recurrent attack within the first 6 months after the first outbreak. The average amount of recurrent outbreaks is approximately 2 to 3 times annually with each recurring outbreak lasting 3 to 14 days. A herpes infection may be considered chronic if outbreaks occur more than 5 times a year.
The good news is that with each outbreaks, the attacks get less severe than the one that precedes it. The symptoms will be milder with less itching and with no fever or pain. The frequency of outbreaks will also typically diminishes with time. There are patients who have had herpes for a long period of time that reported that they can sometimes go by years without having another episode of herpes outbreak.
How Can I Prevent Genital Herpes
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 needed treatment.
- Tell your sexual partners if you have genital herpes so they can get tested.
- Use condoms, including 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.
- Make sure your partner takes antiviral medication as prescribed.
- Wait to have sex until scabs fall off.
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The Best Treatment Is Prevention
The best way to fend off triggering another flare-up is prevention. The top trigger for flare-ups is stressyet another reason why self-care is so important! Make sure to have plenty of stress management tools in your back pocket to keep cold sores at bay.
Cold sores can also be triggered by other sicknesses or dips in your immune system. Wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, and support your immunity by getting ample rest and drinking plenty of water.
Prevention also means protecting your skin. Wearing an SPF on your lips and face dailyeven in the winterwill help prevent cold sores, and wearing a protective lip balm in the colder, drier months will prevent chapped lips and potential for cold sores.
What Happens If You Dont Get Herpes Treatment
The good news about herpes is that its not deadly or even very dangerous. It might be annoying, but herpes doesnt get worse over time or cause serious health problems like other STDs can.
If you dont get treated for herpes, you might keep having regular outbreaks, or they could only happen rarely. Some people naturally stop getting outbreaks after a while.
There are a few reasons people may decide not to get treatment. They might not have that many outbreaks, or their outbreaks dont really bother them. Or maybe theyre not having sex, so theyre not that worried about having herpes right now. Whatever your situation is, getting treatment for herpes is your choice.
Having herpes can make it easier to get HIV, because the sores give HIV an open pathway into your body. So always use condoms to help prevent the spread of both herpes and HIV.
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Expect The First Outbreak To Be The Worst
Remember that although herpes lasts a lifetime, the first outbreak typically causes the most pain, while later outbreaks tend to be much milder.
You will always have herpes, and the sores will come and go, but you can decide not to treat the current outbreak. If its not that unpleasant or uncomfortable, some patients will do that, says Gade.
Some people never have symptoms after the first outbreak, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
How To Treat Deep Cuts
Around 90 percent of women tear in some way during vaginal delivery, according to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. If you have a vaginal cut or tear that results from childbirth, your midwife or doctor should give you detailed instructions for how to care for the area.
If a tear has reopened or a new tear has occurred, its important that you seek immediate medical attention. Delaying care may result in long-term complications.
During the healing process, you may find it helpful to:
- Rinse the area with sterilized water. Use a small bottle with a narrow plastic tip to do this. Your doctor may advise you to rinse after every time you use the bathroom or after every cleaning.
- Wear a pad for the first several days to help draw any blood away from the cut and keep the area clean.
- Take OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help ease your pain.
If youve experienced a sexual assault, you shouldnt try to treat the wound on your own. Your doctor or healthcare provider can assess your symptoms and help you care for any lacerations or bruises that have occurred. They may also prescribe pain killers or other medication to help you treat your symptoms.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Cold Sores
Cold sores start with an itchy and tingling sensation usually on the mouth, lips or nose and may form small blisters that crust after 3 days.
Cold sores usually clear up after 2 weeks without leaving any scars. They can be highly contagious, even when the blisters arent present. The virus can spread between people by direct physical contact, such as kissing, skin-to-skin contact and sharing drink containers, eating utensils, towels or toothbrushes with someone who already has a cold sore.
As well as a blister-like spot, the following symptoms are also common:
How Do You Treat Herpes
Theres no cure for herpes, but prescription medications can ease symptoms, end outbreaks sooner, and lower the chances of passing the virus to other people.
You can also help ease the pain caused by herpes outbreaks by taking a warm bath, wearing loose clothing and putting an ice pack on the sores.
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Complementary And Alternative Medicine
Some people use natural therapies to treat herpes, either on their own or to support standard medical care. The research supporting their use is generally weak, with little evidence that they can reduce either the severity or duration of an outbreak. Even so, many people swear by their effectiveness and consider them a vital part of managing herpes outbreaks.
Complementary and alternative therapies sometimes used to treat herpes include:
- Propolis: This is a sticky substance produced by bees that may help speed the healing of genital herpes. A 2017 study found that people who used propolis ointment experienced better healing by the 10th day of treatment compared to those who used a sham ointment.
- Algae extract: Lab studies suggest that algae extract can inhibit the growth of HSV-2 in test tubes. Whether it can do so in humans has yet to be proven.
- Acupuncture: A 2022 review of research on the use of acupuncture to treat symptoms of herpes zoster concluded that acupuncture had a good effect on , quickly reduced patient pain, shortened the course of the treatment. While this suggests that acupuncture may be useful in easing genital herpes pain, this has yet to be proven.