Herpes Simplex Virus

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex viruses (HSV) type 1 and type 2. Most genital herpes is caused by HSV type 2.

Most people have no or minimal symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When symptoms do occur, they usually appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving ulcers or tender sores that may take up to four weeks to heal. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months later.

Although the infection can stay in the body forever, the number of outbreaks usually decreases over a period of years. You can pass genital herpes to someone else even when you experience no symptoms.

Current statistics from the American Social health Associations show that up to 60 million Americans have genital herpes with 1 million new diagnoses each year, representing up to 30% of the population being infected.

The painful clusters of blisters reappear, usually in the same area, with agonizing regularity – often monthly – and once the disease has been contracted, the patient is infected for life. Although the blisters often occur in the genital area, they may also be found on the thighs and buttocks. Genital herpes remains dormant in the lower spinal column, ready to migrate down the sensory nerves to the skin during lower immunity.

The symptoms of genital herpes vary from person to person. Some people have severe symptoms, such as many painful sores, while others have mild symptoms. An initial outbreak of genital herpes usually brings about symptoms within two weeks of having sexual contact with an infected person and can last from two to three weeks. The early symptoms can include:

An itching or burning feeling in the genital or anal area. Flu-like symptoms, including fever. Swollen glands. Pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area. Vaginal discharge. A feeling of pressure in the area below the stomach.

Within a few days, sores (also called lesions) show up where the virus has entered the body, such as on the mouth, penis, or vagina. Sores can also show up on a woman’s cervix, which is the opening to the uterus or womb, or in the urinary passage in men. The sores are small red bumps that may turn into blisters or painful open sores. Over a period of days, the sores become crusted and then heal without scarring.

Other later symptoms of genital herpes may include:

Small red bumps on the penis, vagina, or wherever the infection began. These bumps may become blisters or painful open sores that can take up to four weeks to heal. Itching or burning in the genital area. Pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area. Vaginal discharge. Feeling pressure or discomfort around your stomach. Fever. Headache. Muscle aches. Pain when urinating. Swollen glands in the genital area.

Some people may have no symptoms–but they can still spread herpes! Sometimes only very mild sores appear, but are mistaken for an insect bite or other skin problems. If you have HIV, a genital herpes infection can be worse.

If you have herpes, do not have any sexual activity with someone who does not have herpes when you have sores or other symptoms of herpes. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you can still pass the virus to others.

There are things you can do to protect yourself from getting genital herpes:

Don’t have sex. The best way to prevent any STD is to practice abstinence, or not having vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Be faithful. Have a sexual relationship with one partner who has been tested for herpes and is not infected is another way to reduce your chances of getting infected. Be faithful to each other, meaning that you only have sex with each other and no one else. Use condoms. Protect yourself with a latex condom every time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Condoms should be used for any type of sex with every partner. For vaginal sex, use a latex male condom or a female polyurethane condom. For anal sex, use a latex male condom. For oral sex, use a dental dam. A dental dam is a rubbery material that can be placed over the anus or the vagina before sexual contact. Know that some methods of birth control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from STDs. If you use one of these methods, be sure to also use a latex condom or dental dam (used for oral sex) correctly every time you have sex. Talk with your sex partner(s) about STDs and using latex condoms. It’s up to you to make sure you are protected. Remember, it’s your body! Talk frankly with your doctor or nurse and your sex partner(s) about any STDs you or your partner have or had. Try not to be embarrassed. Know the symptoms. Learn the common symptoms of genital herpes and other STDs. Seek medical help right away if you think you may have genital herpes or another STD.

There is no treatment that can cure genital herpes; the virus will always be in your body. Certain drugs such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir can shorten outbreaks and make them less severe, or stop them from happening. Depending on your needs, your doctor can give you drugs to take right after getting outbreak symptoms or drugs that you can take on a regular basis to try to stop outbreaks from happening. When used along with safe sex practices, Valacyclovir (brand name Valtrex ®) can also help prevent you from passing the infection to someone else. Talk to your doctor about which treatment plan is best for you.

During outbreaks, these steps can speed healing and prevent spreading of the infection to other sites of the body or to other people.

Keep the infected area clean and dry. Try not to touch the sores. Wash hands after contact. Avoid sexual contact from the time the symptoms are first noticed until the sores have healed.

The herpes virus remains dormant in the ganglia, seemingly inactive, however once provoked/aggravated, the virus becomes symptomatic. It travels down the ganglia and forms blisters on the surface of the skin causing an outbreak, often reoccurring in the same location. As the pathogenic factors are highly symptomatic and acute during an outbreak, a high intensity treatment should be used during this stage, whereas a gentler antiviral treatment should be used when the virus is dormant, to help act as suppressive therapy, which is why we developed HSVSuppressor-Rx.

HSVSuppressor-Rx is a prophylactic and can be applied daily. It is a milder form of OutBreakBalm-Rx and is for suppressive therapy to help stop the virus from traveling to the surface of the skin.

For acute phases during an outbreak, we need to hit it hard and fast with OutbreakBalm-Rx, utilizing the powerful forces of the monoterpenes in the treatment. These microparticles provide the most rapid absorption . They enter cell membranes with incredible swiftness and have a direct antiviral effect against the herpes virus. This results in a reduction of intensity of pain and a reversal of the condition.

Studies confirm the medicinal plant extracts in OutbreakBalm-Rx have the demonstrated ability to destroy the herpes virus, penetrating deep into the dermal layers providing a direct antiviral action against HSV particles residing in the DNA.

HSVSuppressor-Rx is a softer antiviral treatment designed for daily application/suppressive therapy. It stays in the skin and system longer, has slower evaporation. Its antiviral nature helps block receptor sites of the herpes virus and assists immune function.

These topical treatments can be beneficial for all cases of genital, oral, acute, chronic, or recurrent herpes infections. They also help to suppress excesses that take place in the urogenital tract or oral regions. You can learn more about natural plant medicine and herpes treatments on our website http://www.naturespharma.org.