Treating Genital Herpes - Initial Treatment

In their lifetimes, most human beings will be exposed to a herpes virus. Consultation with a physician or other healthcare provider is the first important step in getting treatment for herpes. Genital herpes affects at least forty-five million people in the United States who are infected with the herpes simplex virus (HSV). According to the CDC, one out of five teenagers and adults is infected with genital herpes. Genital herpes is more common in women than in men affecting one woman out of every four. It's estimated that over 500,000 new cases of HSV occur every year.

For an initial diagnosis and treatment of genital herpes it’s important to contact your physician or healthcare professional at the first sign of symptoms.

The initial symptoms and treatment: A few days following the initial symptoms, sores or lesions erupt at the site of the infection. These sores can occur inside the vagina or on the cervix in women, as well as in the urinary passage in both men and women. Genital herpes lesions may first appear as small red bumps that develop into blisters which become painful, open sores. After several days these sores become crusted and then heal without scarring.

The first episode of genital herpes can also include symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, urinary pain or difficulty, and swollen glands in the groin area.

After genital herpes invades the skin or mucous membranes, the virus travels to the sensory nerves at the end of the spinal cord where it remains inside the nerve cells in an inactive state. Most people experience a monthly recurrence of symptoms. During a recurrent episode of genital herpes the virus travels along the nerves to the skin where it multiplies at or near the site of the original herpes lesions, causing new sores to appear.

To find out if someone has genital herpes, a doctor or nurse will usually carry out the following examinations and tests a clinical examination will be done of a patient’s genital area. A sample will be taken, using a cotton wool or spongy swab, from any visible sores. Women may be given an internal pelvic examination (similar to a smear test). A sample of urine may be taken.

If the patient’s symptoms have already disappeared, or if there were no symptoms to begin with, a blood test can be taken to look for the virus. As in HIV diagnosis, the test works by searching for antibodies that the immune system produces to fight the virus. This means that the test is not effective until 3 months after exposure, as the body can take up to 3 months to produce an immune response.

It is possible to have more than one sexually transmitted infection at the same time, so it is advisable to have a full check-up.

Samples taken during an examination are sent to a laboratory for testing, and the result is usually available within 2 weeks, although this varies between countries.

After the first treatment, work with your doctor to come up with the best way to take antiviral therapies.

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Treating Genital Herpes - Initial Treatment – What Can You Expect?

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