How To Treat Herpes Symptoms

What Are The Causes Of Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is spread by skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the HSV virus, usually during genital or oral sex. It can also be spread through kissing, foreplay or non-penetrative sex.

• HSV1 commonly causes cold sores on the lips or face.
• HSV2 causes most genital herpes.

The HSV virus is most easily spread when there are blisters or sores, but it can still be passed even if a person has no current blisters or sores or other symptoms.

You cannot get genital herpes from things like hugging, swimming pools or toilet seats.

What Happens During An Outbreak

Genital herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. You catch it by having intimate contact with someone who has the virus.

In between episodes, most people don’t know they have been infected by it. The virus remains in your nervous system and can be reactivated from time to time to give you symptoms. Outbreaks can occur in the genital area if the first infection was in the genitals. They cause crops of small painful blisters in the genital area and back passage . Herpes can also cause recurrent cold sores if the primary infection was around the mouth.

No one knows why outbreaks occur, although sunlight, physical illness, excess alcohol, and stress are all thought to be trigger factors. They often do become less frequent over time.

Recurrent episodes of genital herpes generally don’t last as long as the first outbreak. They are sometimes preceded by itching or tingling in the genital area. Recurrent outbreaks usually last about 7-10 days, shorter than the primary infection which can last up to two weeks. They are also often milder than a primary infection but as R35506 found, the shallow ulcers left when the blisters break can still be quite painful.

How Do You Get Herpes

The virus can be passed on by:

• having any skin-to-skin contact with the infected area

• vaginal, or oral sex without a condom or dental dam

• transferring the infection on fingers from someone else to your genitals

• sharing sex toys that aren’t washed or covered with a new condom each time they are used.

The virus is most infectious when you have blisters, but it can be passed on when someone has no symptoms. This is normally immediately before or after an outbreak.

If you have genital herpes while pregnant you can pass the virus on to your unborn baby. Its important to speak to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

For more details on herpes in pregnancy read our in detail tab.

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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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Herpes outbreaks are associated with the weakening of the immune system and the action of triggering factors such as stress, which are sometimes mistaken for the real cause of the disease.

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Herpes Symptoms And Signs

In order to diagnose herpes, a health care provider can swab an area of visibly active herpes infection or, if symptoms arent active, a blood test can be given that measures the number of herpes antibodies present in the body. The antibodies dont indicate herpes itself, but rather show the immune systems response to the presence of the virus in the body. Its important to note that sometimes a swab can give false negative results since herpes lesions need to be large enough to yield enough detectable virus and if the outbreak is already healing it also may not be detected in a swab.

The most common herpes symptoms include:

• Developing either a single cold sore or cluster of multiple cold sores that form on the lips, inside the mouth, or on the genitals, buttocks and upper thighs.
• Sores can sometimes be severe, painful and rupture and cause fluid to be secreted out.
• Some herpes canker sores develop a thin, white coating and burn when touched while they healing.
• Around herpes cold sores, its common to feel pain, tenderness and other symptoms of a rash, such as redness or signs of swelling.
• Some people are able to tell before an outbreak if one is going to occur because they feel tingling, itchy sensations near the affected area.
• Some people develop other symptoms during herpes outbreaks that are similar to those caused by a cold or the flu. This may include fatigue, irritability, aches or a slight fever.

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Why Genital Herpes Comes Back

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

Can I Treat Herpes Simplex At Home

Avoiding known triggers, such as illness or stress, can help reduce how often you have herpes outbreaks.

How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-1 ?

• Over-the-counter creams such as L-lysine, benzocaine or docosanol .
• Applying ice to blisters or sores.

How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-2 ?

• Apply an ice pack to your genitals. Wrap the ice pack in a washcloth or apply it over your underwear.
• Keep your genitals dry. Wear cotton or other nonsynthetic underpants and avoid tight-fitting clothes. Moist sores take longer to heal.
• Soak in a warm bath.
• Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain.
• Topical 1% or 2% lidocaine may be used as a topical analgesic.

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Good Luck With Your Herpes Simplex I Hope This Article Helps In Some Way

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What Causes Herpes Simplex

HSV is a contagious virus that can be transmitted through direct contact with sores.

That said, since the virus also sheds on a small percentage of days, its possible to transmit or contract HSV even when symptoms arent present. In fact, many people contract HSV from people who dont know they have the virus.

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How Does Someone Get Eye Herpes

HSV-1 and VZV are both common infections, with 90% of the general population exposed during childhood. Since most herpes cases are asymptomatic, many people are unaware they are infected.5

Type 1 herpes is transmitted through saliva or skin-to-skin contact with someone who is shedding the virus.

After the initial infection, the viruses that cause eye herpes can lay dormant in the body for long periods. Most cases of eye herpes are a reactivation of a dormant infection that can be triggered and reactivated by:

• Certain medications

How Can I Best Learn To Cope With Herpes Simplex

Some people feel distressed or embarrassed about their herpes simplex infection. Its important to understand that the herpes virus is common. For most people, herpes doesnt significantly interfere with daily life.

To cope with negative feelings, you may consider:

• Connecting with others through support groups or online forums.
• Sharing your feelings with a trusted friend or loved one.
• Speaking with a therapist.

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Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• What is the best treatment for me?
• Are there any side effects to my treatment?
• Is it safe to have unprotected sex if I dont have any sores?
• Can I give myself genital herpes if I also have oral herpes?
• Can I give someone else herpes even if Im not having an outbreak?
• What is the best way to prevent herpes outbreaks?
• Can I live a normal life with herpes?
• Am I at risk of developing any other diseases?
• Are there any support groups in my area?
• If I give my baby herpes, what is the treatment?

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.

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What Are The Signs Of Herpes In Women

Like men, women who have HSV-1 or HSV-2 may have no symptoms or signs of the infection. Some women may only have an initial outbreak and no other recurring symptoms. Others may have chronic recurring outbreaks of the herpes virus, and some women may not have an outbreak for months or even years after they have first been infected.

In the first herpes outbreak, symptoms usually start within 2 weeks of contracting the virus. The initial symptoms may include:

-Headache

-Around the buttocks or thighs

-Inside the cervix or urinary tract

Genital Herpes Is Spread By Skin

The virus can be spread when someone with HSV has an episode or an outbreak characterised by having a sore, blister, ulcer or skin split . It can also be spread between episodes, when there is no sore, blister, ulcer or skin split present called asymptomatic viral shedding.

During viral shedding the virus is on the skin surface and can be spread through genital skin-to-skin contact, or from the mouth or face to genital skin during contact.

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Symptoms Of Genital Herpes In Women

Genital herpes outbreaks in women can range from asymptomatic to severe. Some women don’t even know they have the virus, but it can still be passed.

It’s essential to bring up any unusual skin changes or symptoms with your healthcare provider. Once a person has become infected with herpes simplex virus, it lives in the nerve cells for life regardless of the presence of symptoms.

Eye Herpes Vs Pink Eye

An ocular herpes simplex virus infection shares common signs and symptoms with another common eye infection called conjunctivitis , caused by bacteria, a virus, or allergies.As many as 25% of eye herpes cases go misdiagnosed as pink eye.6

While the two conditions are similar, there are slight differences that include:

• Conjunctivitis usually occurs in both eyes
• HSV eye infections typically only occur in one eye
• Eye culture that is positive for an HSV infection
• An adenovirus causes pink eye

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How To Avoid Genital Herpes Outbreaks

Genital herpes affects health through two main ways.

The first is psychological. When we know that we are infected by the virus, worries arise that can lead to stress and depression.

The second effect of genital herpes is caused by outbreaks. If we could avoid them, we would get rid of it and also improve our psychological state.

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Is There A Cure Or Treatment For Herpes

Theres no cure for the herpes virus yet. A herpes vaccine doesnt currently exist, as the herpes virus has more complicated DNA than most infections, creating challenges for researchers.

However, medication can help with symptoms, like sores, and outbreaks. Medication also lowers the risk of transmission to others. You can take most medications for herpes orally, though you may also apply some as a cream or receive them by injection.

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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.

How Is Herpes Treated

There is no cure for the herpes simplex virus. The blisters usually heal and go by themselves, so you may not always need treatment. If treatment is needed, there are antiviral medicines which can help. These can shorten outbreaks, relieve discomfort and stop symptoms from getting worse.

The antiviral treatment is most effective when you take it within the first five days of symptoms appearing. Avoid touching the blisters as this can spread the infection. If treatment requires you to apply cream to a sore, gently pat the cream on, being careful not to rub around the surrounding area.

You can ease your symptoms by:

• keeping the affected area clean using plain or salt water to prevent blisters or ulcers from becoming infected

• applying petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, to any blisters or ulcers to reduce pain when passing urine

• asking a healthcare provider to recommend painkilling creams

• avoiding tight clothing because it may irritate the blisters and ulcers.

Dont have sex until you or your partner have finished your treatment, and the blisters or ulcers have gone. Recurrent outbreaks are usually milder than the first episode of genital herpes and over time they tend to occur less often.

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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.

How Does Genital Herpes Affect Pregnancy

Herpes simplex virus doesnt affect fertility or your ability to conceive. Pregnant women diagnosed with HSV-2 should start a daily antiviral at 36 weeks of pregnancy as prescribed, 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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