Can Genital Herpes Be Prevented
Practising safe sex is the best way to help prevent genital herpes infection.
It is safest to:
- always use condoms and dental dams, even when there are no sores or blisters present
- avoid sex when there are sores or blisters present you are most infectious at this time
- avoid sex with someone who has any blisters, sores or other symptoms of genital herpes
- avoid oral sex when there is any sign of a cold sore
Should I Take Antiviral Pills For My Herpes
Reasons for choosing short course/episodic treatment:
Reasons for choosing suppression/prophylactic/long-term treatment:
See section above for the dosing.
Advertisement:There are now UK-based websites, such as MedExpress, which are authorised by the Care Quality Commission to sell aciclovir for treating genital herpes to diagnosed patients.
Beware: Many other websites advertise fake treatments or even cures. They may include testimonials and statements by people who claim to be doctors. They are scams. Do not be fooled.
Where Can I Get Tested For Herpes
To get a private herpes test, you can use a service that doesnt accept insurance so that no one else is notified that you were tested. This is up to you, since you can also have your doctor test you with a blood test or a swab. Be warned, though, that for swabs to be accurate they need to be done within 24-48 hours at most of a blister forming.
You can use this website for a 100% confidential STD test that you order online and then have done in a lab of your choice near you. The site says it will only take a few minutes to do so you can get peace of mind fast and privately.
References
Recommended Reading: How Long Does It Take For Herpes To Show
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Genital Herpes At Home
A First Episode Of Symptoms
At first you may feel generally unwell with a mild fever and aches and pains. Groups of small, painful blisters then appear around your genitals and/or back passage . They tend to erupt in crops over 1-2 weeks. The blisters soon burst and turn to shallow, sore ulcers.
Images above via Wikimedia Commons
The glands in your groin may swell and feel like lumps at the top of your legs. It is common to have pain when you pass urine, especially in women.
Sometimes less typical symptoms occur. For example, you may just have a small raw area, one or two small ulcers, or just an area of irritation with nothing to see. Sometimes symptoms last just a few days.
Note: sometimes a first episode of symptoms appears months or years after being first infected. This is why a first episode of symptoms can occur during a current faithful sexual relationship. You may have been infected months or years ago from a previous sexual partner who did not realise that they were infected.
It is not clear why some infected people develop symptoms, some don’t and some have a first episode of symptoms months or years after first being infected. It may be something to do with the way the immune system reacts to the virus in different people.
What Is Life Like For Someone Who Has Genital Herpes
The virus that causes genital herpes stays inside your body forever. While many people carry this virus, some dont know that they have it because they never have an outbreak.
If you have an outbreak, taking an antiviral medicine can shorten the outbreak and relieve symptoms. Some people have several outbreaks. For most people, the outbreaks become less severe and occur less often with time.
Anyone who has been infected with the virus, however, can spread the virus to others during sex. Even if you never have an outbreak, you can still spread the virus.
Related AAD resources
Centers for Disease Control. Genital Herpes CDC Fact Sheet . Last accessed December 19, 2016.
Fatahzadeh M and Schwartz RA. Human herpes simplex virus infections: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, and management. J Am Acad Dermatol 2007 57:737-63.
Madkan V Sra K, et al. Human herpesviruses. In: Bolognia JL, et al. Dermatology. . Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008:1075-6.
Marques AR, Straus SE, Herpes simplex. In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008: 1199-1204.
US Preventive Task Force. Serologic screening for genital herpes infection: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2016 316:2525-30.
You May Like: Does L Lysine Help Genital Herpes
What Is Herpes Simplex
Herpes simplex is a virus that causes skin infections. The infection lasts your lifetime, and it causes painful or itchy sores and blisters that come and go. Herpes simplex virus typically doesnt cause severe problems. But it can be dangerous in infants and people with weakened immune systems. There are two types of herpes simplex:
- Herpes simplex 1 tends to affect your mouth or face. It causes cold sores. HSV-1 spreads through contact with saliva .
- Herpes simplex 2 is a sexually transmitted disease . It causes sores on skin that comes in contact with the genitals of an infected person.
Sometimes a herpes infection can affect other parts of your body, such as your eyes or other parts of your skin.
Genital Herpes During Pregnancy
Prevention of neonatal herpes depends both on preventing acquisition of genital herpes during late pregnancy and avoiding exposure of the neonate to herpetic lesions and viral shedding during delivery. Mothers of newborns who acquire neonatal herpes often lack histories of clinically evident genital herpes . The risk for transmission to the neonate from an infected mother is high among women who acquire genital herpes near the time of delivery and low among women with prenatal histories of recurrent herpes or who acquire genital herpes during the first half of pregnancy . Women who acquire HSV in the second half of pregnancy should be managed in consultation with maternal-fetal medicine and infectious disease specialists.
All pregnant women should be asked whether they have a history of genital herpes or genital symptoms concerning for HSV infection. At the onset of labor, all women should be questioned thoroughly about symptoms of genital herpes, including prodromal symptoms , and all women should be examined thoroughly for herpetic lesions. Women without symptoms or signs of genital herpes or its prodrome can deliver vaginally. Although cesarean delivery does not eliminate the risk for HSV transmission to the neonate , women with recurrent genital herpetic lesions at the onset of labor should have a cesarean delivery to reduce the risk for neonatal HSV infection.
Acyclovir 400 mg orally 3 times/dayORValacyclovir 500 mg orally 2 times/day
Read Also: What Kills Herpes Virus On Skin
Genital Herpes Symptoms In Women
Genital herpes symptoms occur in outbreaks that come and go.
The primary symptom is blisters that pop and become ulcers. When they first appear, they are usually small red bumps that can be subtle and easy to overlook. When the blisters pop, they can be very painful.
Some people get a tingling or burning sensation where herpes sores are about to develop. This is called a prodrome, which is an early sign of a disease or infection.
When you do have an outbreak, the blisters or ulcers can appear in several areas of the body, including:
- Female genitals
- Itching or burning in the affected area
- Pain in the affected area
- Feeling of fullness in the abdomen
- Unusual vaginal discharge
Some people may not have an outbreak, others have only one outbreak, and others will have repeated outbreaks .
Even if you have had no symptoms for years, you can still transmit the virus, though it’s less contagious when you are asymptomatic.
How Will My Doctor Know If I Have Herpes
Your healthcare provider may diagnose genital herpes by simply looking at your symptoms. Providers can also take a sample from the sore and test it. In certain situations, a blood test may be used to look for herpes antibodies. Have an honest and open talk with your health care provider and ask whether you should be tested for herpes or 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 how long you have been infected.
Recommended Reading: Can Herpes Come And Go
How To Treat Mild Genital Herpes With Baking Soda
Baking soda is remarkably effective for how to treat mild genital herpes and how to treat genital herpes rash and lesions.
How to use?
- Prepare a paste by mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with a tablespoon of water
- Apply the paste to the genital herpes sores and genital herpes lesions
- Rinse the paste off as soon as it dries up
- Do this on a daily basis for how to treat genital herpes
Benefits of using baking soda
Baking soda works as a wonderful exfoliator and sloughs off the dead skin cells and scabs after the genital herpes blisters rupture. It helps to cure the itchiness and inflammation of the skin as well.
Precaution
Also Check: What Can You Do To Treat Herpes
It Is Common Not To Develop Any Symptoms
Most people never develop any symptoms when they are infected with the virus. At least 8 in 10 people with genital herpes simplex virus do not know that they are infected. In such people, the virus stays inactive in the root of a nerve that supplies the genitals, but never causes recurrent episodes of symptoms. However, even people who do not develop symptoms may, on occasions, have virus in their genital area and therefore be infectious to sexual partners. In fact, this is how many genital herpes simplex infections are passed on.
You May Like: What Is The Best Suppressive Treatment For Herpes
How Do I Make A Diagnosis Of Genital Herpes
The clinical diagnosis of genital HSV infection has a low sensitivity and specificity laboratory confirmation of infection and typing of HSV is essential as it influences the management, prognosis, and counselling of patients.
Detection of HSV in clinical lesionsTable 1 compares the methods of detection.detection. Take swabs from the base of the lesion or fluid from a vesicle. For culture tests it is essential that the cold chain is maintained and appropriate media are used. Polymerase chain reaction is the most useful test as less meticulous handling of specimens is required.
What Does Genital Ulcer Treatment Look Like
The treatment thats right for you depends on the cause. Many people feel better with medications that help the body clear viruses and infections. These include antibiotics for bacterial infections or antiviral medications for viral infections. Genital ulcer treatment may also include ointment you apply to the sores to promote healing.
For genital ulcers not due to STIs, it may help to see a specialist for further evaluation. A dermatologist can determine the cause of skin sores. You may need to see an infectious disease doctor for ulcers due to rare viruses. This specialist can also conduct advanced testing for ulcers that dont respond to standard treatments.
Also Check: How Long Does Oral Herpes Last With Medication
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.
Do Natural Remedies Help
There are several options that can be tried to ease the pain. A73612 and Donnor52059 suggest dabbing cornstarch directly on the sores. I can’t find any scientific studies that have researched this, but I can’t see that it would do any harm.
A73612 also recommends squirting water from a bottle over the sores when you pee. This is a time-honoured method that will help to ease the pain.
Yolandayw mentioned taking a simple painkiller such as paracetamol during an outbreak. Feelbroken advised putting Vaseline on the sores. Lidocaine 5%, a local anaesthetic gel that numbs the area, is another option. Some people find it helpful to put on five minutes before passing urine. You need to get it on prescription and it doesn’t suit everyone. Some people develop sensitivity to it which makes the symptoms worse.
Yolandayw also advised using ice as a home remedy. Simply wrap the ice in a tea towel and apply for 5-10 minutes. Never put ice directly on the skin as this can cause ‘ice burn’. Drinking plenty of water can also be helpful as it reduces the concentration of urine, making it less painful when you have to pee.
D91907 mentioned putting aloe vera gel on the sores. There is some scientific evidence that aloe vera is useful for both genital and oral herpes.
Read Also: Do You Live With Herpes Forever
What Does Genital Herpes Look Like
While some people with genital herpes will never have any symptoms, other people can develop symptoms within a few weeks of being infected.
Often, before the lesions appear, patients describe a prodrome, characterized by a tingling or burning sensation in the area where the lesions will develop that can be noticed during urination, along with itching or discomfort in the genital area.
You can also have the following symptoms:
- Blisters on the mouth or lips
- Fever, headache or pain in the joints
- Trouble urinating
The symptoms of genital herpes often go away and come back as recurring outbreaks. For most people, the first outbreak is the worst, and can last from two to three weeks. Future flare-ups are often less severe and do not last as long. Still, some people shed the virus regularly. The following triggers can make outbreaks more likely to occur:
- Viral or bacterial infections
- Menstrual periods
Recurrent genital herpes is most common in the first year after the initial infection and decreases as time goes on.
In many cases, anti-herpes medicine can help patients. When a person experiences a prodrome and suspects a recurrence is going to happen, they begin taking anti-herpes medications that lessen symptoms and shorten the time of the outbreak.
Stage : Telltale Tingling
The beginning of a cold sore is known as the prodrome stage and usually lasts from several hours to a couple of days. Youll feel a tingling, itching, or burning sensation on your lip, mouth, or nose where a cold sore is imminent.i This cold sore early stage is your bodys reaction to the herpes simplex virus , which is responsible for cold sores. Once youve caught the virus, it stays with you for life, but most of the time it lies dormant in a nerve sheath in your cheek until something sets it off. i Find out more about the most common cold sore triggers.
Apply Abreva® Cream at the first sign of a cold sore. It creates a barrier to protect healthy skin cells, blocking the spread of HSV-1. In clinical trials, Abreva® could heal a cold sore in just 2½ days * when applied at the earliest stage, compared with 810 days with no treatment.
For instant relief, put ice in a bag and wrap in a thin cloth before placing it on the area for no longer than 20 minutes. Ice slows blood flow to the affected skin, reducing the inflammation, swelling, and nerve activity that leads to discomfort.iv
Beginning of a Cold Sore
Also Check: How Do You Contract Herpes
Also Check: How Do Doctors Test For Herpes
What Can I Do If I Have Herpes Simplex 2
Many people who find out they have herpes feel depressed knowing they’ll always have the virus and can give it to others. But you arent alone. Herpes is one of the most common STIs, both in the U.S. and worldwide. If you have herpes, you should:
- Learn all you can about it. Information will help you to manage your disease and feel better about yourself.
- Talk about your illness with your doctor.
If you have herpes, you can still:
- Have sex if you use a condom or dental dam , and you tell your partner about your illness. Some couples, who have sexual relations only with each other, may choose not to use condoms even though one partner has herpes. Because each situation is different, you should ask your doctor if this is the right choice for you in your relationship.
- Have children. People with herpes can still give birth to healthy babies. If you have herpes and plan to have children, discuss your illness with your healthcare provider.
If you have herpes, you should also get checked for HIV and other STIs .
A First Episode Of Genital Herpes Whilst You Are Pregnant
If you develop a first episode of genital herpes within the final six weeks of your pregnancy, or around the time of the birth, the risk of passing on the virus to your baby is highest. In this situation there is about a 4 in 10 chance of the baby developing a herpes infection. The baby may develop a very serious herpes infection if he or she is born by a vaginal delivery.
Therefore, in this situation your specialist is likely to recommend that you have a caesarean section delivery. This will greatly reduce the chance of the baby coming into contact with the virus . Infection of the baby is then usually prevented.
However, if you decide against a caesarean section and choose to opt for a vaginal birth, the specialist is likely to recommend that you be given antiviral medication . This is given into your veins during your labour and birth. They may also suggest that antiviral medication be given to your baby after he or she is born.
Read Also: What To Do When You Have Genital Herpes