Herpes simplex is a viral disease caused by herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Genital herpes, commonly known as herpes, is infection of the genitals with the herpes simplex virus. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD), mostly caused by HSV-2.
What Does Genital Herpes Look Like?
Once the HIV virus and AID’s became an epidemic, the public’s concern about the Herpes Simplex Virus took a back seat. However, reports have shown that Herpes affects an astounding number of people in the United States ever year. This article dwells on genital herpes, what its causes are and how it looks.
What Does Genital Herpes Look Like?
Nearly 30 million Americans carry a certain strain – the HSV-2 strain, which is primarily responsible for causing genital herpes. Yes, most people don’t even know that they are carriers. One of the main obstacles to preventing genital herpes is the lack of information surrounding this particular disease. Studies have shown that around one in ever six Americans carries the HSV-2 strain. So, while may in fact feel alone and isolated because you are suffering from genital herpes, it is very likely that someone who you know is also in the same boat; even they don’t know it yet.
What is this dreaded disease, herpes?
Well, herpes is a particular virus that has no cure or vaccine. On entering the body through the skin cells, this virus will then begin to multiply and will eventually cause a lot of irritation, sores and redness. When this initial outbreak subsides, the herpes virus will then travel to the spinal cord from the nerve endings, where it will then rest until recurrence, which will occur periodically. Despite this, it is indeed possible to live a happy and normal life with the herpes virus, and this would also include having an active sex life and normal childbirth.
What is Genital Herpes?
Though genital herpes is not what you would call deadly, it is an emotionally debilitating and physically painful disease. Those suffering from the painful sores of genital herpes will experience feelings of regret, undesirability, shame and isolation.
As a society, people don’t take well to STD’s. When people suffer from a lifelong STD, they tend to feel damaged and dirty, unapproachable and undesirable. Yes, most people suffering from genital herpes experience a dramatic drop in their self-esteem.
Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the HSV virus or the herpes simplex virus. HSV belongs to that family of viruses that also causes chickenpox, mononucleosis and shingles. There are essentially two types of Herpes viruses: HSV-1 that affects over 80% of the population in the United States, and HSV-2 that is generally found in the genitals. However, if a person with oral herpes (HSV-1) engages in oral sex, then it is very likely that his or her partner could contract HSV-1 genital herpes. And, HSV-2 could also infect a person's mouth through oral sex.
What Does Genital Herpes look like?
The HSV virus causes lesions or sores that appear around and even inside the vaginal area and cervix for women, and on the scrotum and penis for men. Both females and males could also get lesions and sores in the urinary tract, on the thighs and buttocks and around the anal opening. In some rare cases, sores and lesions have been discovered on other body parts as well.
The symptoms of genital herpes can vary in intensity and appearance. Most people don’t have any symptoms or experience very mild symptoms and they don’t even suspect that they have been infected. However, for the others, the initial stages of genital herpes can cause one or more lesions and skin eruptions that are very painful.
For many people, this first episode or primary infection can be very severe and can have more distinct symptoms that in any of the following recurrent episodes. During the first episode, the lesions will generally be accompanied by certain flu-like symptoms like headache, fever and body ache. Some people even experience difficult and painful urination and swollen glands in the groin. Women might experience abnormal vaginal discharge.
The lesions of genital herpes usually appears anywhere from two to ten days after the person is infected by the virus, and can last anywhere from two to four weeks. The first few symptoms of genital herpes are the peculiar small red bumps that later on develop into blisters. These blisters will then become painful open sores that will eventually dry up, crust over and will then heal without leaving any scars. In some cases, a second round of lesions appear.
Of growing concern is the increasing evidence that people suffering from genital herpes are now at a much greater risk of contracting HIV if they do have any form of unprotected sex with someone infected with the HIV virus. And likewise, HIV-infected people who also suffer from genital herpes may have severe outbreaks that are more frequent and their outbreak episodes may become increasingly difficult to treat.
What Does Genital Herpes Look Like?
Once the HIV virus and AID’s became an epidemic, the public’s concern about the Herpes Simplex Virus took a back seat. However, reports have shown that Herpes affects an astounding number of people in the United States ever year. This article dwells on genital herpes, what its causes are and how it looks.
What Does Genital Herpes Look Like?
Nearly 30 million Americans carry a certain strain – the HSV-2 strain, which is primarily responsible for causing genital herpes. Yes, most people don’t even know that they are carriers. One of the main obstacles to preventing genital herpes is the lack of information surrounding this particular disease. Studies have shown that around one in ever six Americans carries the HSV-2 strain. So, while may in fact feel alone and isolated because you are suffering from genital herpes, it is very likely that someone who you know is also in the same boat; even they don’t know it yet.
What is this dreaded disease, herpes?
Well, herpes is a particular virus that has no cure or vaccine. On entering the body through the skin cells, this virus will then begin to multiply and will eventually cause a lot of irritation, sores and redness. When this initial outbreak subsides, the herpes virus will then travel to the spinal cord from the nerve endings, where it will then rest until recurrence, which will occur periodically. Despite this, it is indeed possible to live a happy and normal life with the herpes virus, and this would also include having an active sex life and normal childbirth.
What is Genital Herpes?
Though genital herpes is not what you would call deadly, it is an emotionally debilitating and physically painful disease. Those suffering from the painful sores of genital herpes will experience feelings of regret, undesirability, shame and isolation.
As a society, people don’t take well to STD’s. When people suffer from a lifelong STD, they tend to feel damaged and dirty, unapproachable and undesirable. Yes, most people suffering from genital herpes experience a dramatic drop in their self-esteem.
Genital Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by the HSV virus or the herpes simplex virus. HSV belongs to that family of viruses that also causes chickenpox, mononucleosis and shingles. There are essentially two types of Herpes viruses: HSV-1 that affects over 80% of the population in the United States, and HSV-2 that is generally found in the genitals. However, if a person with oral herpes (HSV-1) engages in oral sex, then it is very likely that his or her partner could contract HSV-1 genital herpes. And, HSV-2 could also infect a person's mouth through oral sex.
What Does Genital Herpes look like?
The HSV virus causes lesions or sores that appear around and even inside the vaginal area and cervix for women, and on the scrotum and penis for men. Both females and males could also get lesions and sores in the urinary tract, on the thighs and buttocks and around the anal opening. In some rare cases, sores and lesions have been discovered on other body parts as well.
The symptoms of genital herpes can vary in intensity and appearance. Most people don’t have any symptoms or experience very mild symptoms and they don’t even suspect that they have been infected. However, for the others, the initial stages of genital herpes can cause one or more lesions and skin eruptions that are very painful.
For many people, this first episode or primary infection can be very severe and can have more distinct symptoms that in any of the following recurrent episodes. During the first episode, the lesions will generally be accompanied by certain flu-like symptoms like headache, fever and body ache. Some people even experience difficult and painful urination and swollen glands in the groin. Women might experience abnormal vaginal discharge.
The lesions of genital herpes usually appears anywhere from two to ten days after the person is infected by the virus, and can last anywhere from two to four weeks. The first few symptoms of genital herpes are the peculiar small red bumps that later on develop into blisters. These blisters will then become painful open sores that will eventually dry up, crust over and will then heal without leaving any scars. In some cases, a second round of lesions appear.
Of growing concern is the increasing evidence that people suffering from genital herpes are now at a much greater risk of contracting HIV if they do have any form of unprotected sex with someone infected with the HIV virus. And likewise, HIV-infected people who also suffer from genital herpes may have severe outbreaks that are more frequent and their outbreak episodes may become increasingly difficult to treat.
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