Herpes Symptoms & How to Treat Them
Herpes is a very confusing condition, given that two principal types exist: genital and oral. It is often hard to know whether you have herpes and if so, what the most effective treatment options for your particular type are. The first step is to obtain a diagnosis to be sure you actually have the herpes virus. The reason is that many people who have herpes mistakenly believe that they have the flu or only a cold sore.
Although cold sores are very common, most people don’t visit their doctor or pharmacist to obtain treatment. Were you aware that cold sores are one form of herpes? You may also be suffering from a fever or body aches, without realizing that they are another symptom of herpes. Therefore, you may end up with recurring symptoms and inflammation outbreaks. That is why it is so important to obtain a correct diagnosis so you can start a treatment plan. This will help you lead a normal life and better manage your symptoms.
Even if you have herpes, you may not suffer from any symptoms. If your sexual partner has genital herpes, you should also get tested just in case. Additional possible herpes symptoms are sore joints, fever, blister-like sores, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. Discharge from your genital area is also a symptom of genital herpes.
You can contract herpes without it being sexually transmitted. For example, many young adults or children get cold sores, which can be contracted by a kiss on or near their mouth. If you touch an item such as a glass or towel that has been used by an individual who has herpes, the virus may also be spread to you. However, genital herpes can only be spread by sexual activity. The problem is that infected individuals may end up infecting their partner, even though they may not have any physical herpes symptoms.
It is very important that you learn the most common herpes symptoms and undergo testing if you notice any of them. You may feel very sick or have a high fever, whereas other infected individuals may not experience any bothersome symptoms. However, if you notice any pain or discharge in your genital area or swollen lymph nodes, be sure to talk to your doctor.
If you have been diagnosed with genital herpes, there are many medications available to help you manage symptoms and outbreaks. The three most common are Famvir, Valtrex and Zovirax, although new ones are currently being researched. Zovirax can treat shingles, chicken pox and herpes, although the treatment works better for some individuals with herpes than others. It is an antiviral medication that is safe for pregnant women, which will decrease the possibility of them having active lesions at the time of their baby’s birth.
Famvir is another antiviral medication that can help you to lessen your symptoms, although it can’t cure you of the herpes virus. However, if you have trouble absorbing glucose or suffer from kidney disease, you may not be able to take the drug. Pregnant women can also take Famvir, but it won’t stop genital herpes from spreading so you need to take sexual precautions.
This third option, Valtrex, can treat non-genital and genital herpes infections. It can be prescribed to adults or teenagers who have genital herpes or children with cold sores. Although pregnant women can take Valtrex, anyone with kidney problems, an immune system disease or HIV should talk to their doctor beforehand. This may not be the most suitable treatment option for you.
You don’t have to obtain a prescription if you want to treat your herpes symptoms, since many alternative therapies are also available. For example, you can make follow a diet that is designed to strengthen your immune system or that is high in arginine or lysine or take nutritional supplements. These options can help you to greatly lessen your herpes symptoms.
