2. Oral Herpes Oral herpes presents itself as "cold sores" or "fever blisters" on a person's lips or around their mouth. Oral herpes symptoms can last up to a few weeks, eventually dissipating and going away. Symptoms may return return in a few weeks, months, or even years.
3. Genital Herpes People within the population who have contracted genital herpes do not often know they have it. Symptoms can range from very mild to extremely painful. A group of sores is one of most obvious symptoms for genital herpes. - These sores typically appear on the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, buttocks, or anus. - The symptoms associated with genital herpes may last for a few weeks and dissipate; returning in weeks, months, or years.
4. Genital Herpes Symptoms can Include: Blisters Burning feelings if urine flows over sores inability to urinate if severe swelling of sores blocks the urethra Itching Open sores Pain in the infected area
5. Symptoms of Initial Herpes: Swollen, tender glands in the pelvic area, throat, and under the arms Fever Chills Headache Lethargic Flu-Like symptoms
6. Getting Tested When a person has had an outbreak a visual inspection can be all that is needed to diagnose the person with oral or genital herpes. When symptoms are not present, to distinguish the disease, or to validate a visual examination health care providers run a blood test or test the fluid from the sores themselves.
7. 3 Steps of Prevention Abstain from sexual contact when you are aware of the potential warning signs of an outbreak. Some of the more common warning signs are burning, itching, or tingling feeling. All sexual activities, including intercourse, should be abstained from, even if protection is used. A person should wait one week after the sores heal before reengaging in sexual activity. Use condoms between outbreaks to reduce the risk of transmission. Prescription medications and treatments should be used regularly. -This will greatly decrease the risk of transmitting the disease to a partner.
9. Initial Treatment Because an initial herpes outbreak is typically the most painful and distinctive a doctor will typically prescribe a seven to ten day course of antiviral therapy. This antiviral therapy is used to relieve the pain associated with an outbreak and to prevent the outbreak from spreading or becoming worse.
10. Intermittent Treatment Intermittent treatment is a, use as needed, approach where a person with the herpes virus will use an antiviral drug during a recurring outbreak. This drug is usually taken for two to five days and begins as soon as a person notices signs that a potential outbreak may occur.
11. Suppressive Treatment The suppressive treatment option is reserved for those individuals who have outbreaks often, and would benefit more from taking a pill everyday, instead of when the outbreaks occur. Research has shown that people who take antiviral drugs on a daily basis often eliminate their outbreaks all together.
