Herpes Information
Genital herpes is an infection of the genitals, buttocks, or anal area caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). It is a common STD which both men and women have herpes causes. About one in five adults and teens in the United States has had a genital herpes infection and most don't know they have the STD. Genital herpes is a life long viral infection. In the United States alone there is at least fifty million people who have HSV. Herpes is an infection that never goes away. Your symptoms may disappear for a short time, but they come back periodically.
Symptoms You Have With HSV
It is often hard to know just by looking. The textbook symptoms herpes causes consist of a cluster of small fluid-filled blisters that break open forming painful sores that crust and heal over several days. Areas that would be affected are the penis, scrotum, vagina, vulva, urethra, anus, thighs, and your butt. Although many people do not get these sores and there are some people with absolutely no symptoms. Some people get symptoms that are easily mistaken as herpes causes that consist of razor burn to bug bites, and even hemorrhoids. Herpes causes sores that may appear four to seven days after a person is first infected. You may also have flu-like symptoms following the initial infection. The first outbreak of HSV is usually the worst. Once you are infected the symptoms go away, but can flare up from time to time. Stress, fatigue, illness, surgery, and menstruation can all be triggers for another outbreak.
Treatment For The STD
Although there is no cure to rid you of the STD, medicine can help peoples outbreaks stay away for longer periods of time and reduce the severity of the symptoms when they do flare up. When you are first diagnosed with the STD, your doctor will satrt you on herpes medicine to help prevent them from getting worse. Once your first treatment is complete you need to speak with your doctor to figure out what treatment is best for you. There are two kinds of treatment, intermittent treatment and suppressive treatment.
Intermittent treatment: Your doctor will prescribe you a medicine to keep on hand for when you have a flare-up. As soon as you notice the sores you take your medicine for two to five days.
Suppressive treatment: For persons who have outbreaks often, it is recommended that you take a medicine daily.
Herpes Causes
There is two types of HSV infections that can cause genital herpes. Your first herpes cause is HSV 1: You get this around your mouth in the form of cold sores. The herpes causes from this is from kissing. Although you can spread it to your genital areas from having oral sex. Then there is HSV 2: You get this type from having sexual contact and skin to skin contact. It is highly contagious whether there is an open soar or not. The virus does not live long outside the body, due to this it is very hard to get the STD from toilet seats, etc.
