How To Control Herpes Breakouts

The Early Warning Signs Of Genital Herpes

Once you learn to identify the early warning signs of a genital herpes outbreak, you can take action to avoid the worst outbreak symptoms.

The most common sign of genital herpes is the development of blisters around the genital area. Herpes simplex blisters are often itchy and painful.

Other symptoms may accompany the blisters to indicate early warning signs of genital herpes:

• -Difficult or painful urination

• -Wash your hands immediately after any possible contact with sores to prevent the spread of infection
• -Take medication as directed by your healthcare professional
• -Use natural treatments known to reduce discomfort and accelerate healing
• -Use foods and supplements known to strengthen your immune system
• -Use the Luminance RED on current outbreaks and in-between

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 menâs ability to get pregnant with a partner.

Is Genital Herpes Infection Related To Hiv

Herpes and HIV are caused by different viruses. But patients infected with these viruses are more likely to transmit either disease to their sexual partners. Patients with herpes are more vulnerable to HIV infection. People newly diagnosed with herpes should be tested for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections.

Patients who are infected with both herpes and HIV also may have a higher concentration of HIV viruses in their body because of the interaction between the herpes virus and the HIV virus. When HIV damages a persons immune system, the person may be more likely to shed herpes simplex virus asymptomatically.

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What Causes Genital Herpes

Eight species of viruses in the herpesvirus family are currently known to infect humans, but only two of them cause genital herpes. The most common cause is herpes simplex virus type 2.

It is also a cause of genital herpes, the herpes simplex virus type 1, well known because it is the main cause of the disease in the parts of the body located above the shoulders such as the face, eyes and mouth.

Sometimes we confuse the causes of genital herpes with the triggers. Stress, prolonged exposure to the sun, and wearing clothes that are too tight on the body are all factors that can cause herpes outbreaks in people infected with the virus, but they are not the real cause.

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Can I Still Have Sex If I Have Herpes

If you have herpes, you should talk to your sex partner about their risk. Using condoms may help lower this risk but it will not get rid of the risk completely. Having sores or other symptoms of herpes can increase your risk of spreading the disease. Even if you do not have any symptoms, you can still infect your sex partners.

You may have concerns about how genital herpes will impact your health, sex life, and relationships. While herpes is not curable, it is important to know that it is manageable with medicine. Daily suppressive therapy can lower your risk of spreading the virus to others. Talk to a healthcare provider about your concerns and treatment options.

A genital herpes diagnosis may affect how you will feel about current or future sexual relationships. Knowing how to talk to sexual partners about STDs is important.

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Pay Attention To What You Eat

ASHA reports that some people believe foods containing the amino acid arginine, such as legumes and whole grains, can contribute to outbreaks. A few older studies, conducted in 1981 and 1987, showed a possible connection, but ASHA states there is no clinical evidence to support these studies. However, because triggers may vary based on the individual, keep track of the foods you eat to determine if there is a connection.

Genital Herpes Treatment Options

Antiviral prescriptions are available to control the herpes virus and prevent new outbreaks. Two of the most common antivirals include acyclovir and valacyclovir.

Acyclovir is a prescription medication used to improve the healing of sores or blisters caused by a number of conditions, including first-time and repeat outbreaks of herpes. It works by slowing or stopping the spread of the herpes virus within the body, though it cant cure herpes.

Valacyclovir is another antiviral prescription drug used to treat genital herpes and shingles. Taken twice a day for five days, Valtrex can decrease uncomfortable symptoms and help sores heal faster. In some cases, this antiviral can also prevent new sores from forming.

If youd like an alternative to medication, here are a few tried-and-true natural ideas to get you started:

• Dry, warm compress using warmed rice in a sock
• Cold compress using an ice pack or soft washcloth filled with ice
• Cornstarch paste
• Topical apple cider vinegar using one-part apple cider vinegar and three-parts warm water

If you want something store-bought, Abreva® is the only FDA-approved topical option for genital herpes. This over-the-counter cream contains non-prescription ingredients shown to accelerate the healing process. Its most effective when used at the first sign of an outbreak and can be applied up to five times a day.

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What Are Signs Of Genital Herpes In Women

Women who have the herpes virus may have nooutbreaks or signs of infection. Many do not know theyhave the virus. Once you are infected, the virus staysin your nerve cells for life. When the virus is not active,there is no sign of infection. When the virus becomesactive, a herpes outbreak occurs. Some womenmay not have any outbreaks or may have only oneoutbreak, while others may have multiple outbreaks.

Ask About Sexual History

Ask all partners whether theyâve been tested recently for STIs before sexual contact. Limiting the number of sexual partners you are exposed to will also decrease your risk of contracting genital herpes and other STIs.

If youve had unprotected sex, or if you experience symptoms of genital herpes, visit your healthcare provider or local STI clinic for an STI screenings.

If you have genital herpes, be open with your partner and talk about the risks of transmission.

Douching should be avoided, as this may actually increase chances of contracting an STI .

Researchers are working towards the development of other preventative strategies, such as an HSV vaccine and topical microbicides to help prevent the spread of herpes .

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What Are The Risk Factors For Herpes Simplex Infections

Exposure to someone with cold sores increases the risk of getting oral herpes. HSV is most contagious when the person has mouth sores or blisters on the lips.

The virus can also be shed from saliva when there are no visible lesions. This is called “asymptomatic shedding.” Therefore, a person can be contagious without having a cold sore outbreak.

• Direct contact with the virus, from kissing or sharing personal items, or skin-to-skin contact, will increase the chance of getting infected with HSV.
• Abnormal areas of skin such as eczema may be especially prone to herpes infection.
• Health care workers, such as dentists, dental hygienists, and respiratory therapists, are at risk of developing herpetic whitlow because of contact with people’s mouths.
• Medical conditions or treatments that weaken a person’s immune system can increase the risk of severe complications from the virus. These include:

Oral herpes is contagious to others who do not have it.

How Long Do Herpes Symptoms Take To Show

On average, it takes about 4 days after exposure to start showing the symptoms of herpes. The herpes incubation period ranges between 2 and 12 days. The most common early sign of herpes is sores around the genitals or mouth.

The first time you get the herpes virus, it may cause flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, headache, and body aches. Then, subsequent outbreaks may cause sores and less severe symptoms. Generally, the frequency of outbreaks lessens over time.

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Prevent A Herpes Outbreak

Suffering from genital herpes certainly has its ups and downs, but theres really nothing to describe the dread you can feel when you start to get that tingling feeling downstairs, and you just know theres a nasty outbreak just around the corner. In the time Ive been living with herpes, Ive managed to gather together a few little measures you can take when you feel and outbreak coming on, and maybe even prevent a herpes outbreak from occurring. If you follow these tips, youve got a very good chance of avoiding an outbreak entirely, or if you still catch the outbreak youll find that it is much less severe and easier to deal with.

1.Start dosing with L-Lysine immediately. Lysine is an amazing herpes battling supplement that you really should be taking daily if you are serious about getting your herpes under control. If you feel the outbreak coming on, immediately take some lysine, and if you are already taking it daily, up your dose to twice or three times a day.

2. Apply some tea tree oil to the area where you most commonly experience outbreaks of sores. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and anti-viral, and is cheap and widely available.

3. Apply ice to the area where you most commonly experience outbreaks of sores or rash immediately as soon as you feel the tingling on an oncoming outbreak. This can be a bit uncomfortable but is very effective in its ability to prevent a herpes outbreak.

How Do I Control My Herpes Outbreaks

My boyfriend & I both have herpes he gave it to me.

I have had one huge out break last year the first one

I went on valacyclovir

to treat it. It went away. So I stop taking it then this year

another out break. So I had to start taking it again. He doesnât

seem to get the same out breaks like I do he says he gets just

the inching I get it all why? & he still wants to have sex like itâs nothing

what can I do to help my outbreaks?. This has hurt my woman hood in so many

ways. He cheated & I become the victim with him but I get the worst

of the outbreaks please help

1 like, 29 replies

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Upgrade Your Eating Habits

Are you eating a standard American diet, or SAD? That means eating lots of meat, fast foods, and processed foods and few fresh fruits and vegetables. Such habits not only work against living comfortably with herpes, they also raise your risk for many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Consider upgrading your eating habits through a few, not-so-hard-to-make changes.

Eat more veggies. Try to prepare home-cooked food more often. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed, says LeeAnn Weintraub, RD, MPH, a registered dietitian based in Los Angeles. She considers these three tips to be the first steps anyone who wants to eat more healthfully should follow.

What Is Primary Oral Herpes

Primary oral herpes refers to the initial outbreak of symptoms after infection, often presenting with painful sores on the lips, gums, and mouth.

In some people, primary herpes is associated with:

• and sore throat.

These signs and symptoms may last several days. Difficulty in eating and drinking may lead to dehydration. The sores heal completely in 2-6 weeks, usually without scarring. Virus can be recovered from the saliva for days after the lesions heal. Primary herpes usually occurs during childhood.

Not everyone has a severe primary attack when they are first infected with herpes. In most people, the virus infects the body without causing any symptoms. The process generates an antibody response, causing the immune system to produce antibodies against the herpes virus. This antibody response helps reduce recurrences and keep them mild. Antibodies also make it harder for the virus to get a foothold somewhere else in the body. However, it is possible to transfer the herpes virus to other parts of the body .

There are two types of HSV, herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2.

• In general, HSV-1, also known as herpes labialis or oral herpes, causes infections above the waist, most commonly as “cold sores.”
• HSV-2 infections occur mainly below the waist, leading to genital herpes.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Herpes

Genital herpes infections are very common, but many people donât even know they have them. This is because many people donât have any physical symptoms from the herpes infectionâthat is, their infections are asymptomatic .

Symptoms of genital herpes differ for everyone, and many people may not have classic symptoms or any symptoms at all. Some people may suspect that their symptoms are caused by another type of infection .

Herpes symptoms, for those who experience them, are often unpleasant. The initial herpes outbreak can be shocking and the most severe outbreak.

What You Need To Know

• Herpes simplex virus , also known as genital herpes, is most likely to be spread when an infected person is having an outbreak, but it can also be transmitted without any symptoms being present.
• Medications can help reduce your symptoms, speed up the healing of an outbreak and make you less contagious.
• If you know you have genital herpes before becoming pregnant, your physician will monitor your condition throughout your pregnancy. If you have an active outbreak at the time of delivery, cesarean section may be recommended.

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Final Notes On Diet For Herpes Sufferers

Diet is one of the factors that people infected with the herpes simplex virus must control to prevent herpes outbreaks.

I hope that the information provided in this article will help you in the selection of foods and beverages to make up your diet. I can only ask you to share it with your friends on social networks.

References:

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Is There A Cure For Herpes Simplex

There is no cure for herpes simplex. Once you have the virus, its a lifelong infection.

What is the outlook for people with herpes simplex?

For many people, the first herpes outbreak is the most severe. Many outbreaks are less frequent and milder after the first year of infection. Some people may have only one outbreak and never have another again.

Herpes infection doesnt usually pose a serious health risk. The risk of a health complication due to herpes is higher in infants and if you have HIV/AIDS, cancer or an organ transplant.

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How Will My Healthcare Provider Know If I Have Genital Herpes

Your healthcare provider may diagnose genital herpes by simply looking at any sores that are present. Providers can also take a sample from the sore and test it. If sores are not present, a blood test may be used to look for HSV antibodies.

Have an honest and open talk with your healthcare provider about herpes testing and other STDs.

Please note: A herpes blood test can help determine if you have herpes infection. It cannot tell you who gave you the infection or when you got the infection.

When Treatments For Genital Herpes Are Given

• Initial treatment. If you have symptoms such as sores when you’re first diagnosed with genital herpes, your doctor will usually give you a brief course of antiviral therapy to relieve them or prevent them from getting worse. Your doctor may keep you on the drugs longer if the sores don’t heal in that time.

After the first treatment, work with your doctor to come up with the best way to take antiviral therapies. There are two options:

• Intermittent treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug for you to keep on hand in case you have another flare-up this is called intermittent therapy. You can take the pills for two to five days as soon as you notice sores or when you feel an outbreak coming on. Sores will heal and disappear on their own, but taking the drugs can make the symptoms less severe and make them go away faster.
• Suppressive treatment. If you have outbreaks often, you may want to consider taking an antiviral drug every day. Doctors call this suppressive therapy. For someone who has more than six outbreaks a year, suppressive therapy can reduce the number of outbreaks by 70% to 80%. Many people who take the antiviral drugs daily have no outbreaks at all.

There is no set number of outbreaks per year that doctors use to decide when someone should start suppressive therapy. Rather, more important factors are how often the outbreaks happen and if they are severe enough to interfere with your life.

Continued

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