Genital Herpes - You Might Have It, But You Do Not Know (Yet)

by Elizabeth Campbell

As it is commonly known, genital herpes is a widespread disease infecting the genital area. Infection causes open sores that are highly contagious, infecting men as well as women. It is generally transmitted through sexual contact but could be contracted through other ways as well.

A healthy individual can catch the infection from handling items that have been contaminated by an infected person, such as towels, underwear and toilet seats. Kissing can also transmit the disease and in some cases through oral sex.

It can be transmitted like that because these particular types of viruses can survive outside their natural environments, even for whole minutes, so be careful what is it that you touch, try on, or when you use public restrooms!

Many of the individuals who carry the disease present no symptoms at all. That is highly dangerous because it cannot warn the healthy individuals about its existence. A large number of people get infected every year, because they ignore the symptoms or because they do not present any.

The virus could develop within three to seven days after exposure. The first attack of the infection could be grievous with extended incubation period; but then there could also be no apparent signs of the disease, depending on the general condition of the individual’s immune system.

Manifestations of genital herpes appear in the genital area, which start with small red bumps that progress into watery blisters, then develop further into open sores. When scratched, the sores could burst open and secrete blood and pus. Before all these, the person will first feel a burning and itching sensation.

Two to four days after, the watery blisters will burst and develop into open raw wounds, which can become bigger and the boil covered with crusts can take up large areas of the skin.

As we mentioned, this infection affects both women and men, no matter what type of sexual activity they develop. People who practice anal sex can get lesions at the anus level. Women however can experience a great amount of pain if the virus is located at the urethra level. Stinging and burning feelings will definitely bother the infected woman, and this condition shall need immediate treatment.

Headaches or cold, even fever, these are few of the symptoms, which can be produced by the exposure to this virus. The lesions caused by it can sometimes spread to the haunches. For treatment of the condition there are anti-viral medicines, which shorten the evolution and reduces the severity of the infection.

Unfortunately, until present days, the specialists could not develop a treatment to prevent the latency state of the virus. Also there is no such remedy for permanent removal of the virus from the human organism. The virus can only be controlled.

Extended treatment in time has proven to be effective for preventing the frequency of the recurrence of the genital herpes, as well as for reducing the infection level. The anti-viral treatment must be proceeded for up to fourteen days, and if the lesions of the skin do not heal after this period of time, the treatment can be extended for seven more days.

What really counts is seeing a doctor in the matter and not leaving the condition unattended, and, most important thing of all, protection for preventing the contamination.

About the Author:

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