Living with herpes means managing your stress, anxiety, fatigue, all while strengthening your immune system so you can manage the virus. Knowledge is key. The more you know about herpes, the more you can lesson its effects on your life.

You want to know how you might control herpes outbreaks or flare ups, keep the disease from spreading to other parts of your body, keep your family members and partner from catching the virus, and find some level of peace with the condition.

Stress is Your Enemy

Stress is a definite trigger for herpes flare ups. Whether you are stressed about the disease, you job, a relationship, or anything…stress can cause outbreaks of herpes. This is true whether you have oral or genital herpes. Typically with herpes, the less stress you have in your life, the fewer outbreaks you will have and they will decrease in severity.

For this age can be a definite benefit. Generally as we grow older our lives settle or calm down. Relationships are usually solid, kids grow up, debt is reduced, and we generally get happier with where we are in life. This natural progression and lowering of stress has a definite effect on reducing the number and severity of herpes outbreaks. The virus stays dormant longer as the stressful triggers in our life melt away.

For those of you who don’t want to wait for years or decades for this to happen, take a proactive role in handling stress. A yoga class may be a great idea for some, but if the thought of taking a yoga class makes you hyperventilate it probably isn’t the answer for you. Stress reduction is a very individual thing. The trick to living with herpes is finding what works for you, minimizing the things that cause you stress, and ensuring you get enough sleep so you are better equipped to deal with all the daily issues.

Avoiding Herpes Triggers

Living with herpes means learning to avoid the triggers that can cause a recurrence or outbreak of your symptoms. While we know that stress and fatigue are pretty universal triggers, there are some additional things that can trigger herpes in many of those who have it, and there will be triggers that are specific to you.

It is important that in learning to live with herpes you pay attention to your body and think about the foods you eat, the things you do, and the effects that these elements have on prompting an outbreak.

Another universal trigger seems to be overexposure to the sun. If you have oral herpes getting sunburned on your face or lips can trigger an episode. If you have genital herpes getting sunburned over much of your body can lower your immune system and cause a flare up. In order to avoid this trigger you need to be very conscious of using sun screens and staying out of the sun when you can.

Any stress to the weakened area (the area of primary herpes infection) can trigger a recurrence. The chapping and wind burn of lips for oral herpes, the rubbing of clothes on genitals or chaffing from enthusiastic sex for genital herpes, may cause a flare up.

Diet Triggers

While some diet triggers may be individual, in other words they are specific to you, there are some universal diet triggers. Foods high in Arginine will actually feed the herpes simplex virus. You need some Arginine, an amino acid, to be healthy, but you can limit the amount that you get. It is also important to know that Lysine, another amino acid, will interfere with your body’s absorption of Arginine. This means that if you do eat something high in Arginine, you can balance it out by eating a food high in Lysine.

The foods with high levels of Arginine include:

• Chocolate
• Nuts – including coconut, and nut butters like peanut butter
• Oats and oatmeal
• Brown rice

Foods high in Lysine include meats, milk, cheese, yogurt, and most fruits and vegetables.

Clean and Dry

Managing herpes and learning to live with it means staying clean and dry. Shower daily, and probably more often when you have an outbreak. Pat the area dry, don’t rub. Or use a blow dryer to keep the outbreak area dry. Wash your hands throughout the day and especially after any contact with the outbreak area to keep the viral infection from spreading to other parts of your body or to other individuals.

If you have an outbreak with blisters you should shower, take a clean wash rag with lots of soapy warm water and scrub the outbreak to break the blisters. Don’t use the wash rag on the rest of your body as the fluid from the blisters is highly contagious and it can be spread to other parts of your body. Wash the rag in the washing machine on a hot cycle, add a small amount of bleach to the water.

If the broken blisters are external you should clean them with alcohol. This should be done once a day for the first two days. It will probably sting, but the alcohol will sterilize the wound, kill the fresh virus, and keep you from getting a secondary bacterial infection. Once you’ve cleaned the lesions you should cover genital herpes with a sanitary pad, or a small amount of toilet paper or gauze. The intent is to absorb any fluid from the wound to keep it from spreading anywhere else. Change this dressing a couple times a day.

For more tips and information on living with herpes, see here.

Finding out about the optimum diet to help you control herpes only makes sense. Nutrition can play a big role in our health at any time. Eating the right or healthy things for our body can help us manage stress and feel good enough to be active. The wrong things can bog us down and make it difficult to get through each day. This is even more accurate for those who suffer from either form of herpes simplex as there are types of foods and supplements that can trigger an outbreak.

Understanding what foods to avoid and what foods will actually help you manage flare ups is a first step in the right direction. This is something that will allow you to be proactive with this illness and take some positive steps toward health. Eating the right foods and eliminating those foods known to activate your herpes simplex can directly affect the number and severity of outbreaks that you will experience.

Remember, illness and stress can directly influence outbreaks. If you are taking care of your body and learning about how to deal proactively with this viral infection, then the stress will melt away and eating the right things will make you healthy. Add in a little exercise each day and you will be well on your way to doing all that you can to naturally care for yourself and minimize herpes outbreaks along the way.

Start out by eating healthy. You know the drill, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and minimal sugar or sweets. While there are foods that feed the disease, in this case the herpes, and you want to avoid those foods, there are also foods that will make your immune system stronger, so you want to add those into your diet.

There isn’t one miracle food or supplement, its learning to combine the foods that are right for you, and exercising to maintain a healthy body.

The Battle of Amino Acids

There are twenty amino acids that our bodies need to be healthy. We can produce 10 of the 20 amino acids and the rest have to be taken from our food. If we don’t get enough amino acids, shorting ourselves on even one of the 10 that we can’t make on our own, then our body will take the amino acids from the protein in our muscles and other sources to get what it needs. The body can’t store amino acids for later use, you have to eat enough in food or take supplements every day.

Even though our body’s need all the amino acids there is actually one amino acid that helps reduce herpes outbreaks, and one that can make them worse.

Lysine and Arginine

The herpes simplex virus uses large amounts of arginine so that it can replicate itself. This would be the amino acid that can increase the number and severity of your outbreaks.

Lysine is another amino acid that intervenes with the absorption of arginine by your body. If you eat foods high in lysine and low in arginine then you can help control the herpes virus. While this might not always be possible, you can be aware of the foods that contain high amounts of arginine, and counteract their effect by eating foods that have high levels of lysine.

An example of this would be beans and rice. Brown rice has about 190mg of arginine per serving; cooked dried beans have 270mg of lysine. Combining the two in a beans and rice dish provides a healthy balance.

Lysine Rich Foods Recommended In a Herpes Diet

There are foods that are high in Lysine that you can include in your herpes diet to reduce the frequency of outbreaks and help you heal faster. They include:

• Meats – fresh fish (especially sardines and cod), chicken, beef, lamb, pork, turkey, eggs
• Dairy – cow and goat milk, cheese, yogurt
• Most Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – especially avocados, mangos, beets, tomatoes, apples, pears, apricots, figs, and papaya
• Dried beans
• Cooked soybeans
• Sprouts
• Whole grains
• Brewer’s Yeast

Arginine Rich Foods To Avoid in a Herpes Diet

Now comes the hard part. Arginine is an amino acid that your body naturally produces, so you can’t avoid it completely. Eliminating this amino acid should not be the focus of this list. What you do need to know is what foods are high in arginine so that you can limit your intake and hopefully get some control over your outbreaks.

It is also important to avoid supplements that contain arginine. This often includes protein shakes and drinks as well as multivitamins and muscle building formulas.

The foods that are rich in Arginine include:

• Chocolate
• Nuts – including coconut, and nut butters like peanut butter
• Oats and oatmeal
• Brown rice

Other Beneficial Nutrients for Herpes Diet

There are other things that you can add to your diet, such as nutrients that provide nourishment for your skin. These foods can help you resist an infection as well as help your body to heal if you do have a flare up. You want to make sure your diet or supplement list includes vitamin C, Zinc, and plenty of bioflavonoids.

The list of additional nutritional foods for your herpes diet includes:

• Fruits and Vegetables high in Vitamin C – Lettuce, bok choy, spinach, citrus fruits, strawberries broccoli, Brussel sprouts, bell peppers, cauliflower, parsley, papaya
• Foods high in Zinc – Pumpkin seeds, seafood, beans and lentils, dairy products, whole grain cereals, legumes
• Foods high in Bioflavonoids – wine and juice made from grapes or berries, black tea (Earl Gray, etc), bright fruits and veggies like cherries, peppers, apricots, limes, mandarins, and more. Also eggplant, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, rosehips

Summary

A herpes diet is basically about balance. Understand the foods that feed the disease, and balance your diet with nutritional foods that will diminish the amount of food the herpes virus needs to thrive. The best thing you can do is to get healthy, exercise, eat right, and eliminate as much stress from your life as possible.

For more diet and nutrition tips for herpes, see here.

Herpes simplex type 1 and 2 are viral infections. HSV-1 is commonly called oral herpes and HSV-2 is referred to as genital herpes. Neither of these diseases have a cure, but only treatment options.

The statistics and facts are broken out between the two types of herpes.

What is Oral Herpes?

Oral herpes is indicated by the appearance of cold sores or fever blisters around the mouth. There is a type of HSV-1 that is called oral-facial herpes where the blisters and cold sores are located on the chin, cheek, or on and in the nose.

This viral infection can be easily passed to another person with a casual kiss when an infected person has a sore, and even when there are no visible signs of the disease. Besides the visible symptoms, a person with HSV-1 can have headaches, muscle aches, swollen glands in the throat, and other flu-like symptoms. Many people with this disease don’t know they have it. The sores can be mistaken for pimples, razor burn, an ingrown hair, or even a small cut at the side of the mouth.

If a person who is infected with oral herpes engages in oral sex, then the partner can get oral herpes on their genitals.

Oral Herpes Statistics

Depending on the study or estimates it is believed that between 50 and 80 percent of the United States adult population has oral herpes. Projections estimate that a full 90 percent of those living in the US will contract oral herpes before they turn fifty years of age. Unfortunately this disease isn’t limited to adults as many will contract this disease during childhood. It is possible to contract oral herpes by a quick, casual kiss from an infected relative or other individual.

Only fifty percent of those who get oral herpes will have a recurring outbreak.

What is Genital Herpes?

Genital herpes is a highly contagious viral infection. It is important to note that a many of those infected with this disease don’t know they have genital herpes. The physical symptoms of HSV-2 can include blisters and sores on the genitals, buttocks, or anal area of the body. HSV-2 will cycle through resting periods and active outbreaks. Other symptoms associated with genital herpes include headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes in the groin, fever, and burning or pain on urination.

Genital Herpes Statistics

To begin with it is estimated that between 30 and 45 million people in the United States have genital herpes. This means that one of five American adults and adolescents have the disease. HSV-2 is more common in women as it is easier for the male to pass on the disease to his partner than it is for the female to give the disease to a man.

The statistics for genital herpes in women are one of four, for men it is about one in five.

Other statistics for genital herpes include:

• The statistical evidence reflects that as many as 80 to 90 percent of those who have genital herpes have never had their condition diagnosed. Some of these people may realize they have the disease, while a great many don’t know they do.
• Throughout the world blacks make up 45.9% of the total genital herpes cases and whites make up 17.6% of the total genital herpes cases. While the instance of genital herpes in the United States is about 20% of the population, in Africa it is as much as 80% of the population.
• The segment of the population with the most dramatic increase in genital herpes is young white teens. Twelve to nineteen-year-old whites are five times more likely to have genital herpes today than they were twenty years ago. Young white adults from twenty to twenty-nine have doubled their instances of genital herpes over twenty years ago.
• Each year there are about one million new cases of herpes throughout the world, in the United States there are about 500,000 new cases each year.
• From twenty percent to twenty-five percent of pregnant women have genital herpes.
• About eighty percent of those having their first episode of genital herpes will have at least one recurring outbreak. For those infected with genital herpes that have recurring outbreaks, the average number of yearly outbreaks is four or five.
• Clinical trials done on an antiviral therapy called Valaciclovir have shown this drug to prevent or delay as much as 85% of genital herpes outbreaks.
• The cervix in women is typically infected from eighty to ninety percent of the time in an initial genital herpes infection. These infections are often accompanied with vaginal discharge.
• Somewhere in the world another person gets genital herpes every thirty seconds.
• The number of genital herpes cases has increased thirty percent in the last decade.

For more information on herpes from the CDC or Center for Disease Control and Prevention, see here.

Neither genital nor oral herpes have a cure. They are treatable and there is research being done to provide more treatment options for herpes, and to find a cure for these two types of viral infections.

Herpes infections are hard to treat and do research on for a cure, because the virus hides in nerve cells and lies dormant for non-specific periods of time. When the viral infection is latent it is effectively invisible to not only the immune system, but to the drugs trying to eradicate the disease. During outbreaks a part of the infection will become active, causing a flare up. But again part of the virus stays hidden in the nerve cells making it impossible for any treatment to fully cure the disease.

Duke University Research on Herpes

Current research on herpes includes a discovery by researchers at Duke University of a piece of the viral genome that codes the proteins enabling HSV-1 or the oral herpes virus, hide through dormant periods. This might enable scientists to create a drug to switch off the latent breaks so that the virus is forced out of hiding and can be eradicated by an antiviral treatment or some other drug.

While this type of treatment might create a severe flare up in order bring the virus out of hiding, finding an opportunity to completely rid the body of herpes and eradicate the disease would be a positive step. While steps have been taken, it can take years for a cure to be developed and approved for humans. But this research step for a cure for herpes gives sufferers hope that someday they may have curative options along with the suppressive therapy.

Harvard University Research on Herpes

In studies done on mice, research scientists at Harvard have found a new way to protect them against HSV-2 or the genital herpes virus. Herpes simplex virus 2 can be a co-factor for AIDS transmission. It is believed that if scientists can find a way to protect against genital herpes they could also help guard humans from getting AIDS. Again the research is a first step and it may be years before we see something that is approved for human treatment or inoculation against genital herpes or AIDS.

These studies utilize siRNA and RNAi. The terms siRNA means small interfering RNA. RNA is ribonucleic acid, which is similar to DNA. RNA has many duties within the cell including transcribing information found in the DNA. The siRNA compounds have the ability to suppress the activity of some disease-causing genes. This ability has been labeled RNAi, which stands for RNA interference. This siRNA is what has been found to protect the mice from herpes simplex type 2.

It is believed that siRNA could be given to someone who doesn’t have genital herpes to protect them from the disease, and to those who have genital herpes to reduce the pain, the amount of viral shedding, and the risk of giving genital herpes to a partner.

RNAi-based drugs are seriously being considered and tested for HSV-2 infections, and for their ability to protect against other diseases like AIDS, flu, hepatitis, malaria and more.

Statistics show that while about twenty percent of the United States adult population has been infected with HSV-2, the numbers in Africa reflect that about eighty percent of its population has been infected. If you have HSV-2 or genital herpes this means that you have three times the risk of being infected with HIV, or AIDS, than someone who doesn’t have genital herpes.

This is because HSV-2 erodes and inflames layers of skin both in and around the genitals. These skin layers provide a barrier to the AIDS virus. When genital herpes weakens this natural barrier, it is easier to transmit the virus that causes AIDS. So finding something that keeps humans from getting genital herpes could ultimately decrease AIDS transmission.

Other Herpes Research

There are many other research studies and clinical trials being done on finding both a cure for herpes and to find better treatments for the disease.

There are several studies being done on the effects of resveratrol on herpes. So far this research has determined that the natural substance known as resveratrol can inhibit replication of the herpes simplex virus. Resveratrol cream has also been found to inhibit or reduce HSV replication in the vagina of mice, and that it limits extravaginal disease.

For more information on the study of resveratrol and herpes, see here.

Summary

Herpes research is ongoing and is being done in the leading institutions both in the United States and in other areas of the world. There are many exiting things being discovered and tested that may make a big impact on finding a cure for this currently incurable disease. It might be years before this research culminates in treatments, but there is progress being made.

While genital herpes or an HSV-2 infection may be more common in women, this is because it is easier for an infected male to transmit the disease to female partners than it is for a female to give the disease to any male. The Center for Disease Control Statistics show that in the age group of 14 to 49 years old, one out of five women and one out of nine men have genital herpes.

To see the CDC fact sheet on genital herpes see here.

For oral herpes the statistics show that as many as 80% of the adult population in the United States may have oral herpes or HSV-1.

Oral Herpes in Men

Herpes simplex 1 or HSV-1 is commonly called oral herpes. The physical symptoms of this viral infection are often referred to as cold sores or fever blisters. In men and women these sores will often occur on or around the mouth. There is also a form of this disease called oral-facial herpes in which the blisters or sores will show up in clusters on the chin, cheek, or even in or around the nose.

Men can mistake the early stages of oral herpes for a pimple, razor burn, a small crack at the side of the mouth, or a bug bite. The sores can be an itchy or tingly red bump. They can look like small white sores or blisters. If you or your partner has open oral herpes sores around or in their mouth, oral herpes can be transferred to the genital area during oral sex.

Typically oral herpes symptoms will start as an aching pain or burning in the lip area. Men with oral herpes may also have swollen throat glands or swelling in other lymph glands. They can also experience a low grade fever or a sore throat.

In the beginning men may have oral herpes that looks like one single cold sore or a cluster of blisters with red and swollen skin surrounding the breakout area. Once they’ve appeared the sores will generally break open within a few days, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over. They will generally heal and disappear within about ten days. Oral herpes will go through dormant periods and then reappear at any time.

Stress, illness, or overexposure to sun can precipitate a flare up of oral herpes. Many men who have oral herpes have such mild symptoms that they don’t realize they have this viral illness.

Oral herpes is highly contagious during an outbreak. It can be transferred to anyone by kissing or coming into contact with someone who is infected. Many children get oral herpes from a quick and casual kiss from an infected relative.

Genital Herpes in Men

Herpes simplex 2 or HSV-2 is commonly called genital herpes. On men this type of herpes has physical symptoms that will often show up as small groups of blisters on their penis or scrotum. The small sores may also form on the anus, urethra, buttocks, thighs, and if you participated in oral sex with an infected person during an outbreak, you can get genital herpes sores around the mouth area.

Typically the small blisters will pop, leak a clear fluid and then form a scab a few days after they appear. Once the sores have scabbed over it will generally take them about ten days to heal completely.

Estimates are that over 90% of the men and women who have the viral infection known as genital herpes, don’t realize that they have the disease. Men will often mistake the symptoms for razor burn, pimples or ingrown hairs, bug bites, and even jock itch.

There are many signs and symptoms that can indicate that you have genital herpes, these include:

• Itchy or tingly feeling in the genital area
• Fever
• Headache
• Feeling like you might be coming down with the flu
• Pain or burning during urination
• Pain or burning sensation around the buttocks and anus
• Raw or burning sensation on the skin that may feel as if you had rug burn, or like you have a slight sunburn around the genitals and buttocks.
• Depression and irritability
• Muscle aches
• Tender or swollen lymph nodes around the genital area

The tingling or slight burning sensation in the skin can serve as an early warning sign that you are about to have an outbreak. You can start antiviral medication at this time to minimize the effects of the flare-up and to help you heal faster.

Summary

While there is no cure for herpes in men or women, there are things you can do to minimize the effect of the disease on your life and that will help you heal faster, keeping outbreaks to a minimum. Talk to your doctor about your herpes symptoms if you haven’t been diagnosed. The diagnosis will allow the doctor to prescribe anti-viral treatments that may help you minimize the symptoms of the disease and the frequency of outbreaks by as much as fifty percent.

Remember that both oral and genital herpes are highly contagious with skin-to-skin contact. Treating the disease properly will minimize the risk of passing this disease to someone else.

Herpes Simplex Type 1 and 2 are incurable viral infections which cycle through resting periods where there are no signs or symptoms of the disease, and flare-ups or outbreaks. Since there is no cure and you can be affected with outbreaks for the rest of your life, managing the outbreaks becomes a lifestyle if you want any control over your life and the disease.

Understanding Herpes Simplex Outbreaks

Herpes Simplex can go into a dormant or resting period where the organism attaches itself to the nerve cells. While resting there are no signs or symptoms. As herpes simplex can’t be cured, this dormant period doesn’t mean you no longer have the disease, it just means it isn’t currently active in your body. Not having symptoms or signs doesn’t mean you aren’t contagious; you can still spread herpes simplex even without visible signs of an outbreak. Some people can go for years without an outbreak and others may have them frequently.

Type 1 or HSV-1 Herpes Outbreaks

Oral herpes or Herpes Simplex type 1 is called this because the small fever blisters or sores typically form on the inside of the mouth, around the lips, or near the mouth. The outbreak can start with numbness or tingling in the area where small sores or blisters will develop. These blisters can develop into painful ulcers. They can ooze clear fluid, which is highly contagious, then will form a crust or scab and heal in about ten days. The ulcers are generally referred to as cold sores.

Other outward signs can be red and swollen gums, a white glaze on the tongue, as well as muscle aches, fever, general malaise or just not feeling well. You may also have swollen glands in your neck, be irritable, and have trouble eating. These signs of an outbreak can last for several weeks.

Illness like a cold or the flue, stress, hormonal changes in the body, and even things like getting a tooth taken out, can cause the virus to flare up and begin an outbreak.

Type 2 or HSV-2 Outbreaks

Herpes Simplex type 2 is also known as genital herpes. A genital herpes outbreak will generally start with an itchy feeling, tenderness, or pain in the genital area. The glands in the genital area can also be swollen and sore. You may experience a headache, fever, and generally feeling of sickness—kind of like coming down with the flu.

Men may get blisters on their penis. Women will generally have blisters around the vagina and in the cervix. You can also get blisters on the upper legs and the buttocks. These blisters will ooze a clear white fluid, form crusts or scabs and heal over within a couple weeks. Other, less common symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak include pain or burning while urinating and a clear discharge from the vagina or penis.

Just like HSV-1, the outbreaks may not have any recognizable symptoms. There are many people who have genital herpes and don’t realize they have it. The outbreaks may be so insignificant that the blisters or sores are mistaken for razor rash, ingrown hairs, or pimples. There may be no sign at all, or the symptoms may be severe during an outbreak.

Genital herpes cycles just like oral herpes, going through dormant and active cycles for the rest of your life. Typically the first outbreak of genital herpes is the most severe, however the signs, symptoms, and severity are very individual. When someone with herpes simplex type 2 is having an outbreak, they are very contagious.

For more pictures and more information on what a herpes outbreak might look like see here.

Lifestyle Changes to Decrease Frequency and Severity of Herpes Outbreaks

It is important to understand the role of your immune system and your body’s ability to fight stress which can lead to a herpes simplex outbreak. Stress and illness are the two main triggers for an outbreak.

If your body is healthy and you can handle stress without difficulty, you will find that you won’t have as many outbreaks. There are many things you can do to help your body handle outbreaks including:

• Find a way to deal with stress. Whether it is deep breathing exercises, yoga, or a steady work out program, these activities can help you handle the stress in your life.
• If you have painful or itchy genital herpes you can take a warm bath with Epsom salt. This can help you de-stress, as well as providing soothing relief.
• You can apply ice directly to the area if it is sore or itchy.
• Wear loose, cotton underwear during a genital herpes outbreak.
• Wash the breakout area with lukewarm water and pat it dry. Keep your hands clean to keep the virus from spreading.

With an oral herpes outbreak you should refrain from kissing or any oral contact as you are contagious. With a genital herpes outbreak you should avoid sexual intercourse as you are contagious.

If you think you might have herpes simplex then you should see your doctor and get tested. Anytime you have blisters or open sores it is the best time to be tested. This way the doctor can swab the sore for fluid, and can use this for an analysis.

But even if there are no outbreaks for the doctor to test, if you believe you might have herpes you should still see your medical practitioner as there are other types of tests that can search for herpes virus antibodies in your system. You can also explain why you think you might have herpes, discuss your symptoms, and explore treatment options if it is determined that you do have one of the types of herpes simplex.

Typically testing for herpes is done for genital herpes or HSV-2 only. Oral herpes is generally diagnosed visually if you have fever blisters or open sores. The severity and frequency of outbreaks will help the doctor determine if you need testing.

Symptoms for Active Herpes Outbreaks

Herpes simplex type 1 and type 2 are both viral infections for which there is no cure. Both forms of herpes simplex will cycle through periods of dormancy, where the viral organism is at rest, and periods of active outbreaks.

Both types of herpes simplex have similar symptoms, the main difference being where the herpes outbreaks manifest. For HSV-1 or oral herpes the fever blisters or cold sores will typically be concentrated around the lips or on the face. For HSV-2 or genital herpes these outbreaks will typically be found on or around the genitals, thighs, or buttocks.

Both types of herpes are very contagious, especially when there are visible signs of an outbreak. The signs and symptoms are somewhat individualized, from barely there to severe. If you have been sick or have intense periods of stress this can cause outbreaks, and may even cause the outbreaks to be more severe than you normally experience.

Besides the fever blisters and cold sores, symptoms for both types of herpes simplex may include muscle aches, fever, headache, and fatigue. Many people who have herpes don’t realize that they are infected with the disease. This is often because the symptoms can mirror the flu or other general illness. Swollen glands in the throat for oral herpes, and in the groin area for genital herpes may go un-noticed or thought to be something else. Many times the outbreaks will be written off as razor burn, pimples, ingrown hairs, or some kind of rash.

Typically the primary infection will have more blisters or sores than subsequent outbreaks. The first manifestation of the viral infection will often cover the most area of skin, with recurrences focused over less area. With genital herpes the first showing of the illness may cause painful urination, swollen lymph nodes, and a general feeling of sickness. The flare-ups will typically be less severe, but not always. A poor immune system or increased stress can cause flare-ups or outbreaks to gain in severity.

The reason the first occurrence of herpes simplex is the worst is that your body hasn’t yet created the antibodies needed to fight off the viral infection. Once you’ve had the initial outbreak, the antibodies produced to fight the infection will keep it from being as severe as the first time.

Testing For Herpes

While it is true that diagnosing herpes simplex is usually done by your doctor after you have shared your symptoms and he has confirmed an outbreak, there are tests available to confirm if you have herpes or not. This might be particularly important if you are pregnant or become pregnant, or if you want to help keep your partner or future partner from getting herpes.

As stated before, when you have an active outbreak with blisters or sores you should go see your doctor before they heal. This would allow the doctor to swab the lesions and use the primary testing methods to verify whether or not you have the disease.

The primary testing methods for herpes simplex include:

• Herpes Viral Culture – Once fluid or cells are taken from a blister or sore with a cotton swab, the sample is put into a culture container that will be left for a period of time and then evaluated for herpes.
• Herpes Virus antigen detection test – Again using cells scrapped from a fresh outbreak, the swab is smeared on a slide and put under a microscope so that the doctor or lab technician can search for herpes antigens. This test is sometimes done alone, or along with a viral culture.
• Polymerase chain reaction or PCR test – Typically this type of test is done on a blood sample or on spinal fluids. PCR is used to find the herpes DNA or genetic markers. One advantage to this test is that it can differentiate between the two forms of Herpes Simplex, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Traditionally this test is done on spinal fluid and used when herpes is believed to be causing a brain infection.
• Antibody tests – This blood test is done to look for herpes antibodies that can be found in the blood if you have been exposed to herpes and have had the first outbreak. This test is not helpful if you have recently been infected and it can’t tell if you have a herpes infection that is active now, or if it is an infection you had in the past. There are some blood tests that will just tell you that you have herpes, and some that will tell you if you have oral herpes or genital herpes.

Typically test samples for genital herpes are taken from the sores found in the genital area. There are extremely rare circumstances where fluids may need to be taken from blood, urine, tears, or spinal fluid.

There are private, in home tests available for herpes. See here for more information on these tests.

Currently there is no cure for genital herpes. Treatment goals for this viral disease are to provide relief from the symptoms, which can include painful sores, and to shorten the ten to fifteen days it typically takes for an outbreak to heal.

A secondary treatment goal would be to lengthen the time between outbreaks or help genital herpes sufferers go outbreak free for increasingly long periods of time.

In treating each outbreak it has been found that the earlier the treatment begins the more effective it will be in relieving symptoms and shortening healing. This is very important for those who suffer from recurrent outbreaks, or those that have symptoms again and again.

Primary Outbreak Treatment

The primary or first outbreak of genital herpes is typically the most severe as your body hasn’t manufactured anti-bodies to fight the viral infection. If you realize that you have genital herpes the earlier you seek treatment the better.

Many of those recently infected with the disease will get relief and recover faster from the primary outbreak if they take antiviral medication. This medication will help speed the healing of blisters and sores, and can relieve symptoms of pain, headache, muscle aches, and more.

The antiviral medicines recommended for the treatment of primary genital herpes outbreaks include:

• Acyclovir or Zovirax
• Famciclovir or Famvir
• Valacyclovir or Valtrex

It is important to note that while antiviral medicine can decrease the amount of time it takes for this first outbreak to heal, it will not prevent recurrence of the disease. At this time there is no cure for herpes. Antiviral medications may also lesson the amount of time that you are contagious and can spread the infection.

To treat the pain, fever, and other flu-like symptoms that can occur with genital herpes the nonprescription drugs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen are typically recommended.

Sufferers may also elect to use home treatments such as a warm sitz bath using Epsom salts to relieve the pain and itching in the genital area. They should make sure to pat the skin dry and wear loose cotton underwear to allow the herpes sores to heal.

If you have symptoms and signs of genital herpes you should avoid all sexual contact during an outbreak or flare up in order to prevent the spread of this viral disease.

Recurring Outbreak Treatment

Treatment of recurring outbreaks will likely be dependant on the severity of the outbreak, how long they take to heal, and how often they occur. If the outbreaks are severe, take several weeks to heal, and occur often, then the sufferer may elect to take antiviral medication for treatment or your doctor may recommend this treatment.

Taking an antiviral medicine can reduce the healing time for the genital herpes ulcers, just as it did with the primary outbreak. This medicine may also prevent some outbreaks and can decrease the possibility of transmitting genital herpes to any sexual partner.

There are two ways that genital herpes sufferers can use antiviral medications. They can take an antiviral medicine every day, or on an as needed bases.

Those who take an antiviral medication every day are trying to reduce frequency of recurrent outbreaks and shorten the amount of time the outbreak takes to heal. For those that have many outbreaks a year the use of a daily antiviral may be able to reduce the number of outbreaks by one or two episodes a year. There have been studies done that show those who take a daily dose of valacyclovir, and are in a single partner, monogamous relationship—may cut the risk in half of infecting their partner. Other antiviral medicine may do the same thing with a daily dose but have yet to be studied and proven.

Those who have prodromal symptoms and learn to recognize this tingling and pain as precursors to an episode may decide to take an antiviral medication when they feel a recurrent outbreak starting. An as needed basis means that the antiviral is a higher dose taken for two to three days instead of a lower dose taken every day.

Natural Treatment for Genital Herpes

Natural treatment at home may be the treatment of choice for those who have genital herpes outbreaks that don’t occur very often and are not very severe. Those taking antiviral medications may also want to add some of the natural remedies to their treatment regime. These treatments focus on relieving symptoms, may help reduce the risk of new outbreaks, and provide ways to cope with a condition that has no cure.

Natural treatments include:

• Sitz baths which are warm baths with Epsom salt added to the water. You sit in the bath until the water is cool, soaking the sores and blisters. Be careful to pat dry afterward and not wipe. You can take the baths three to four times a day, or wash the area several times a day with warm water and pat dry. For comfort you can even use a hair dryer to blow yourself dry instead of using a towel.
• Wear loose fitting clothes if you have an active outbreak. Cotton underwear is better than synthetic due to the absorbency of the material.
• Use nonprescription medicines like Advil and Tylenol to lesson the pain and fever.

Stress and illness can increase the frequency and severity of genital herpes outbreaks, as can overexposure to sun. Learn what triggers your genital herpes and take measures to avoid of lesson your exposure to these triggers. You can exercise and eat right to increase the strength of your immune system. Avoid stress, fatigue, and any irritation to the genital area.

Check to see if you know the facts of Genital Herpes by taking this Quiz.

There are several strains of herpes viruses, with two forms of the herpes simplex virus. Herpes Simplex types 1 and 2 can both cause cold sore type symptoms around the mouth and genitals. The type 1 virus is commonly called oral herpes, and type 2 is typically referred to as genital herpes. These types of herpes simplex are also referred to as HSV-1 for Herpes Simplex Virus – Type 1, and HSV-2 for Herpes Simplex Virus – Type 2.

Other strains of herpes viruses include the herpes zoster virus, or chicken pox and shingles. It is also related to Epstein-Barr virus, and many other herpes strains.

Herpes Simplex Type 1

This oral form of the herpes simplex virus is a viral disease that typically manifests symptoms such as small blisters or cold sores on or around the lips. Often appearing in clusters, the sores are most often found on the lip and mouth area but they can actually show up on the chin and cheek area of the face, as well as on and in the nose. When the clusters of sores are focused outside of the lips and mouth it is referred to as oral-facial herpes.

The cold sores will generally begin as blisters, with the skin surrounding the area tender, red and swollen. Often the blisters will erupt, leaking a clear, very contagious fluid. Once the blisters erupt they will scab over and heal within about two weeks.

HSV-1 can be spread from anyone with an outbreak (evidenced by the fever blisters or cold sores) to anyone with a small cut or even a light scratch. This viral disease is almost always passed on through kissing, by someone touching a cold sore, or through sharing razors, or a toothbrush.

Adults with HSV-1 can easily infect infants and children when they are having an outbreak. Parents should keep relatives with any visible sores, pimples, or other signs of HSV-1 from kissing their children. Many people don’t realize that they have the viral disease and what they believe to be razor burn, bug bites, pimples, or a scratch, is actually HSV-1.

The cold sores or fever blisters on the face aren’t the only signs and symptoms of herpes simplex type one. The blisters and sores can show up on other areas of the body, they aren’t always on the face. Other symptoms of HSV-1 may include pain with no visible sores, swollen glands in the throat area, a sore throat, and fever. Because these symptoms are so typical of the flu and strep throat, people often don’t realize they are having an outbreak of HSV-1. A child infected with herpes will often drool before an outbreak.

The fever blisters and sores can be very painful. They can be so painful that patients will seek treatment from their doctor and this pain is first step in the doctor diagnosing herpes simplex.

At this time there is no cure for herpes simplex type 1. The cases can be very mild, in fact they can be so mild people don’t realize they have the disease, and while they have the virus, never get a cold sore. Or they can be very painful; flaring up anytime some one is under stress, over-heated, or sick from something else.

Herpes Simplex Type 2

Commonly referred to as genital herpes, herpes simplex virus type 2 or HSV-2 is a viral disease that has infected about one/fifth of the United States adult population. Highly contagious, it is important to note that a very high percentage of those infected with HSV-2 do not know they have genital herpes.

The physical symptoms of herpes simplex type 2 typically manifest on the genitals, buttocks, or anal area of the body. There is no cure for this disease that is generally transmitted during sexual contact. HSV-2 will cycle through resting periods and active outbreaks. When the viral disease is active it will surface on the skin or mucus membranes in the genital region, and then create copies of itself.

There may or may not be fever blisters or sores to signal to the infected person that the viral disease is active and that they are contagious during this time. The disease is spread if someone comes in contact with the infected skin during an outbreak.

There are other symptoms associated with herpes simplex type 2. These symptoms can include muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes in the groin, fever, headaches, and burning or pain when urinating. However many people with HSV-2 don’t have any symptoms, and won’t know they have the disease and are contagious. Often mild symptoms will be mistaken for the flu, a bladder or urinary tract infection, or some other illness.

Once a person is infected the first active outbreak will appear as inflamed skin in the genital region. The area may be painful, itching and burning. Fever blisters may appear and release a clear fluid. Once the blisters have broken, they will scab over and heal in about ten days. These outbreak signs may be mistaken for ingrown hairs, pimples, a contact burn from energetic sex, or even a razor burn.

The first outbreak of herpes simplex virus type 2 physical symptoms can last for several weeks. Once the symptoms have gone away the virus migrates into the nerves and will stay there “resting” until the next physical flare up.

Click here for a quiz to access your risks for herpes simplex type 2.

Summary

Herpes simplex types 1 and 1 are viral diseases that are easily transmitted and that have no current cure. Both types of herpes simplex can be spread with no physical outbreak symptoms.

What Is Genital Herpes?

Genital herpes is a condition that is serious, incurable, and often times painful for those that suffer from it.  Understanding genital herpes facts will help you to avoid the overall experience and helps you to know when to get help .Herpes is a highly contagious disease that is spread through sexual activity.  Those that suffer from this condition will experience itching, pain, burning and sores in the genital region.  Those that may be experiencing these symptoms of herpes should seek out the help of their doctors as soon as possible.  While there is no cure to the condition , there are various treatments available as well as methods to relieve the pain.

What Causes Herpes?

Genital herpes risk factors can be many.  Medically speaking, the cause of herpes is that virus known as Simplex Virus , or sometimes HSV.  The virus enters into the body through very small breaks or cuts in the skin.  It can also enter through mucous membranes.  Because this is so small, you will not feel or notice a thing during this interaction.  Sexual conduct in some form, is the main way that the simplex virus spreads.  Unfortunately, it may be difficult for you to know when you are at the largest risk for contracting the condition because the other individual may not be exhibiting any signs or symptoms of herpes at that time.

Who Can Get It?

Genital herpes is common, as one of the leading sexually transmitted diseases today.  It is found in both men and women .  The genital herpes risk factors state that you are likely to have the virus at a risk of every one in six teenagers or adults.  This statistic is given by one of the leading agencies working on finding a cure for herpes , called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention located in the United States.

What About A Genital Herpes Cure?

Right now, there are no cures for genital herpes.  The condition is an infection that will come and go, seeming to improve and then reoccurring months later.  There are several ways that the condition can be treated though, which helps to lower your risk of spreading the condition as well as the amount of time your body is fighting the active virus.  Medications for genital herpes can help to reduce your symptoms and improve your overall day to day life .  In fact, most people that have the condition, and get help for it, will lead regular, healthy lives.  This includes healthy sexual lives.  There is no reason to stop having sex or to avoid becoming involved with other people.  Instead, work on learning how to overcome the condition, and how to live with herpes so that your partner is not at risk for it.

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to get the Genital Herpes Facts !  Know what the truth is, instead of what rumors are.  It is extremely important for you to understand the details of this condition.  For example, children herpes conditions are out there.  Can you avoid passing the condition on to your child when you are pregnant ?  Genital herpes tests can help you to know the facts right from the start.

Those that may have a partner that has genital herpes , or those that are considering protecting others from the herpes they are facing can do so.  The key is to know how to spread herpes and how to avoid doing so.  Most importantly, living with herpes often means living with embarrassment as well as emotional trauma.  With the help of the medical profession, you can improve the quality of your life even if you are suffering from genital herpes.