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Read one Woman's Personal Story About Dating
and Herpes
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Spend
some time, read the articles, watch the help videos and check the Herpes
Support Groups page for telephone numbers to talk with folks who care.
Note the savings on Valtrex medications and also the Positive Singles Web
site links where you will find folks who want to meet you, to share, to
laugh, to live life to the fullest. You are not alone.
People with
herpes may spread the disease even if they do not realize they have an
infection. Furthermore, there is strong evidence that people with herpes can
transmit infection even while their disease appears to be inactive and no
sores can be seen.
You are not alone.
Herpes is estimated to affect some 80 million people
in America. At least one in five adults in the
United States has genital herpes.
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A partner who has herpes needs your support and acceptance. It took a lot of courage for your partner to tell you, and it means he or she cares about your well-being and values your trust. "No good deed goes unpunished" is often a harsh fact of life. But don't let it be that way in your relationship.
Of course, your feelings and concerns matter, too. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of having sex with your partner again, or becoming sexually intimate for the first time, you're entitled to feel that way.
But instead of declaring the sexual part of your relationship over or out of the question, think of ways you can be intimate without risking infection. You can reduce the risk of becoming infected through sexual intercourse by using condoms and avoiding sex when your partner has symptoms. There will always be some risk, even if you practice safer sex, but you can minimize it as much as possible.
Educate yourself about genital herpes if your partner has not explained it to your satisfaction. You'll find out that it's not as serious as it may seem, and that people can and do have wonderful relationships with great sex even though one of them has genital herpes.
Sometimes people in long-term relationships suspect that their partner has been cheating when he or she is diagnosed. That's not necessarily true, so don't make that accusation. Your partner could have been infected years or decades before you met.
Also, consider the possibility that you gave your partner herpes. Millions of people live with genital herpes without having a clue that they're infected. In fact, health experts estimate that 90% of those who are infected in the United States don't know it. A herpes infection doesn't always cause obvious sores on the genitals. In many cases, it causes no noticeable symptoms. Health care professionals say that sex partners of people with herpes should be tested, as that is the only way to know for sure if they are infected or not.
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FACTS ABOUT GENITAL
HERPES:
Transmission
is caused by close oral, anal, or genital
contact, including intercourse, masturbation,
kissing, or any direct skin-to-skin contact
which allows for the transfer of bodily fluids.
A person is considered
contagious
when prodromal symptoms, active sores, and
healing lesions are present.
Herpes is potentially
contagious when no symptoms are present. That
is, a person who has genital herpes is
potentially always shedding active virus.
Approximately 1 in 6
members of the general infected population is
thought to shed active virus occasionally
without symptoms.
Some people do not get
typical blister-like sores but harbor active
virus in their saliva, vaginal, or penile
secretions, and can shed the virus without
knowing they have herpes.
Lesions
can occur deep inside the vagina where they
cannot be seen or felt, but can readily transmit
the virus.
An uninfected
individual has about a 75% chance of contracting
herpes during intimate contact with someone
actively shedding virus.
Oral herpes can be
transmitted to the genitals, and vice versa.
Symptoms are similar.
Auto-inoculation:
An infected individual
can spread the virus to other parts of his or
her body by touching an area shedding virus and
then touching, scratching, or rubbing another
susceptible part of the body. Towels are
especially conducive to this.
It is possible for a person to
contract genital herpes if the partner with oral
herpes performs oral sex.
Oral herpes can be
transmitted to the genitals, and vice versa.
Symptoms are similar.
Environmental surfaces
like toilet seats may be a source of contagion,
but there is no evidence that this poses a real
threat to the general population. Experts differ
as to how long the virus can survive on its own.
The primary cause of infection remains intimate
contact.
Herpes and sex
The herpes simplex virus (HSV) is most often
transmitted from one person to another through
sexual contact. However, genital herpes can be
spread to someone without sexual penetration.
For Men
In men, genital herpes can usually appear as bumps,
blisters, sores, or cuts on the foreskin or shaft of
the penis or in the pubic area, or on the tip of the
penis. If you are having an outbreak, avoid
skin-to-skin contact between the affected areas and
your partner. Remember, a condom does not prevent
the spread of genital herpes, especially if symptoms
occur in an area not covered by the condom.
In between outbreaks, you should be sure to always
use a latex condom to help prevent the virus from
infecting your partner. Natural membrane condoms may
allow the virus to pass through and infect your
partner, so be sure to always use latex condoms
unless you have a known allergy to latex.
For Women
In women, genital herpes
usually appears on the external genitals, most
commonly on the lips of the vagina (labia), and in
the area covered by pubic hair. Genital herpes
symptoms may also occur inside the vagina or on the
cervix, and may not be noticed by either partner.
Genital herpes may appear to be bumps, blisters,
sores, cuts or redness.
If you are having an outbreak, avoid skin-to-skin
contact between the affected areas and your partner.
Remember, a condom does not prevent the spread of
genital herpes when symptoms are present, especially
if symptoms occur in an area not covered by the
condom.
Join our panel
of experts for a discussion of herpes treatment and prevention.
As everybody
knows, it's something that nobody wants to catch, and we're going to
tell you everything you need to know to prevent that from happening,
and what you need to do if, unfortunately, you are diagnosed with
it.
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Herpes of lips is an infectious disease caused by
herpes simplex virus (HSV). This virus exists in
inactive dormant state in the neurons innervating
the lips and surrounding their skin.
When does this disease arise?
Primary infection arises in
early childhood, maybe even through a kiss with a
person having herpes. The virus penetrates through
the skin, goes along the nerves and settles in
neural synapses where it stays until favorable
conditions for its reactivation are created.
What promotes reactivation of a
virus?
The reasons can be different –
growing too cold, influenza, menstruation,
overstrain, neurasthenia, stress, trauma, long stay
under the sun, and just feeling ill. If reactivation
takes place, the virus goes down the nerve into the
lip skin and regions of lips and causes herpes to
appear on your lips.
What is genital herpes?
Genital
herpes is one of the most common sexually
transmitted diseases in the world. It results from
the infection with herpes simplex virus, commonly
with herpes simplex virus type 2, occasionally with
type 1. The infection is life-long, and after the
initial episode, recurrences can appear any time.
The virus is able to elicit a number of pathological
conditions; however the recurrent clinical outbreaks
of genital herpes most often cause not only physical
but also psychosocial problems.
Genital herpes is a contagious viral infection
affecting primarily the genitals of men and women.
It is characterized by recurrent clusters of
vesicles and lesions at the genital areas. It is
caused by the Herpes Simplex-2 virus (HSV-2), one of
several strains of the Herpes Simplex Virus
responsible for chickenpox, shingles, mononucleosis,
and oral herpes (fever blisters or cold sores,
HSV-1).
While generally not dangerous,
it is a nuisance and can be emotionally traumatic,
as there is no cure. It has reached epidemic
proportions in the U.S.; 500,000 are diagnosed each
year. One in five American adults has herpes, but
only one third of those inflicted are aware that
they have the virus. Many people don't relate their
symptoms to herpes, since they have either very mild
or no symptoms at all. Over 50 million cases are
currently estimated to exist in either the active or
dormant stage.
How can I get genital herpes?
Herpes is a virus that can be passed through sexual
contact. You can get genital herpes by having sex
with someone who has open sores and when someone has
no sores. However, herpes is most contagious when a
person has open sores. People with herpes should not
have sexual activity when sores or other symptoms of
herpes are present. HSV-1 can cause genital herpes,
but it more commonly causes infections of the mouth
and lips or fever blisters. Condoms can lower the
chances of getting herpes. Along with condoms,
Valtrex
®, a drug used to treat herpes, can help lower the
chances of passing the virus during vaginal sex.
Herpes symptoms
The infection is usually acquired by sexual contact
with someone who has symptoms of genital herpes.
People with oral herpes can transmit the infection
to the genital area of a partner during oral-genital
sex and result in symptoms of genital herpes. A
person who is infected with HSV but has no
noticeable symptoms of genital herpes can also
transmit herpes infections. Such asymptomatic
shedding of the virus may be fairly common,
occurring from 5 percent to 20 percent of the time
in infected individuals.
Symptoms of genital herpes in a
primary episode vary widely from person to person.
They usually occur within two to 10 days of
exposure. Typically the symptoms associated with
genital herpes that are recognizable involve small
red bumps that may develop into blisters and open
lesions. These bumps appear at the site of
infection, which may be in or around the vaginal
area, the cervix, the penis, urinary tract of both
men and women, and around the anal opening, buttocks
or thighs. Sores also may appear on other parts of
the body where broken skin has come into contact
with HSV. Over a period of days, the sores become
encrusted and then heal without scarring. Symptoms
associated with genital herpes in a primary outbreak
tend to take longer to heal because the body has yet
to build up an immune system resistance to the viral
outbreaks.
Other herpes symptoms in a
primary episode may include fever, headache, muscle
aches, and swollen glands in the groin area, painful
urination or vaginal discharge.
Some of the most
common symptoms of genital herpes that are often
misdiagnosed are misdiagnosed as yeast infection,
insect bites, jock itch, urinary tract infections,
abrasions or razor burn, ingrown hair follicles, and
even hemorrhoids. If you suffer from recurring
infections or symptoms of any of the listed
conditions, it is advised to see a medical
professional for observanceand testing when
symptoms occur. It is quite possible the recurrence
of such conditions could actually be symptoms of
genital herpes.
How to resist herpes?
The virus can infect other
parts of the body. To reduce the risk of spread of
infection, follow our advice:
1. Don’t
let other people touch the infected area of your
face, use your towel, etc.
2. If you
or your sexual partner notice herpes on the lips,
you need to keep yourselves from kisses and oral
sex.
3. It is
necessary to wash your hands every time you touch
the infected area on your skin.
4. Try not
to touch your eyes. Affection by HSV can lead to
appearance of sores on cornea of your eye.
5. Never
try to squeeze bubbles or remove crusts. You can
infect the corrupted area with other microbes, and
cause infection of your fingers by HSV.
6. People
with herpes on their lips should have separate
dishes.
7.
Valtrex is an effective solution to this
problem, the only once-daily medicine that can help
reduce the number of your genital herpes outbreaks.
Healing herpes with Valtrex
Valtrex
is the only medication proven to reduce the risk of
spreading genital herpes to a partner.
You might be surprised to learn that you may pass
genital herpes on to your partner at any time, even
if you don’t get that many herpes outbreaks. The
virus can be active on the surface of your skin
without showing any signs or symptoms. In fact, one
study found that up to 70% of people who had herpes
got it from their partner when their partner had no
signs or symptoms of an outbreak.
Valtrex
is the only medication proven to reduce the risk of
spreading genital herpes to a partner. Safer sex
practices should be used with daily therapy. No
other medication has been shown to do this.
Valtrexis
not a replacement for practicing safer sex. If you
are taking VALTREX to reduce the risk of spreading
herpes to your partner, there are a few important
things you need to do:
Do not have sex when you get an outbreak or
think you are about to get an outbreak.
Always use a condom when you have sex.
Take
Valtrex
every day as prescribed.
Ask your healthcare provider if daily
Valtrex
is right for you.
What about Abstinence?
Abstinence is the only
guaranteed method to prevent the transmission of
genital herpes. Many people with genital herpes
report that they avoid sex during outbreaks
because the genital ulcers that signal an
outbreak can be painful, taking the pleasure out
of sexual relations. Other couples refrain from
sexual relations because they don't want to
transmit the herpes to their partners.
It makes sense, since there is more virus
present on the genitalia during an outbreak than
between outbreaks. Yet, if avoiding sex during
outbreaks of genital herpes was really the best
method to prevent getting herpes, then why do so
many people have genital herpes?
We must remember that herpes simplex virus (HSV)
can be present on the genitalia even in the
absence of any signs or symptoms of an outbreak,
even the most careful.
Couples can and do transmit the virus. This
development is called asymptomatic viral
shedding, and is well documented as the source
of at least 80% of the cases of genital herpes
transmission. Another method widely used to
prevent genital herpes is the condom.
Condoms do reduce the risk of transmission of
genital herpes and other sexually transmitted
disease, and their use is widely recommended.
However, it is also known that condoms can slip
and/or even break. Condoms can only protect the
skin that they cover. Many cases of herpes and
other sexually transmitted diseases can be
transmitted to/from skin not covered by the
condom.
Despite the use of condoms and the avoiding sex,
the chance of giving genital herpes to an
uninfected partner has been estimated at 10% per
year. The risk of a man transmitting to his
female partner is far greater than the reverse.
In fact, the females' chances of acquiring
genital herpes are estimated at 30% each year.
If so many people have genital herpes and suffer
little or no symptoms, why is it important to
seek improvements in the prevention of genital
herpes? First, the person who acquires genital
herpes may suffer more severe and more frequent
outbreaks than did the persons from whom they
acquired HSV-2. For example, the man with
genital herpes may only experience mild or even
rare outbreaks. If he passes it to his wife, she
may suffer painful genital ulcers for one to two
weeks preceding each menstrual cycle.
Three antiviral drugs are approved to treat or
suppress outbreaks of genital herpes: acyclovir, famciclovir and
valacyclovir.
Most clinically apparent outbreaks can be
prevented by taking one of these drugs daily. In
addition, daily acyclovir reduces asymptomatic
viral shedding by 95%.
The same is assumed to be true of the other two
drugs, one of which, valacyclovir, is actually a
more potent form of acyclovir. Since valacyclovir
taken once daily prevents clinical outbreaks in
most herpes patients and is believed to have a
profound effect on reducing asymptomatic viral
shedding, it should help prevent transmission to
the uninfected person.
