Herpes, also known as HSV, is a STD (sexually transmitted disease) which can be passed from one person to the next during intercourse. There is no known cure for herpes but it can be treated and managed with home care, medication and precautions to help prevent transmission and outbreaks. Together with this, it is important to remember that most persons who have herpes don’t even know about it, so consulting a medic anytime you have a suspicion can help you manage the disease much easier.
Diagnosing & Testing
Millions of people all around the world have herpes and one of the most important pieces of advice would be to see a licensed physician as soon as possible so they can test and diagnose you in order to get you started on proper treatment in the case that any symptoms do show up or you think that you might have been infected. You should never rely on diagnosing herpes by yourself but you should watch for early warning signs such as raw skin on your buttocks or genital area, frequent pain or discomfort while using the bathroom, painful blisters that can range in size that may take weeks to heal and even flu like symptoms such as body aches, fever and swollen glands. Together with this, there are also signs for oral herpes which include itches on a person’s lip, cold symptoms and pain.
Treating Herpes
When it comes down to properly treating herpes and preventing outbreak your doctor may need to play around with different medication until he manages to find what works right for you and your body. Most physicians will put you on an antiviral drug which helps to reduce the amount of outbreaks that you will experience. This process is known as viral shedding. Some of the most common medications used for treating herpes are Valtrex, Famvir and Zovirax. This can also help to lower the chances of you transmitting the herpes virus to others but you also need to use protection at all times if you choose to have sex with anyone and make sure to inform them that you are in fact positive for herpes.
Tracking Your Progress
In order to treat herpes properly you need to track your progress and look for any signs of an outbreak. Together with this, make sure to track the average duration of time from one outbreak to another. You need to manage your medication properly ensuring that you always take them on time and as prescribed by your doctor. During initial treatment you will be diagnosed and setup on a prevention and care plan. Next is what’s considered intermittent treatment and it happens when you experience little to no outbreaks and can get by with the antiviral medications if you use them as needed. However, regulate treatment may be needed for those that have outbreaks occurring more often than not. Regardless of the outbreak times you still need regular checkups and care to ensure that you stay as healthy as possible.
Additional Treatment Options
There are other options available to help treat the outbreaks and lessen the pain and discomfort such as both over the counter and prescribed ointments for the blisters which can be painful during an outbreak. Keeping the area clean and dry is imperative so make sure to do that as often as you can, due to the fact that it lessens the chance of an infection. Over the counter pain medications can also be used to help with the discomfort and make you feel better.
Preventing Transmission
There is no cure for herpes so it’s imperative that you take every precaution possible to prevent the spread of the herpes virus. In order to do this you need to be honest with any and all potential sex partners and always use protection if you make the decision of having intercourse with a certain person. Your doctor can help address your questions and concerns and give you suggestions on how to protect yourself and your partner during intercourse and lower the chance of spreading the virus. The best way to prevent herpes is obviously abstinence but if you choose to have sex, your partner should be fully informed on the herpes virus and what it might mean if it’s transmitted to them.
Leave a Reply