There are so many people who are uneducated about genital herpes; it’s more common than known. There are at least 45 million people infected by this virus and many are as young as 12 years of age. Studies show that 1 out of 5 adolescents/adults are infected with the Herpes Simplex Virus. 1 out of 4 women are infected with genital herpes. This virus is more common in women than in men likely because of the male –to-female transmission.
Genital herpes can be passed through skin-to-skin contact. Once a person has contracted the virus it is fairly easy to pass it along to someone else through various ways. The number one way is by having sex with someone who is shedding the herpes virus either during an outbreak (As pertains to genital herpes, the virus becomes active and produces visible symptoms, such as redness and sores) or during a period with no symptoms. Kissing someone with herpes on the mouth, through casual, oral, anal, and vaginal sex as well as skin-to-skin contact with the infected area. Objects such as toilet seats, public seating, and hot tubs rarely spread the virus.
The signs and symptoms of genital herpes are different with each person who has the virus. Some people with genital herpes mistake their symptoms for simple skin irritations such as razor burn, jock itch, or even a yeast infection. People often assume that because the symptoms may not seem intense and they go away in several days, which it’s not serious enough to go to the doctor. Symptoms normally occur two to ten days after being exposed to the virus. HSV I include small, fluid filled red and painful blisters on an area of the skin, usually found on the lips, the corners of the mouth, chin, and nasal region.
The symptoms in HSV II sores occur with in 2 weeks of contracting the virus and then they disappear several days later and then the re-appear. With HSV II there is an initial outbreak, which consists of itching or a burning feeling in the genital/anal area, flu like symptoms, swollen glands, pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area, vaginal discharge, and a feeling of pressure in the area below the stomach. Within a few days lesions start to appear where the virus entered the body, such as in the face, around the mouth, on the penis or vagina. The sores can also show up on the woman’s cervix or on the urinary tract of men. These sores are small red bumps that turn into painful open sores. In a few days the sores will dry up and heal without scarring, but later more small red sores will re-appear but it will take longer to heal. Sometimes there are no symptoms between outbreaks, but the virus can still be passed on.
There are things that you could do to prevent yourself from getting genital herpes by not having sex. Practicing abstinence, which means no form of sex, is the best way of protecting your self. Have a sexual relationship with on partner who has been tested for herpes and is not infected in anyway. Protect yourself with a latex condom every time you have sex, whether it’s oral, anal, or vaginal. Talk with your partner about using condoms.
There are many complications that can occur with HSV2 like recurring painful sores. The symptoms can come and go but the virus stays in the nerve cells of your body even if there are no signs of infection. Sometimes the virus becomes active creating outbreaks only once or twice in some people as others have several outbreaks per year. Over the years the outbreaks tends to go down, but they never disappear. Genital herpes can suppress the immune system making the body weak and unable to heal as fast as it normally would. No matter the severity of the symptoms having genital herpes frequently causes psychological distress in the people who know that they are infected. In addition, genital HSV can cause potentially fatal infections in babies, so it is important that women avoid contracting herpes during pregnancy, because a first episode during pregnancy causes a greater risk of transmission to the baby.
There is no cure for HSV 1 or HSV 2, but there are different types of antiviral medications that are used to shorten outbreaks. There are many different types of medications that can be used like Valtrex is the number one used medication for genital herpes. A physician can only prescribe these medications. Daily suppressive therapy for symptomatic herpes can also be used also. FAMVIR tablets are used as well to prevent outbreaks form occurring often and many others use herbal medications.
Genital herpes has become one of the most common viral infections affecting the social and economic class.
Genital herpes is a very serious and dangerous virus that is contracted and passed along by a careless person. Even with treatments this virus can still be passed along. To prevent this from happening practice safe sex, but the best way is through abstinence.
