Reducing The Risk Of Genital Herpes
The herpes virus cant pass through a condom. However, if the virus is present and active on the skin in areas around the genitals not covered by the condom , infection may still occur. Therefore condoms are not 100% protective against the herpes virus.
If your partner has herpes, avoiding sex when they have visible sores reduces your risk of getting herpes.
What Are The Signs Of Herpes In Men
In about two-thirds of cases, men will have no symptoms of herpes. Symptoms of herpes in men may include:
-Body aches
-Encephalitis
-Meningitis
It is unclear if genital herpes affects fertility in men because it affects such a large part of the population. However, a recent study found that herpes may lower the sperm count in men and may have an effect on mens ability to get pregnant with a partner.
Best Home Remedies For Herpes Simplex 2
Herpes simplex 2 is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the Type-1 and type-2 herpes simplex viruses. They mostly infect the genital of the humans. The Type-1 herpes virus normally affects the face, lips and mouth even though it can as well cause pain on the genitals of a person.
The Type-2 herpes virus frequently produces pain on the genitals only. More frequently herpes spread to the genitals due to lack of practicing hygienic habits. It can also affect the person through genital sexual contact or oral. Home remedies for herpes simplex 2
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Preventing The Spread Of Herpes Is A Loving Act
Herpes infection can cause serious complications. Serious complications may be associated with herpes infection. Along with human papillomavirus , herpesvirus has been implicated as a cause of cervical cancer. The presence of herpesvirus in the expectant mothers birth canal is a great danger to the infant. Unless the baby is delivered by Caesarean section, there is a risk of meningitis, blindness, chronic herpes infection, and even death to the newborn. There are several natural therapies that make herpes outbreaks more bearable. One of the most important is diet. People who have genital herpes need to:
- Avoid foods that are high in the amino acid arginine and
- Eat foods that are high in the amino acid lysine.
Scientists have long believed that arginine acts as a trigger telling the herpesvirus to replicate itself. Lysine, on the other hand, is so chemically similar to arginine that it can keep the virus from absorbing arginine. This action prevents the virus from multiplying.
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Recurrent Episodes Of Genital Herpes
Recurrences are usually less painful and shorter in duration than the first episode of genital herpes. Over time, episodes usually become less frequent and may eventually stop altogether. Infections caused by HSV1 are less likely to recur in the genital area than infections caused by HSV2.
Recurrences may be triggered by:
- no apparent reason noted.
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How Long After Herpes Outbreak Is It Still Contagious
For oral herpes, cold sores are usually contagious for up to 15 days and are generally no longer contagious once all symptoms have cleared, which includes the blister itself and any scabbing.
Someone carrying genital herpes should wait until 7 days after the sore heals to begin engaging in sexual activity, as the herpes virus can spread from sores not covered by a condom.
Causes Of Genital Herpes
Before using homeopathy treatment or medicines for genital herpes problem first we need to understand the right cause of this health problem so that the right homeoapthic medicines should be selected to treated genital herpes quickly.
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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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Witch Hazel: The Cold Sore Treatment You May Already Have In Your Medicine Cabinet
As far as at-home cold sore remedies go, witch hazel may be one of the easiest to find in your local pharmacy or health-food store. You may even have a bottle in your medicine cabinet, as it is often used as an aftershave. A touch of witch hazel on a cold sore can help ease irritation to your skin, says Russell. Witch hazel also has a bit of a drying effect on the sore and surrounding skin.
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A Final Word On Cold Sore Treatments And Remedies
There isnt a cure for the virus that causes a cold sore, so theres always the risk of an outbreak. But while you might be unable to completely prevent a cold sore, antiviral medication and home remedies can make living with cold sores much easier.
Learn how to recognize early signs of a cold sore, and see your doctor if you have frequent outbreaks. The sooner you get an antiviral into your system, the shorter the duration of an outbreak.
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Orange And Red Vegetables
Orange and green vegetables are rich in vitamins and nutrients and help to improve health and well-being. It is also packed with antioxidant compounds often cited as essential for wound healing.
For these reasons orange or green vegetable such as carrots, pumpkins and peppers are usually on list of most effective ways to prevent a herpes infection from occurring. The vitamin c in oranges also improve the immune system am hastens the healing process.
However, orange and red vegetables can provide good nutrients but are not proven effective for herpes.
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Vi Take A Warm Bath With Epsom Salt:
Epsom salt is also used as an operative measure to treat the infection. You need to soak the infected area for about 15-20 minutes in half a bucket of warm water mixed with a handful of Epsom salt. Later, you could also soak yourself in a hot tub of bathing water mixed with Epsom salt for ½ an hour to relax the sore muscles and make your genital herpes recovery faster.
When To See A Doctor
Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you suspect that you are experiencing an initial outbreak of genital herpes, or are experiencing especially severe and frequent recurrent outbreaks.
Its especially important to consult your doctor about initial or recurrent genital herpes outbreaks if you are pregnant, are trying to become pregnant, or if you have a compromised immune system.
Talk to your doctor about which herbal treatments or oral supplements they recommend, if any, as a complementary treatment.
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Essential Oils And Other Home Remedies For Herpes
Using certain essential oils can reduce viral spread among HSV-1 cells. It also includes extracts from plants like thyme, eucalyptus, rosemary and wormwood, as well as compounds in clove oil and cinnamon and basil essential oil. You can dilute the oils in a carrier oil or massage them onto the skin without consuming them, as some are toxic and can cause harm. It is also important when using aromatherapy to think about other creatures in the area. Some essential oils are harmful to pets and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Using a carrier oil is important because the essential oil can have adverse effects if you apply it directly to the skin. In addition, carrier oils mostly contain almond oil and olive oil. Researchers are conducting clinical trials to test other potentially effective home remedies for herpes, including sesame oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil. However, there is still insufficient evidence that any specific oil can help a person manage cold sore symptoms. For example, laboratory studies suggest that seaweed extract can also inhibit the growth of HSV-2 in test tubes, but this has yet to be proven in humans.
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.
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Effective Home Remedies For Herpes Simplex 2
Soap And Warm Water
Constant use soap and warm water on the infected area of the genitals is one among the home remedies for treating herpes simplex 2. Maintaining the genital area that is wrapped with pains clean and free of disease is one step nearer to curing the sores.
Although herpes eruptions are dissimilar for each infected person and entail numerous factors, gentle antiseptic agents like soaps are recommended in all cases. Flow slightly warmed water through a tablecloth and use soap straightly in the infected area. This will provide an easing feeling similar to taking a bath in warm water. It should be noted that the cleaned infected area should be dried after cleaning.
Baking Soda And Corn Starch
Baking soda and Cornstarch are the excellent home remedies to treat the sores caused by genital herpes. They are well-known for their drying characteristics. Either of them can be used to get relief from the pain. These constituents keep the infected genital area dry and heal the disease rapidly and efficiently.
Take a cotton ball and soak it in the baking soda or cornstarch. Then, gently tap on the sores infected area by using the cotton ball to dry get relief from itching. It is suggested that the cotton ball should be dipped only once to avoid the contamination of the baking soda or corn starch during the second dip.
Lysine
It can be consumed through legumes or meat. However, lysine is unsuitable for those who suffer from liver or kidney infection.
Tea Bag
Ice
Warm And Cold Compress
Warm or cold compress is an effective home remedy of getting rid of the pain and irritation which come with herpes sores. If you see a sore forming, you can use heat in order to avoid the pain and uncomfortable sensation.
Similarly, you can also use a cold compress to reduce the swelling and redness. You can use an ice pack and see the results. Try either warm or cold compress after every four hours and that will make you feel comfortable.
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Home Remedies And Lifestyle
At-home treatments for herpes are used to relieve pain. They do nothing to alter the course of the infection but can make you more comfortable as the herpes sores begin to heal.
There are several things you can do if have an outbreak of oral or genital herpes:
- Use a cold compress. Place a cloth-covered ice pack on the sores for 15 minutes several times daily to reduce pain. Keep the ice pack moving to prevent frostbite.
- Do not touch or scratch. Avoid touching and rubbing the sores. Doing so can spread the infection to other areas of the skin.
- Keep the sores clean. Herpes sores can become infected with bacteria if touched with soiled hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after going to the bathroom or before applying medications.
- Reduce stress. Stress can increase your sensitivity to pain during a herpes outbreak. You can reduce stress by performing gentle exercises or practicing mind-body therapies like meditation, yoga, and guided imagery.
To reduce the risk of spreading herpes, avoid kissing and sharing objects that come into contact with saliva, like drinking straws and eating utensils.
It’s important to note that oral herpes can be spread to the genitals, and that genital herpes can be spread to the mouth. To reduce the risk of infection, use condoms and dental dams during oral sex. Better yet, avoid sex altogether if you are having an active herpes outbreak .
Treatment Of Cold Sores
Currently, there are no cures or vaccines for cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus . Frequent hand washing will help reduce the spread of the virus to other parts of the body or to other people. Also, applying cool, moist compresses to the lesion may decrease pain and keep the lesion from drying and cracking.
- Many people acquire the virus and have no symptoms or signs.
- For others, painful fluid-filled small blisters appear near the area where the virus entered the body.
- Typically, the blisters heal completely but may reappear at some point in the future.
- In between attacks, the virus resides deep in the roots of the nerves of the involved area.
- When herpes simplex flare-ups appear in their most common location, around the mouth, chin, and upper lip, people often refer to them as “cold sores” or “fever blisters.”
- Oral herpes may cause ulcers, fluid-filled blisters, or sores anywhere inside the mouth, including the gums and the tongue.
- It may also cause sores inside the nose and around the nostrils. Herpes may also affect the eye.
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Boosting Your Immune System
Another method that can help to reduce herpes outbreak symptoms is by strengthening the immune system. Having strong immune systems means youre body is at a better state to detect viruses and fight them .Here are several strategies that you may use to improve your body immunity.
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Abstinence from animal products and acidic foods.
Is Herpes Simplex Related To Herpes Zoster
Herpes simplex and the varicella-zoster virus are related, but they arent the same. VZV causes chickenpox and shingles.
Like HSV-1 and HSV-2, shingles can cause a painful, blistering rash. The shingles rash usually shows up on the back, side, abdomen , neck and face. It is often only on half of your body, following the pattern of your nerves. See your healthcare provider if you have a new rash and suspect you may have shingles.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Herpes simplex is a virus. Once you have herpes, its a lifelong condition. A herpes infection can lead to outbreaks , but youll also have times when you have no symptoms. The main sign of herpes is sores that appear on the infected skin. Some people choose not to treat herpes, especially if symptoms are mild. Others take antiviral medications to reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/17/2022.
References
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What Is Genital Herpes
A sexually transmitted disease , genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus . This virus is generally found in infected peoples saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions.
It generally produces very mild symptoms, hence many people are not even aware that they have genital herpes.
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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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What Are The Symptoms Of Herpes Simplex
Many people with the infection never experience any herpes symptoms. If you do notice symptoms, youll experience them differently depending on whether youre having your first herpes outbreak or a repeat outbreak. Recurring symptoms are usually milder than the first outbreak. Symptoms dont last as long with later outbreaks. Some people may only have one or two outbreaks during their lifetime. Others may have as many as four or five outbreaks a year.
People who do have herpes symptoms may experience:
- Cold sores around their lips, mouth or tongue. They may look crusty or like fluid-filled blisters.
- Tingling, itching or burning.
- Pain while urinating.