A Practical Approach to Living with Herpes

There is no cure for herpes, and if you have this viral disease the only treatment plan available is to find ways to make it bearable to continue living with herpes. This viral disease stays dormant at times and you will not experience visible symptoms until another outbreak occurs.

Symptoms of Herpes

The herpes viral disease can occur in several areas on the body, and the most common locations for herpes outbreaks are on the mouth or the genital area. Typically, the symptoms will begin with mild irritation or a sensation of tingling or discomfort in the area. Within a few hours, blisters will begin to form and spread around the localized area, and eventually the blisters will crust over.

Even though herpes can occur orally or on the genitals, it does not mean that person is living with herpes in both locations. In fact, it is very common for the symptoms to only appear in one place, so oral sores may not lead to genital sores. If you are experiencing a current outbreak, be cautious to not allow the oral sores to come in contact with the genital area, either through oral sex or touching your mouth followed by touching the genital area.

Living with herpes can be very uncomfortable, because during the outbreak you will experience itching, tingling, burning, and pain. This viral disease will always be present in your body, which means that can outbreak may occur at any time.

Even though the viral disease symptoms are not always present, you will still be living with herpes because the virus has not gone away, it is only dormant. Certain activities may trigger the viral disease to present symptoms, and herpes trigger factors may include:

• Irritation in the local area. If you have oral herpes (also known as cold sores), living with herpes can be embarrassing because the sores are very visible. These sores may occur when the skin is irritated or stretched, so some people experience outbreaks after visiting the dentist. Genital herpes may be triggered by sex, because the skin is irritated which causes thee viral disease to present symptoms.
• Hormonal changes. Doctors are unsure why, but there are many indications that changes in the hormonal balance within the body may result in an outbreak of this viral disease. If you are living with herpes, it is a good idea to balance your hormones in order to prevent future outbreaks.
• Weak immune system. Herpes outbreaks can occur when a person’s immune system is compromised. A weakened immune system can occur from chemotherapy or HIV, or even a common cold can weaken the immune system enough to cause an outbreak.
• Sunlight. Exposure to sunlight may increase the risk of an oral herpes outbreak.

Living With Herpes Tips

Once the symptoms of this viral disease occur, it is important that you understand that you will be living with herpes and being the process of preventing future outbreaks. Herpes outbreaks can be prevented by avoiding the trigger factors listed above.

Additionally, herpes may be treated with medical options, such as over the counter or prescription strength drugs. It is best to consult with your doctor before starting a medical treatment plan.

Living with herpes can be just fine, especially because you will not be experiencing symptoms of this viral disease at all times. In fact, most people only have sporadic outbreaks, and most of the time they are fine living with herpes because they are not experiencing any active blisters or sores.