Tuesday, March 12, 2024

How Can I Get Checked For Herpes

Meet Nearby People With Herpes

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of herpes | Infectious diseases | NCLEX-RN | Khan Academy

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How Do I Get It

Genital herpes is passed from one person to another during sex. Anyone whos sexually active can get the virus and pass it on. Herpes simplex is most likely to be passed on just before, during or straight after an outbreak.Genital herpes can be passed on:

  • if you receive oral sex from someone who has a cold sore or is just about to get one

If youre pregnant its possible to pass the virus to the baby if youre having your first outbreak at the time of giving birth.If you already have one type of herpes simplex virus its still possible for you to get the other type although you may not notice symptoms.You cant get genital herpes from hugging, sharing baths or towels, from clothing, from swimming pools, toilet seats or from sharing cups, plates or cutlery.

Which Symptoms Mean I Should Get Checked

Get tested for herpes if you have:

  • an outbreak of blisters, sores or lesions around the genital area
  • pain around the genital area
  • pain or discomfort when urinating

As soon as you begin to see blisters around your genitals, you can try home testing or visit a clinic. Do this before the blisters begin to scab over and heal for the most accurate results. If you have no symptoms or suspect a false negative result, a blood test can be done. This will only show if you have ever been exposed to HSV and if you may have outbreaks in the future.

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Best Convenient Herpes Test: Mylab Box

People can order at-home herpes tests from MyLAB Box. These kits contain instructions, a specimen bag, and a prepaid return envelope. Users may find this test convenient because of its quick turnaround for results and the option to book a free consultation and get treatment.

Collection method
doctor may prescribe treatment if test results are positive
Con only tests for HSV-2

Once a person receives their collection kit, they can collect their sample using the instructions. They can then use the prepaid envelope to send it to the laboratory.

People should receive their results within 25 days. If the test is positive, they can book a free consultation with a doctor to discuss their results and treatment options. The doctor may then prescribe treatment.

This at-home test only works for people who wish to test for genital herpes. The company does not offer test kits for oral herpes.

The kit costs $89 as a stand-alone test, but the company also markets other kits that test for different infections. For example, if a person also wishes to test for other STIs, they can purchase the Total Box 14 Panel option or the Uber Box 8 Panel option.

What Are The Symptoms Of Herpes

Is this herpes?

Most people with herpes will not have any signs or symptoms that they have been infected. However, there are certain signs and symptoms that may indicate that a person has been infected with herpes. Possible symptoms for women:

  • Burning or pain when you urinate
  • Pain in your lower belly

Possible symptoms for men:

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Also Check: What’s The Chances Of Passing Herpes Without Outbreak

What Do The Results Mean

Your HSV test results will be given as negative, also called normal, or positive, also called abnormal.

Negative/Normal. The herpes virus was not found. You may still have an HSV infection if your results were normal. It may mean the sample didn’t have enough of the virus to be detected. If you still have symptoms of herpes, you may need to get tested again.

Positive/Abnormal. HSV was found in your sample. It may mean you have an active infection , or were infected in the past .

If you tested positive for HSV, talk to your health care provider. While there is no cure for herpes, it hardly ever causes serious health problems. Some people may only have one outbreak of sores their whole lives, while others break out more often. If you want to reduce the severity and number of your outbreaks, your provider may prescribe a medicine that can help.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.

Best Sti Panel Test For Herpes: Everlywell

Everlywell offers STI test panels for males and females. This test may be most suitable for people who want to test for a wide range of STIs.

Collection method

Once a person has purchased a test, they must register it on Everlywells website. They then need to post the collected samples with prepaid shipping.

Everlywell states that people can receive their test results within 57 of posting the samples. However, several customer reviews on the companys website say they had to wait up to 2 weeks.

The person receives digital and printable results. If they test positive for any STIs, they can connect with Everlywells network of independent physicians for advice and treatment.

This test costs $149. However, people can subscribe for twice-yearly tests and save money per kit. They can also use their FSA or HSA to pay for this test.

Also Check: Causes Of Herpes Flare Ups

Comparing And Contrasting Laboratory And At

There are significant differences between genital and oral herpes tests conducted at-home and those ordered by a doctor.

Several important tests used to diagnose genital and oral herpes are not available as at-home tests. Herpes viral cultures and polymerase chain reaction testing, both of which are only conducted in-lab, are the preferred tests for patients during a genital or oral herpes outbreak.

Although in-lab testing is more appropriate for most patients, it can be inconvenient and may cost more than at-home testing.

How Much Does The Test Cost

Protecting Against Herpes

The cost of testing for genital and oral herpes depends on the type of test that is performed, where the test is conducted, and whether the patient has medical insurance. Testing is often covered by insurance when ordered by a doctor, although patients may still be responsible for costs such as copays and deductibles.

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Doctors Dont Advise Getting A Blood Test For Herpes Without Any Symptoms

Hilda Hutcherson, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, is one of those doctors. I usually dont do tests for herpes someone has a lesion or a sore, something I can see, I will do a swab and take it to a culture or check the DNA on the materials I removed, she says. If theres nothing there and I do a blood test and the blood test comes back positive, lets say its positive for type 1, what does that really mean? Most people are positive for type 1. She adds that someone could be HSV-1-positive and either have or not have genital herpes. The result doesnt mean much, and it makes people go crazy.

Hutchersons motto is pretty simple: Why stress yourself over something if you havent seen anything especially when its something as common as herpes? Lets say they have a blood test come in positive but theyve never had a lesion. Now what? You may never get a lesion, she says. Its for this reason that she recommends people do not get tested for herpes unless they have a visible lesion that can be cultured and sent to a lab. Lets say you get tested anyway and it comes back positive, despite the fact that you have no symptoms. What do you do?

Heres Why Doctors Dont Usually Test For Herpes

Its basically a SELF mantra at this point: Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections is hella important. Is it the most delightful way to spend your time? No. Is it a vital part of looking after your health, sexual and otherwise? Absolutely.

When you go in for routine STI testing, you might realize that your doctor doesnt test you for herpes. Whats that about? As it turns out, testing for herpes isnt as straightforward as testing for something like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Here, doctors explain why herpes isnt usually included on STI panels.

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What Are The Risks Associated With Herpes

If you have symptoms for Herpes, the use of condoms might not protect your sexual partner from getting the virus from your infected areas that are not covered by the condom. Therefore, it is advised to abstain from sex if you have symptoms.

Neonatal Herpes can occur in rare cases and might lead to lasting neurologic disability or even death of the infant. Pregnant women who get their first viral infection during late pregnancy are at a higher risk of acquiring the disease than those infected prior to pregnancy.

The symptoms and pains associated with recurrence of Herpes might lead to psychological distress, which could negatively affect the quality of life and sexual relationships of infected individuals.

If Herpes is left untreated, there is an increased risk of getting other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Is It Possible To Have Herpes Ase Without Hiv

Do I have genital herpes?

For some, the first experience with genital Herpes can bring severe and long-lasting side effects such as systemic symptoms and severe itching. People without HIV treatment, whose immune systems are weak and whose immunity is weakened, are most likely to get the disease. Infections of the herpes virus may initially appear within days of acquisition.

Also Check: How Long Does Initial Herpes Outbreak Last

Why The Test Is Performed

The test is done to find out whether a person has ever been infected with oral or genital herpes. It looks for antibodies to herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 . An antibody is a substance made by the bodyâs immune system when it detects harmful substances such as the herpes virus. This test does not detect the virus itself.

Genital Herpes Is Common Shouldnt Cdc Recommend Testing For Everyone

CDC recommends herpes testing for people who have genital symptoms to confirm if they have it. Testing allows a healthcare provider to talk with patients about what to expect in the future. This includes talking about medications that help with symptoms. Providers can also tell patients how to lower the risk of transmitting herpes to sex partner.

CDC does not recommend herpes testing for people without symptoms in most situations. This is because of the limits of a herpes blood test and the possibility of a wrong test result. The chances of wrong test results are higher for people who are at low risk of infection.

Blood tests might be useful if:

  • You have genital symptoms that could be related to herpes, or
  • You have a sex partner with genital herpes, or
  • Your provider found signs of herpes, but you still need a test to confirm it.

If you are sexually active, talk openly and honestly with your healthcare provider about what tests are right for you. These tips can help.

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Herpes Myths To Stop Freaking Out About

A surprising number of people you know probably have herpes.

Shocked? You shouldnt be, since the virus is very common. According to the World Health Organization, 3.7 billion people under age 50 have herpes simplex virus type 1 thats 67 percent of the global population in that age bracket. Another 417 million people between ages 15 and 49 worldwide have herpes simplex virus type 2 .

Many people consider HSV-1 more benign, but it turns out theres not much difference between the two types of virus. While its true that HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted disease and can cause genital sores or blisters, type 1 can do the same thing.

One big misconception is that cold sores are caused by HSV-1 and genital herpes are always type 2, but thats not always the case, says Sarah Vensel, a physician assistant in San Francisco. Cold sores are so common theyve been normalized at this point. But genital herpes is sometimes the exact same virus just in a different location.

Not only is herpes incredibly common its also totally manageable. Allow us to set your mind at ease and debunk three widespread herpes myths:

Why Genital Herpes Comes Back

What is herpes?

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

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Herpes Is Rarely Serious

Herpes is an extremely common and widely feared infection, but in most cases itâs not very serious. âMost genital herpes infections are asymptomatic and the fear of herpes is more psychological than it is physical,â H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle and a nationally recognized STD expert, tells Health. âItâs basically just a skin disease.â

What Is The Treatment

The aim of the treatment is to relieve the pain, and to prevent the virus from multiplying. You cannot stop the virus from being present in the skin.

  • Treatment is recommended when you have the first outbreak as this may provide some relief.
  • Treatment is usually started within five days of the start of the first outbreak and while new blisters or sores are still forming. You take antiviral tablets daily for five days. There are several different antiviral tablets that can be used.
  • As genital herpes is caused by a virus and not bacteria, antibiotics won’t help.
  • Some people find it helpful to take antiviral treatment when they get another outbreak of genital herpes. These need to be started as soon as the outbreak begins and are usually taken for 13 days.
  • People who have repeated outbreaks may be given a long course of the tablets to reduce the number of outbreaks. This is known as suppressive therapy. It also reduces asymptomatic shedding and for most people, it stops outbreaks completely, while youre taking the tablets.
  • If you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant, tell the doctor or nurse so they can talk to you about pregnancy and herpes simplex. If you have an outbreak of herpes in pregnancy it can be safely treated.
  • The treatment you can buy for facial cold sores isn’t suitable for genital herpes.

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What If I Test Positive For Herpes

Since the virus stays in the nerves surrounding the infected area permanently, there is no cure to eliminate the virus from the body. However, there are many treatments which are very effective at reducing both the severity and frequency of any outbreaks.

Creams and medications are available to manage the symptoms and keep outbreaks under control. If you test positive for Herpes, your Better2Know doctor will be able to prescribe the right treatment for you. You are most likely to pass the virus on when you have symptoms, so you should abstain or practice safe sex with a condom during this time.

There are also organisations who can support you such as The STI Project which provides an online forum for people to share their stories.

If You Have Zero Symptoms Getting Tested Wont Help You

Does look like herpes??

The problem is that blood tests for herpes when no lesions or symptoms are present are often bullshit. I realize thats a pretty strong word, but after speaking with doctors who have administered these tests, its become more and more apparent to me how misunderstood and in some cases, just plain wrong the results they give are.

Part of the reason theyre flawed has to do with the fact that most people have been exposed to HSV-1 or oral herpes. For HSV-1, close to 100 percent of people in the U.S. are antibody-positive because they have been exposed at some point in their lives, though only a percentage of these individuals will actually get cold sores, says Adam Friedman, the residency program director at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. He adds that blood tests can be misleading because they usually dont detect the herpes virus itself and instead look at the level of antibodies against the virus, which is merely a sign of immune response to it.

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How To Test For Herpes: Self

Understanding the signs and symptoms is the most obvious way to determine if you may be having a herpes outbreak.

If you have painful sores around or in the mouth, or around or in the genital or region, you may have herpes.

However, other sexually transmitted infections may also cause sores in the genital area.

What Are The Indicators Of Herpes

Herpes can cause pain, itching, and sores in your genital area though sometimes, like many other STIs, you may experience no symptoms at all making it extremely important to practice safe sex and test regularly.

If you do experience symptoms, they may include:

  • Pain or itching in your genital area
  • Small red bumps or tiny white blisters

If youve been experiencing symptoms of Herpes, taking a test is the best way to know more. The most reliable way to check for Herpes from home is with an at-home Herpes Test. Our herpes test looks for the HSV-1 and HSV-2 virus using a finger prick blood sample. The process is simple:

  • The test is shipped directly to you by next day delivery
  • Activate your test and answer a few health-related questions
  • Your health record will be reviewed by a medical team member and should you need any support services, they will be provided
  • Collect your sample at a time that suits you
  • Send your sample back to our laboratory using the pre-paid shipping label provided
  • Your sample will be processed in an anonymous and timely manner
  • Your results will be reviewed by our team of doctors. A member of our nursing team will contact you to deliver your results, discuss any next steps and offer prescriptions in some cases
  • Also Check: What Is Herpes Simplex Virus 2

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