Herpes-What, Symptoms and Treatment for Cure.
What is Herpes?
Herpes is a common viral infection caused by Herpes Simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of HSV, HSV type 1 and HSV type 2. HSV type 1 causes oral herpes or cold sores, which generally appear on or around the mouth and HSV type 2 causes genital herpes or genital sores, which generally appear in the genital area. The HSV virus generally spreads through sexual contact and skin-to-skin contact.
Oral herpes often referred to as cold sores or fever blisters are tiny, clear, fluid-filled blisters that most often appear on face or around the mouth. They may also develop in wounds on the skin. Oral herpes infects about 50 to 80 percent of the American population. Genital sores generally appear in the genital area like the buttocks, penis, vagina, or cervix. Sexual contact is the primary cause of getting genital herpes. You can get the infection from two to twenty days after contact with an infected person. It causes a minor rash or painful, itching sores. About one-fifth of the Americans aged 12 and adults are infected with genital herpes. Sometimes people infected by oral or genital herpes only have one outbreak. But some people may have many outbreaks, which are less painful and shorter than the initial outbreak.
Symptoms of Herpes
Symptoms of herpes vary from person to person and usually develop within 2 to 20 days after contact with the virus and may last up to several weeks. Many people infected with herpes don’t even know that they are infected since they never have any symptoms of herpes. The most common symptoms preceding a herpes outbreak are itching, tingling and pins-and-needles sensations. When the virus gets into the skin cells it starts multiplying. As a result the skin becomes red, sensitive and soon blisters or sores appear. The sores may itch or burn and the area may become painful. Usually within 1-3 weeks, these sores crust over, form a scab, and heal. In case of oral herpes these sores develop on the lips, mouth, throat, tongue, and gums. In genital herpes they develop on thighs, buttocks, anus, around the vagina or on the penis. The other common symptoms of herpes may include:
- Flu-like symptoms or mild fever
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Swollen glands
- Lower back pain
- Burning sensation during urination
The first herpes outbreak in men usually lasts for about two weeks while in women it lasts for about three weeks. The later outbreak is less painful compared to the first and lasts for 3-7 days.
Treatment for cure of Herpes
At present there is no treatment for the cure of herpes. But there are some treatments for cure of herpes, which can reduce the symptoms and shorten the length of the herpes outbreak. They will not cure herpes permanently but definitely reduce its frequency. There are 3 types of treatment available.
Medication treatment for cure of herpes
One of such medication called antiviral medications helps to stop the virus from multiplying on the surface of the skin. This in turn effectively reduces the length of time that the virus is on the skin during a herpes outbreak. At present there are 3 antiviral medications available for cure of herpes. They are in tablet form and include:
- Acyclovir: This medication can be administered either through pills, injections or topical creams, depending on the location of the outbreak. Of the three, pills are generally taken for treatment of genital herpes. However repeated doses may cause some side effects. Injections can cause blood clots at the place where the injection is taken and topical treatment is less effective. This medication can't cure herpes, but make a person feel better and shorten the duration of the outbreak.
- Valacyclovir: This medication actually uses acyclovir as its active ingredient. It is converted into acyclovir as it reaches the liver and intestines. As a result the body absorbs much of the drug at a time, which in turn has the advantage of taking the medication fewer times during the day.
- Famciclovir: This medication used for the treatment of herpes is less effective compared to acyclovir and uses penciclovir as its active ingredient to stop herpes virus from replicating. Like valacyclovir, it is also persists for a longer time in the body, and can be taken less frequently than acyclovir.
Episodic treatment for cure of herpes
Episodic treatment involves taking medication at the first sign of outbreak and continuing it for several days, in order to prevent an outbreak from fully occurring. The antiviral medications mentioned above help to reduce the length and severity of symptoms. This treatment may benefit to some people since it offers a useful way to manage outbreaks by cutting the length of an outbreak by a day or two.
Suppressive treatment for cure of herpes
Suppressive treatment involves taking antiviral medication daily to reduce the chance of an outbreak occurring. Continuous suppressive treatment is useful, particularly for those who have frequent recurrences and those concerned about passing herpes on to a new partner. Suppressive treatment is found to be safe and effective.