Genital herpes, also known as Sexual Herpes, is a skin disease caused by the Herpes Simplex virus (HSV). At first, the disease only causes mild symptoms or even no obvious signs. Therefore, there are many cases when patients only know when they turn to a severe stage that they are sick.
What is genital herpes? What are the signs of genital herpes? Can medicine prevent disease? To better understand this pathology, find out the useful information below!
Learning About Genital Herpes
What is genital herpes? Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. Having genital herpes on the tongue or genital herpes will cause sores and blisters to appear on the surface of the skin, which can be around the lips, tongue, genitals, or anus.
There are some cases, when infected with HSV, but do not cause ulcers or other signs that make patients not know they have the disease.
Can male genital herpes cure? Genital herpes is a very difficult condition, there are now a number of drugs that can shorten the recurrence of the disease, limit further damage, or prevent it develop but cannot completely destroy this virus.
The cause of genital herpes is the Herpes Simplex virus (HSV). In which, there are 2 types of HSV causing herpes genitalia are HSV-1 and HSV-2.
HSV-1 is the cause of the ulcer appearing mainly in the lips, mouth, and eyes of the patient and is more common, common in young women. HSV-2 is a common cause of genital herpes concentrated in the genital area.
Path Of The Herpes Virus
The HSV virus is transmitted to healthy people through direct contact with herpes sores on an infected person’s body, usually during sexual, oral, or anal sex. There are some cases where HSV exists on the skin even though there are no ulcers, when the healer is exposed to the virus on the patient’s skin it is still possible to become infected.
After the first infection, the Herpes virus will persist in the body and begin to migrate to nerve cells located near the spine and stay there, waiting until conditions such as the immune system are favorable. of the weakened body they will start to work vigorously.
At this point, the virus continues to move along the nerves to return to where it first entered the body to cause a new outbreak of ulcers and the formation of blisters. During a relapse, the virus continues to pass on to others if given the chance.
Symptoms Of Genital Herpes
According to statistics, more than 10% of people infected with the HSV virus but do not show signs of recognition. Only when there is an opportunity like the sick person declining health, illness, fatigue, depression, after surgery, allergies … will this virus outbreak into a disease.
The typical symptoms of genital herpes are sores that appear on the genitals or inside the mouth. However, most genital herpes doesn’t show any signs.
Symptoms of male genital herpes
In the foreskin, foreskin canal, urethral opening, or possibly along the shaft of the penis, will appear red blisters like blisters or red blisters after the onset of infection from 2 to 7 days. or maybe longer.
In areas of the skin that are damaged by genital herpes skin, it will make the patient feel very painful, and there are even cases where the patient experiences more serious symptoms than fever, muscle pain. bone, headache, and painful urination.
When not diagnosed and treated early, this herpes will form clusters or patches of spherical or circular shapes and gradually change from red to white or yellowish.
Over the next few days, these bumps will begin to burst, creating scaly sores, making the pain worse. These sores will dry and scab in about 5 days to 2 weeks depending on the case. Although the sores can go away on their own, the chance of a recurrence is very high.
Symptoms of female genital herpes
Similar to men, after 2-7 days or even longer, women also begin to appear red blisters on the skin, causing itching and pain in the vagina such as the vagina, the household, urethra, small lips, and cervix.
In the early stages, these sores are just small red blisters or blisters that cause pain in the affected area.
But over the next few days, these blisters will form pus and rupture creating ulcers that increase pain. Then, these sores will scab over and go away on their own. However, this symptom can still recur when the disease recurs in the future.
In addition to the typical symptoms of ulcers, female genital herpes can also cause the accompanying symptoms of feeling tired, swollen lymph nodes, mild fever, and headache.
Is Genital Herpes Dangerous?
Is Genital Herpes Dangerous? For adults with genital herpes, besides skin sores, the disease usually does not cause dangerous complications. But painful, itchy sensation in the damaged skin will affect the patient’s life.
Especially during sex, herpes can be painful, causing the person to lose pleasure and have difficulty with going to the toilet. When these sores rupture, the patient may experience bloody urine or pus.
For pregnant women, getting genital herpes can cause pregnancy complications. In the case of leaking or ruptured ulcers can be spread to the baby through the vagina, affecting the baby such as blurred vision, brain damage, and even increasing the risk of death.
Primary herpes and herpes that appear on the cervix can lead to undesirable conditions such as miscarriage or premature birth.
During an outbreak, the disease is easily spread to others only until the damaged area has healed completely, this risk decreases. Despite using a condom, it’s still possible to spread through contact if the cold sore grows around the genitals.
Treatment of Genital Herpes
Can genital herpes go away on its own? Genital herpes can go away on its own after an outbreak but is still likely to recur under favorable conditions because the virus is still present in the patient’s body.
To treat genital herpes, to reduce the risk of disease recurrence, depending on the case, the doctor will prescribe some antiviral drugs, aimed at shortening the duration and severity of the disease. future outbreaks.
A doctor may resort to suppressive therapy by administering medication to the patient daily to reduce the number of recurrences.
In some cases, inhibitory therapy has a very positive effect, possibly preventing outbreaks for a long time. It can also reduce the chance of passing the herpes virus on to others.
To limit the risk of transmitting the herpes virus to sexual partners, patients should pay attention to take the following steps:
- Talk to your partner clearly about genital herpes.
- It is a contagious condition that can be transmitted even when there are no skin sores. Using a condom can reduce the risk of infection, but it is not an absolute safety measure.
- Using suppressive therapy can limit your chances of spreading to others.
- When symptoms of outbreaks or sores appear, you should avoid having sex for a few days before and after a few days until the blisters and scabs disappear.
- Wash hands with soap after contact with damaged skin.
Hopefully, through this article, we can share with you the important information about genital herpes, the signs to recognize in order to promptly control the disease from the first stage. Do not hesitate to see a dermatologist to be diagnosed and advised the most appropriate treatment according to the condition.
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The site cannot and does not contain medical advice. The medical information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information. We encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals.