How Does Herpes Affect A Woman
Herpes simplex 1 in females will usually result in cold sores or blisters around the mouth. They are often obvious and painful. HSV-1 is predominantly spread through mouth-to-mouth contact such as kissing however, HSV-1 can be contracted through oral sex. Genital herpes caused by HSV-1 recurs less frequently than instances caused by HSV-2.
. It is most commonly contracted through sexual contact. The first outbreak is usually the worst, with subsequent outbreaks usually less severe than the first outbreak. The recurrence of outbreaks tends to decrease over time.
How Is Genital Herpes Diagnosed
Often, your doctor can diagnose genital herpes by looking at visible sores. Your doctor or nurse may also use a cotton swab to take a fluid sample from a sore to test in a lab.
Genital herpes can be hard to diagnose, especially between outbreaks. Blood tests that look for antibodies to the herpes virus can help diagnose herpes in women without symptoms or between outbreaks.
A Pap test is not used to detect genital herpes.
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.
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How Can I Manage The Symptoms
- Keep the area clean to avoid infection. You can use an ice pack wrapped in a towel to reduce pain and soothe your skin.
- Some people find topical anaesthetic creams such as Emla help
- Drink plenty of fluids – this will dilute your urine and make passing urine less painful.
- Avoid tight clothing as it may irritate the blisters and sores further.
How Long Do Sores From Herpes Simplex Last
If youre infected with HSV-1, commonly known as oral herpes, you may notice tingling or burning around your mouth in the days before a cold sore appears. These blisters break open and ooze fluid before forming a crust. Usually, sores last for seven to 10 days.
If youre infected with HSV-2, commonly known as genital herpes, your first outbreak may last between two to four weeks. Recurrent outbreaks usually last between three to seven days.
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Is There Any Resistance To Genital Herpes Medication
Resistance to drugs that treat genital herpes even after 20 years of use is very rare. Herpes medications may not work as well in patients who are very immunosuppressed and have been treated with these drugs for a long time. Each individuals response to treatment may vary. In some cases, patients may need more drugs to suppress their viral outbreaks than others.
Herpes Stages: 3 Blisters
Once the virus reaches the surface of the skin, blisters begin to form. Blisters from the herpes virus begin as small red bumps that become fluid filled . Bumps and blisters can be sensitive or painful.
The skin around the blister appears red, and blisters commonly form in clusters. The appearance of blisters from herpes can be similar to pimples, ingrown hairs, jock itch, or razor burn. Because of these similarities, herpes is frequently mistaken for one of these other conditions.
Fever like symptoms can continue through this part of the herpes stages, but only if it is an outbreak associated with an initial infection.
These blisters contain virus-filled fluid, and grow to become very painful. This stage lasts for two to six days, and patients are advised to wear loose and comfortable clothing and avoid doing activities that may irritate the skin during this timeframe. The sores may stay open for one to four days.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Genital Herpes
Most women with genital herpes do not know they have it. But, if you get symptoms with the first outbreak of genital herpes, they can be severe. Genital herpes also can be severe and long-lasting in people whose immune systems do not work properly, such as women with HIV.
The first signs of genital herpes usually show up two to 12 days after having sexual contact with someone who has herpes. Symptoms can last from two to four weeks. There are other early symptoms of genital herpes:
- Feeling of pressure in the abdomen
- Flu-like symptoms, including fever
If you have any symptoms of genital herpes, see a doctor or nurse.
Transmission Of Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease spread by skin-to-skin contact. The risk of infection is highest during outbreak periods when there are visible sores and lesions. However, genital herpes can also be transmitted when there are no visible symptoms. Most new cases of genital herpes infection do not cause symptoms, and many people infected with HSV-2 are unaware that they have genital herpes.
To help prevent genital herpes transmission:
- Use a condom for sexual intercourse.
- Use a dental dam for oral sex.
- Limit your number of sexual partners.
- Be aware that nonoxynol-9, the chemical spermicide used in gel and foam contraceptive products and some lubricated condoms, does not protect against STDs.
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Herpes Might Not Have Any Symptoms
You or your partner may not have any herpes symptoms that you can see or feel, or the signs of herpes may be so mild you dont even notice them. Sometimes people confuse herpes symptoms with other things, like pimples, ingrown hairs, and the flu.
Herpes symptoms come and go, but that doesnt mean the infection goes away or that you cant spread it to other people. Once you have herpes, it stays in your body for life.
How Often Do Outbreaks Occur
The number of outbreaks someone has varies from person to person. The average number of outbreaks for a person with genital HSV-2 is four to five per year. The average for genital HSV-1 is less than one outbreak per year.
Usually, there are more outbreaks during the first year, and many people find that outbreaks become less severe and less frequent with time.
Herpes triggers are highly individual, but with time, many people learn to recognize, and sometimes avoid, factors that seem to reactivate HSV in their own bodies. Illness, poor diet, emotional or physical stress, friction in the genital area, prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light , surgical trauma, and steroidal medication may trigger a herpes outbreak.
The frequency of outbreaks can often be managed through effective stress management, and getting adequate rest, nutrition, and exercise. For people with frequent outbreaks, suppressive therapy with any one of the antiviral treatments can reduce outbreaks by as much as 80%.
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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.11 In addition, daily suppressive therapy for herpes can reduce the likelihood of transmission to partners.11
There is currently no commercially available vaccine that is protective against genital herpes infection. Candidate vaccines are in clinical trials.
The First Herpes Outbreak Is Typically The Worst
The initial herpes outbreak often occurs within a couple weeks of contracting the virus from an infected individual. This is known as the incubation period, where HSV is multiplying inside the body until the point it causes an outbreak. The first outbreak of herpes is usually the most severe, lasting approximately two to three weeks. Subsequent outbreaks are often less pronounced, and flare ups tend to decrease over time.
Common early stage symptoms of herpes in women may include:
- Flu or fever-like symptoms
- Pain in the legs, buttocks, or vaginal area
- A change in vaginal discharge
- An increasingly uncomfortable feeling of pressure in the area beneath the abdomen
- Difficulty urinating, or pain during bowel movements
In many cases, the flu-like and body ache symptoms that occur during the initial presentation of the HSV-2 virus do not appear in subsequent outbreaks.
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How To Prevent An Outbreak
Some people only take their medications if they feel the itching and tingling that means an outbreak is coming on â or when sores show up â to stop it from getting worse. Your doctor may suggest you take an antiviral every day if you:
- Have lots of outbreaks
- Want to prevent more outbreaks
- Want to lower the risk of spreading it to your partner
How Can Herpes Be Prevented
Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of transmitting or acquiring genital herpes because herpes virus shedding can occur in areas that are not covered by a condom.25,26
The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs, including genital herpes, is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested for STDs and is known to be uninfected.
Persons with herpes should abstain from sexual activity with partners when herpes lesions or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a person does not have any symptoms, he or she can still infect sex partners. Sex partners of infected persons should be advised that they may become infected and they should use condoms to reduce the risk. Sex partners can seek testing to determine if they are infected with HSV.
Daily treatment with valacyclovir decreases the rate of HSV-2 transmission in discordant, heterosexual couples in which the source partner has a history of genital HSV-2 infection. 27 Such couples should be encouraged to consider suppressive antiviral therapy as part of a strategy to prevent transmission, in addition to consistent condom use and avoidance of sexual activity during recurrences.
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Prognosis Of Genital Herpes
Genital herpes can be treated and managed. Baill stresses that for most people who have healthy immune systems, the high-risk times for giving a sex partner genital herpes are during the first outbreak and during later outbreaks of sores.
Without such an outbreak, the viral load is usually not sufficient to infect a normal, healthy partner, she says. Antiviral medication can be effective at controlling the frequency and the severity of genital herpes outbreaks, Baill says.
For some people, though, even the times when no symptoms are present can be risky ones for transmission.
If you have genital herpes and your partner is taking biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis or MS or psoriasis, you may need to be extra careful, says Baill. It may take a lower viral load to infect people taking those medications.
In these situations, she says, you may want to take antiviral drugs in an ongoing way to keep your viral load low and protect your partner.
What Else Should I Know
Genital herpes is a lifelong condition, but there are ways to manage it. If you have genital herpes:
- Take medicines to stop outbreaks or make them less frequent and less severe.
- Help reduce the risk of spreading genital herpes to others by taking medicines, always using a condom during sex, and avoiding sex during outbreaks.
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Episodic Therapy For Recurrences
For a recurrent episode, treatment takes 1 to 5 days, depending on the type of medication and dosage. You should begin the medication as soon as you notice any signs or symptoms of herpes, preferably during the prodrome stage that precedes the outbreak of lesions.
In order for episodic therapy to be effective, it must be taken no later than 1 day after a lesion appears. If taken during prodrome, episodic therapy may help prevent an outbreak from occurring or reduce its severity. If taken at the first sign of a lesion, it can help speed healing.
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How Is Herpes Simplex Treated
Some people have few to no herpes outbreaks and choose not to have treatment. But many people prefer to use medications that shorten outbreaks and reduce symptoms.
During an outbreak, you may use an antiviral ointment or cream to help lessen your symptoms and help them go away faster, but it only works if you start it soon after you start an outbreak. Many people with HSV-2 take daily oral medications to keep outbreaks at bay.
Your provider may prescribe a topical medication or oral medication such as:
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S Of Genital Herpes Or Herpes Simplex 2 In Men And Women
Genital Herpes HSV2 is a disease visible on the genitals and can spread through sexual contacts . The virus infects mucoepithelial cells inside the neurons and can remain dormant for years until the next outbreak.
In Primary herpes case, the time from exposure to the time we begin seeing the painful ulcer is between 2 days to 12 days.
Research shows, that genital Herpes is more prevalent in Young Women and Men who has sex with men
Im Pregnant What Do I Need To Know
To get the best care, tell your doctor you have genital herpes, because it could make you more likely to have a miscarriage or give birth too soon.
Its possible to pass along the virus to your baby. For infants, it can be life-threatening. Your doctor can talk to you about how to lower the chances that this will happen.
If you have an outbreak while youre pregnant, your doctor can give you medicine to treat your symptoms and stop them sooner.
Your doctor may give you a drug to prevent an outbreak as your due date gets closer. This is because your baby could get herpes by passing through your birth canal if youre having an outbreak when you go into labor. If thats a possibility, your doctor will most likely want to do a C-section, which is surgery to deliver the baby.
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Genital Herpes And Pregnancy
If a person with herpes becomes pregnant, they should let their doctor know, as it is possible that herpes will pass to the baby during delivery. A doctor can take steps to help protect the baby.
If herpes passes to the baby during the birth, the baby will have neonatal herpes. Neonatal herpes is a serious condition. A baby with neonatal herpes may develop eye conditions or brain injuries. It can even be fatal.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , during the third trimester of pregnancy, a person should avoid having sexual activity with anyone who has genital herpes or suspected herpes.
A doctor may prescribe antiviral medication later on in the pregnancy to reduce the risk of a herpes outbreak. However, antiviral prophylaxis may not decrease the risk.
A healthcare professional may perform an examination before labor. If there are any symptoms of herpes, a cesarean delivery may be necessary.
The only guaranteed way to prevent the spread of herpes is to avoid having any physical contact with a person who has the infection.
However, there are other steps that a person can take to
Black And Hispanic Communities And Genital Herpes
Black Americans and Hispanic Americans have higher rates of STDs generally when compared with white Americans. This isnt because of ethnicity or race instead, social conditions such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and fear of discrimination from doctors and other healthcare providers all play part in the disparity.
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Coping With Your Feelings
Finding out that you have genital herpes may cause you to have negative thoughts or feelings about yourself or about sex, such as:
- Feeling ashamed or embarrassed.
- Being afraid of the consequences of the infection.
- Being angry at the person who infected you.
- Feeling frustrated with treatment or recurrent outbreaks.
- Feeling scared to have sex.
A counsellor or support groups for people with herpes may be helpful.
When To See A Doctor
People who are sexually active should see a doctor regularly to undergo screenings for sexually transmitted infections .
A person who suspects that they may have come into contact with herpes should see a doctor to get a test.
A person should also see a doctor if they experience any symptoms of genital or oral herpes. A doctor can confirm a diagnosis and discuss the treatment options.
If someone who has genital herpes becomes pregnant, they should see a healthcare provider to prevent passing the virus to the baby.
It is possible for pregnant people with genital herpes to deliver a baby safely, but a doctor needs to be aware of the situation to do this effectively.
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Is Genital Herpes Related To Shingles
Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is caused by the varicella zoster virus , which causes chickenpox earlier in life. The natural history of varicella zoster infection is similar to genital herpes infection in that VZV also becomes latent in the sensory nerve roots. Later in life the virus may exit, causing shingles.
Recurrences in shingles cause blister lesions in a single area of skin called a dermatome. Shingles is not a sexually transmitted infection and is independent from genital herpes.
The Initial Signs Of Genital Herpes Can Differ
The initial genital herpes symptoms are variable and differ from individual to individual. Having frequent episodes every year is quite common, although in some cases an individual may not have any outbreak of genital herpes for several years before having one.
However, it is important to understand the first signs of genital herpes in what an individual may feel just before an outbreak of genital herpes. These generally include burning pain and severe itching around the genital areas. This usually starts after having unprotected sex. Pain in the back from genital herpes is also something that is seen usually in people with genital herpes just before an outbreak or a recurrence. The pain due to genital herpes radiates down the legs in some cases as well.
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