Wondering if that sore is herpes? Best Home tests for herpesDid you know that a herpes symptom may not appear for up to a month or more after infection?
FACT: It is estimated that between 50 and 80% of new HSV2 cases are from asymptomatic viral shedding. What this means is that people are unaware that they have herpes and unintentional spread the STD. Here are the quick facts on the herpes simplex virus:
One Visit 5 Tests - Read About The STD Panel Tests Eliminate All Doubt Today! Wondering if that sore is herpes? The #1 recommended herpes home testing book is available here, if you just want to get to it. A Herpe Symptom ChecklistThe most obvious symptom of herpes are blisters near the mouth or genital areas (note that the blisters can appear anywhere on the body). Some people may experience pre-outbreak symptoms in the infected area a few days before the blisters appear.
The period from the time the blisters appear until the sores heal is known as an active outbreak. Outbreaks may occur in the oral and/or genital regions.
These infections are a classic herpes symptom may appear on the lips, nose or in surrounding areas. The sores may appear to be either weeping or dry, and may resemble a pimple, insect bite, or large chicken-pox lesion. The good news is that lesions typically heal after a few days to a week (or more).
Herpes lesions is a herpes symptom on/near the genitals
that may look like cold sores. A Herpes symptom of a genital outbreak may include:
Women Are At a Greater Risk...Women are approximately 4 times more likely to acquire a herpes simplex type 2 infection than men. It has been suggested that women may be more prone to genital herpes infections because:
2 Main Types of Herpes Virus HSV-1 and HSV-2There are two main kinds of herpes simplex virus:
Both types of HSV can infect either the oral or genital regions. But typically HSV-1 infection occur in the oral region and HSV-2 infection occur in the genital region. The terminology of herpes can be quite confusing; the two viruses are sometimes referred to by the sites they preferentially infect. So HSV-1 can be called "oral herpes," (or sometimes "cold sores") and HSV-2 can be called "genital herpes." but as mentioned above this is not always the case. People whose herpes infections are not located in the virus's "preferred" location may experience fewer, less severe outbreaks. For example, if Mary has an HSV-1 infection of the mouth, and Jill has an HSV-1 infection of the genitals, Mary is likely to experience more frequent and/or severe outbreaks than Jill. Treatments of a herpes symptomPharmacotherapy There are several prescription antiviral medications for controlling a herpes symptom outbreak, including:
Aciclovir was the original and prototypical member of this class and generic brands are now available at a greatly reduced cost. Valaciclovir and famciclovir (available at drugstore.com Pharmacy) are prodrugs of aciclovir and penciclovir respectively, with improved oral bioavailability. Docosanol (Abreva) is another treatment of a herpes symptom that may be effective. Non-prescription analgesics can reduce the herpes symptom of pain and fever during initial outbreaks. Aciclovir is the recommended antiviral for suppressive therapy to prevent transmission of herpes simplex to a new born baby. The use of valaciclovir and famciclovir, while potentially improving treatment compliance and efficacy, are still undergoing safety evaluation in this context. (Leung & Sacks, 2003) Alternative Theraphys: Since herpes is a viral infection, a daily multi-vitamin to maintain immune system health can help lessen a herpes symptom and shorten herpes symptom outbreaks. Eating dairy products and other foods high in lysine and low in arginine might also help; additionally, many pharmacies and health food stores carry lysine supplements. Experimental Theraphys Limited evidence suggests that low dose aspirin (125 mg daily) might be beneficial to manage a herpes symptom in patients with recurrent HSV infections.\ A small study of 21 volunteers with recurrent HSV indicated a significant reduction in duration of active HSV infections, milder herpes symptoms, and longer herpes symptom-free periods as compared to a control group. (Karadi, Karpati & Romics, 1998). A recent animal study found that aspirin inhibited thermal stress-induced ocular viral shedding of HSV-1, and a possible benefit in reducing recurrences. (Gebhardt, Varnell, & Kaufman, 2004) Aspirin is not recommended in persons under 18 years of age with herpes simplex due to the increased risk of Reye's syndrome. Long-term effectsThe long-term effects of herpes are not well known, but the blisters, a herpes symptom, may leave scars, and historically it was thought to contribute to the risk of cervical cancer in women. Subsequently, another virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), has been shown to be the cause of cervical cancer in women. Additionally, people with herpes are at a higher risk of HIV transmission because of open blisters. In newborns, however, herpes can cause serious damage: death, neurological damage, mental retardation, and blindness.
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