How Can I Prevent Recurrent Episodes Of Genital Herpes
Recurrent episodes often happen when you are run down or stressed, so try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and control stress in your life. Other potential triggers are friction in your genital area – for example, from sex, or tight clothing smoking drinking alcohol your monthly period surgery other illnesses a weakened immune system – for example, from having chemotherapy for cancer or HIV.
Sometimes a prolonged preventative course of aciclovir can help reduce outbreaks. If attacks are frequent , you can consider starting on suppressive aciclovir.
What Can Trigger A Herpes Outbreak
A herpes outbreak can be triggered by a number of factors. It is unknown what exactly causes an outbreak, and this can vary from person to person. However, the following are thought to trigger a genital herpes outbreak:
- Weak immune system – The common cold, flu, or any other time where your immune system is weaker than normal may trigger an outbreak
- Hormone changes – Fluctuating levels of hormones for example during menstruation can trigger an outbreak
- Vigorous sex – It has been reported that strong friction can irritate the skin and potentially lead to an outbreak
- Stress – Physical or mental stress has proven to have a strong correlation to causing outbreaks of genital herpes
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Excess exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light
What Causes Oral Herpes
Oral herpes is a common condition. Many people know it as cold sores or fever blisters. This condition is caused by the herpes simplex virus . There are two different types of HSV. Type 1 HSV is most often associated with oral herpes and can cause sores on or around the mouth. Type 2 HSV typically causes genital herpes. Well only be talking about oral herpes in this article.
HSV, commonly referred to as herpes, is a virus that can be spread from person to person. Oral herpes is usually spread through saliva or by touching another persons active cold sore. Theres currently no cure or vaccine for herpes, but outbreaks typically resolve within a few weeks.
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What Happens If Herpes Goes Untreated
The first outbreak of genital herpes can be the most severe and can cause complications such as vaginal yeast infections, urinating problems, and meningitis.
Treatment may not be necessary for subsequent outbreaks, but anyone experiencing very regular or severe outbreaks should speak with a doctor about preventive treatment.
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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Why Is This Medication Prescribed
Acyclovir is used to decrease pain and speed the healing of sores or blisters in people who have varicella , herpes zoster , and first-time or repeat outbreaks of genital herpes . Acyclovir is also sometimes used to prevent outbreaks of genital herpes in people who are infected with the virus. Acyclovir is in a class of antiviral medications called synthetic nucleoside analogues. It works by stopping the spread of the herpes virus in the body. Acyclovir will not cure genital herpes and may not stop the spread of genital herpes to other people.
How Do Herpes Drugs Work
Herpes medications like valacyclovir, acyclovir and famciclovir belong to a class of medications called antiviral drugs.
Antiviral drugs are designed to inhibit the multiplication of viruses in the body. Unlike antibiotics, which eliminate the bacteria that cause infections, antiviral drugs simply control viral proliferation, rather than completely eliminating the target virus from the body.
None of the antiviral drugs on the market today can cure herpes. However, consistent use of an antiviral drug can make living with herpes much easier by speeding up healing after an outbreak and reducing your risk of transmitting the virus to other people.
Herpes drugs are taken for several reasons. People with active HSV-1 or HSV-2 infections can take them during outbreaks to control and treat their symptoms. Antiviral drugs are also used as part of suppressive therapy for herpes to reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks.
Even people with asymptomatic herpes can benefit from using antiviral drugs to lower their risk of spreading the virus to other people through sexual or oral contact.
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When To Talk With A Doctor
Herpes isnt curable, but it can be treated with antiviral medications. These medications can reduce the severity of an outbreak.
If you suspect you have herpes, make an appointment with a doctor. Its also a good idea to talk with your doctor about a herpes screening if:
- your current or previous sexual partner has herpes
- youre planning to have sex with a new partner
- you had a risky sexual encounter
If youve already been diagnosed with herpes and youre currently experiencing an outbreak, the outbreak might go away without causing complications and without treatment.
However, its wise to make an appointment with your doctor if:
- the outbreak is particularly painful or unbearable
- youre experiencing symptoms of other STIs
- youre experiencing frequent, severe outbreaks
If youre sexually active, its a good idea to have regular STI screenings. You can book appointments for STI screenings with your doctors office. You could also try a local clinic, certain pharmacies, or Planned Parenthood.
What Causes Repeat Episodes Of Genital Herpes
After any herpes virus infection, the herpes viruses tend to live on in the body, staying in nerves close to the site of the original infection. In some people, especially if they are stressed or run down, the virus will reactivate and travel to the surface again and cause a recurrence of the infection in the same area. With genital herpes, subsequent infections tend to be milder than the first infection, and not everybody has recurrences. If you do, they tend to become less frequent over time. It is less likely to have recurrent symptoms if your first infection was with HSV1 .
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Drug Treatment For Genital Herpes
If you are infected with genital herpes, your doctor may prescribe oral antiviral drugs to help ease your symptoms during both a first episode and recurrent episodes. Your doctor may also suggest taking antiviral drugs daily as a suppressive therapy to reduce symptoms and protect partners.
Remember, though, that antiviral drugs do not wipe out the virus completely. It continues to live in your body, so if you stop taking the drugs that suppress it, you may have more frequent or more intense symptom outbreaks, and the risk of your transmitting the virus to others rises.
Three antiviral drugs, all taken by mouth, are used to treat genital herpes:
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What Is The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Herpes Infection
These are both strains of Herpes Simplex. In the past Type 1 was usually the cause of cold sore infection and type 2 caused genital herpes. It is now common to find Type 1 also causing genital herpes. It may be helpful to know which type causes your genital herpes as Type 1 can cause fewer recurrent symptoms. To determine this you would need to have a swab taken from active ulcers. This may be available from your doctor or specialist clinic.
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What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor
You may want to ask your healthcare provider:
- What is the best treatment for me?
- What happens if I dont treat a cold sore?
- What are the side effects of antiviral medications?
- How can I reduce the risk of future outbreaks?
- Whats the best way to prevent getting another STI?
- How can I protect my partner from getting genital herpes?
- Should I lookout for signs of complications?
Talk With Your Doctor About Herpes Medications
Its important to first talk with your doctor before using over-the-counter products like docosanol or other home remedies.
If this is the first time you have symptoms of HSV with blisters or sores, your doctor will first diagnose if you have HSV, the type and discuss options to manage your condition. They will tell you about prescription and nonprescription alternatives to treat your HSV infection.
Tell your doctor if you have any serious health conditions including if you have a weakened immune system.
Your doctor will also tell you what you can expect with an HSV infection, how long it may last, and what do to prevent spreading HSV to others while you have an active infection.
Here are answers to a few commonly asked questions about herpes simplex virus.
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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
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What Are Medications For Genital Herpes
Acyclovir , famciclovir , and valacyclovir are examples of antiviral drugs that have been used to treat genital herpes. Because the first outbreak of herpes is usually the most severe, most doctors recommend treatment for the initial attack. With subsequent attacks, treatment is only useful if it is given prior to the outbreak or within the first 24 hours after the outbreak has started.
Suppressive treatment is also given for people who have more than six genital herpes outbreaks a year. With suppressive therapy, antiviral medications are taken continuously in order to lessen the frequency of recurrences.
Your doctor can help you decide whether antiviral drug treatment is right for you and can guide the choice of drug.
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Suppressive Therapy For Recurrent Hsv
Suppressive therapy reduces frequency of genital herpes recurrences by 70%80% among patients who have frequent recurrences . Persons receiving such therapy often report having experienced no symptomatic outbreaks. Suppressive therapy also is effective for patients with less frequent recurrences. Long-term safety and efficacy have been documented among patients receiving daily acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir . Quality of life is improved for many patients with frequent recurrences who receive suppressive therapy rather than episodic treatment . Providers should discuss with patients on an annual basis whether they want to continue suppressive therapy because frequency of genital HSV-2 recurrence diminishes over time for many persons. However, neither treatment discontinuation nor laboratory monitoring is necessary because adverse events and development of HSV antiviral resistance related to long-term antiviral use are uncommon.
Valacyclovir 500 mg orally 2 times/day for 3 daysOR
Valacyclovir 1 gm orally once daily for 5 days
*Acyclovir 400 mg orally 3 times/day is also effective, but are not recommended because of frequency of dosing.
What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture .
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
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One Option For Ongoing Therapy: Taking Drugs Regularly
Some people with genital herpes choose to take antiviral medication daily to reduce the number of symptom outbreaks they have. In some cases, daily therapy prevents outbreaks completely.
Numerous studies over the years have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of all three of the approved antivirals used to treat genital herpes.
Studies have also shown that daily antiviral therapy reduces the rate of transmission from an HSV-2 infected person to an uninfected partner of the opposite sex.
Daily therapy also lowers the odds of infecting other people if you have multiple sex partners or if you are a man who has sex with men.
The drugs work both for people who have had herpes symptoms and for those whose blood tests show they have an HSV-2 infection but who have never had symptoms.
Some people choose to take antiviral drugs only as needed, for outbreaks that occur after the first one. For this to work, you need to start taking the medicine within one day of sores cropping up or during the time period that comes before some outbreaks.
During the prodrome, you may feel
- Burning in the area where the virus first entered your body
- Itching or tingling in that area
- Pain in your back, buttocks, thighs, or knees
Your doctor will probably give you a prescription you can fill and keep handy for timely use, and tell you to start taking the drugs just as soon as symptoms begin.
Who Should Get Tested
If you experience any of the symptoms of herpes, you should get tested. The most accurate genital herpes tests will include taking a swab from an open sore. The reliability of results depends on the quality of the sample. If you do not have any signs or symptoms, it is likely that the test will come back negative.
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How Do Dermatologists Diagnose Herpes Simplex
During an outbreak, a dermatologist often can diagnose herpes simplex by looking at the sores. To confirm that a patient has herpes simplex, a dermatologist may take a swab from a sore and send this swab to a laboratory.
When sores are not present, other medical tests, such as blood tests, can find the herpes simplex virus.
Education Is An Integral Part Of Herpes Treatment
If you have genital herpes, its important for you to get educated about herpes and have the opportunity to ask questions in a supportive environment.
Becoming informed will help you learn to cope with the illness. It will also help you prevent sexual transmission of the illness, or transmission to an infant during a pregnancy.
Herpes has a tremendous psychosocial overlay. But knowledge about it and understanding about how well it can be managed can reduce that, says Handsfield.
Your doctor may be able to provide you with all the information you need, or you may choose to seek counseling from a mental health professional or at a clinic that specializes in sexual health, such as Planned Parenthood.
If you have a regular sexual partner, that person should also have the chance to learn about herpes and ask any questions they may have about it.
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Does Aciclovir Medication Cure Genital Herpes
Unfortunately, there is no ‘cure’ for recurrent genital herpes, as the virus has settled in the nerve system and cannot be completely eliminated. However, the recurrent episodes will often diminish over time, and there can be many months or even years between outbreaks. The aciclovir medication will reduce the severity of an episode if taken early enough or it can be taken regularly to help suppress frequent outbreaks. If you continue to get outbreaks on suppression therapy you should see your GP or a sexual health clinic.
Understanding Herpes With H Hunter Handsfield Md
Herpes expert H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, explains the basics about genital herpes, including the difference between genital HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection, testing options and the importance of knowing virus type, and the three-prong strategy for prevention. See more herpes videos at sexualhealthTV.com.
Have a question about herpes youd like Dr. Handsfield or our other experts to answer? Visit our Ask the Experts page to learn how.
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What You Need To Know
- Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes.
- Oral herpes can be spread through intimate contact with someone who is infected.
- Oral herpes can be difficult to diagnose. Often confused with many other infections, it can only be confirmed with a virus culture called PCR, blood test or biopsy. PCR is the preferred test for diagnosing herpes infections.
- The best treatment for oral herpes is antiviral oral medication. Symptomatic treatment may include antiviral ointment, over-the-counter topical anesthetics or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents.
Whether you call it a cold sore or a fever blister, oral herpes is a common infection of the mouth area that is caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 . Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus by age 50.
Once infected, a person will have herpes simplex virus for the rest of his or her life. When inactive, the virus lies dormant in a group of nerve cells. While some people never develop any symptoms from the virus, others will have periodic outbreaks of infections.