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Understanding Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a viral infection distinguished by occurrence of blisters and sores around your genital area. One can have it through having sexual intercourse i.e. vaginal or anal intercourse, or oral sex, with someone who is infected with one of the viruses that cause genital herpes. Hence, once infected with a genital herpes virus, it stays in your body forever, even after the blisters have gone. Some people with genital herpes have outbreaks of genital sores that keep coming back, due to the virus becoming active again, while other people have no symptoms at all and don't even know they have the virus in their body. So it's possible to transmit the virus to sexual partners even if you don't have symptoms (though this is less likely than when you have active lesions).

CAUSES OF GENITAL HERPES

Genital herpes is caused by a virus — either herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) or, less commonly, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1).

1. HSV-1 is the virus that normally causes cold sores, but it can also cause genital herpes. The virus can spread during oral sex from the skin around the mouth, where it has caused cold sores, to the skin on or around another person's genitals, where it can cause genital sores.
2. HSV-2 is the virus that most commonly causes genital herpes. This virus is usually spread through close skin-to-skin contact or via genital secretions during sex, e.g. during vaginal intercourse or anal intercourse.

SYMPTOMS OF GENITAL HERPES

If this virus once enters the skin on or around your genitals, it travels to the cells in the nerve roots of your spinal cord where it remains enduringly. Many people who are infected with a genital herpes virus do not develop any indications or they have some symptoms that they or their doctor do not recognize as genital herpes, and so remain unaware that they have a genital herpes virus in their body.

When symptoms of genital herpes do occur for the first time, they will usually first appear 2 to 10 days after you become infected with the virus, although occasionally, the first outbreak may not occur until months or even years later.

SYMPTOMS DURING AN OUTBURST OF GENITAL HERPES

1. Flu-like symptoms can occur with the first attack.
2. A tingling or burning sensation of the skin on or near the genitals or anus.
3. Aching in the buttocks, legs or genitals.
4. A fluid discharge from the vagina.
5. An area of small red lumps near the area that the virus has entered the body, such as on the penis, near the anus or on the walls of the vagina.

These red lumps turn to blisters filled with clear fluid that break open to leave painful sores.
These sores form a crust after a few days and heal within about one to 2 weeks, without leaving a scar. Usually the first outbreak lasts for 2 or 3 weeks and is often the most severe, so it's important to see your doctor for treatment as soon as possible to lessen the pain and complications associated with this attack. Later on the outbursts are usually less severe and don't usually last as long as the first outburst, nevertheless, the length and severity of outbreaks varies from person to person.

Genital herpes symptoms can settle and never re-occur, or they can keep coming back — either several times a year, or just once or twice in a lifetime. If you have any symptoms that you suspect may be genital herpes, see your doctor promptly.

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR GENITAL HERPES

Once infected with a genital herpes virus, it stays in your body forever. Genital herpes is a viral infection mainly affecting the skin on or around your genitals, which you can catch through having sex, including oral sex, with an infected person.

Some people with genital herpes have outbreaks of genital sores that keep coming back, while other people have no symptoms at all and don’t even know they have the virus in their body. So it's possible to transmit the virus to sexual partners even if you don't have symptoms.

There is currently no known cure for genital herpes, but antiviral medications are available on prescription from your doctor to treat or help prevent outbreaks. They can be taken just during an outbreak, starting as soon as the first signs are noticed (episodic treatment), or they can be taken continuously to reduce the chance of having repeat outbreaks (suppressive treatment).

Episodic treatment - This type of treatment of genital herpes involves taking a course of antiviral tablets for 5-10 days, starting as soon as you notice symptoms of an outbreak, such as tingling or redness on an area of genital skin. This treatment makes the symptoms of the outbreak less severe and more short-lived.

Suppressive treatment - The use of antiviral medications as suppressive therapy (along with condom use during sex) can help reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to a non-infected partner. Suppressive or preventive treatment involves taking antiviral medication every day to help you have fewer recurrences. Taking these medications on a daily basis also reduces the amount of virus that is shed, both when sores are present and in between outbreaks, when the skin looks normal.

FINDING OUT IF YOU HAVE GENITAL HERPES

If you have genital sores, see your doctor who can work out if you have genital herpes by taking a swab of one of the sores, and sometimes by doing a blood test.

Although there is no cure for genital herpes, antiviral medications are available on prescription from your doctor that can help make the symptoms of an outbreak less severe and more short-lived and, if taken continuously, reduce the number of outbreaks that you have. The use of antiviral medications as suppressive therapy (along with condom use during sex) can help reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to a non-infected partner

Your doctor can also give you advice about how to manage your sex life safely when you have genital herpes. Be assured that genital herpes is a common condition — so don’t be embarrassed to see your doctor about it.