HERPES
Most people who have herpes have no, or very mild symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they can include blisters on the genitals or sores around the mouth, which sometimes could be mistaken for another skin condition, such as a pimple or ingrown hair. Because of this, most people who have herpes do not know it.
Symptoms
Symptoms can last up to 20 days and may include:
-
Blisters and ulceration on the cervix.
-
Vaginal discharge.
-
Flu-like symptoms. Fever, muscle aches, or swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck (oral herpes) or groin (genital herpes) are possible.
-
Problems urinating. People (most often women) with genital herpes may have trouble urinating or have a burning feeling while urinating.
-
Malaise (feeling unwell).
-
Cold sores around the mouth.
-
Red blisters - these are generally painful; they soon burst and leave ulcers on the external genital area, thighs, buttocks, and rectum.
Prevention
If you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances of getting herpes:
-
Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and has negative STD test results.
-
Using latex condoms the right way every time you have sex.
-
Do not have sex while symptoms are present (genital, anal, or skin-to-skin).
-
Do not kiss when there is a cold sore around the mouth.
-
Do not have many sexual partners.
Treatment
There is no cure for herpes. Once a person has the virus, it remains in the body. The virus lies latent in the nerve cells until something triggers it to become active again. These herpes “outbreaks,” which can include the painful herpes sores, can be controlled with medication.
Treatment for genital herpes will depend on whether you have the infection for the first time (a primary infection) or your symptoms keep coming back (a recurrent outbreak).
Culled from Staywellworld blog post dated February 23, 2017.
To learn more, click on
https://www.staywellworld.org/post/2017/02/23/beware-of-herpes-an-incurable-std