Facts Surrounding Genital Herpes And Information About Recurring Symptoms

Once an individual has the initial outbreak of genital herpes, the chances of recurring outbreaks are much higher. The frequency and severity of the outbreaks vary from individual to individual.

Some people experience several outbreaks throughout each year. Others only have one or two throughout their entire lifetime. The number of outbreaks someone experiences can change over time.

Most people have more outbreaks during the first year they have genital herpes than they do later in life

On average, most people tend to have around four or five outbreaks a year, with outbreaks lessoning in frequency and severity with time. Suppressive genital herpes treatment is recommended for people who have between seven and ten outbreaks a year. For people who experience between seven and ten outbreaks a year, but don’t want to take anti-viral medication every day, they may consider episodic treatment.

At times when an individual is not experiencing symptoms, the herpes virus is most likely sitting in the nerves at the base of their spine. In this case, the virus is considered to be inactive. When the virus becomes active, it travels down the nerve fibers to the skin in an area near the site of the first outbreak. Sores, bumps or redness might appear in the outbreak area.   Some people also experience burning, itching and pain around the genital area.

Silent outbreaks are outbreaks without symptoms. Individuals are still contagious during silent outbreaks. The herpes virus can also be shed from sores which cannot be seen. The virus can also be shed in fluids from the penis, vagina and mouth.

Individuals diagnosed with genital herpes are urged to wear a condom during all sexual intercourse, whether or not the virus is dormant.

Trigger factors vary from person to person, but experts believe some of the following may be triggers for outbreaks:

•    Menstrual cycle
•    Emotional stress
•    Physical stress
•    Sexual intercourse
•    Injury
•    Sunlight
•    Another illness, especially with fever
•    Surgical trauma
•    Steroidal medication (like asthma medication)
•    Poor diet

Genital herpes can be very unpleasant to deal with. Prevention is key to avoiding contracting genital herpes. If you have been diagnosed with genital herpes, your immune system may be weak. It may not be a cure for your herpes infection, but working hard to strengthen your immune system can definitely be helpful. Studies show that people with stronger immune systems may carry the virus, but experience no outbreaks or symptoms with the virus remaining dormant.

Make sure you seek medical treatment immediately if you feel you have genital herpes.

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Facts Surrounding Genital Herpes And Information About Recurring Symptoms

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