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for Oral and Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease mainly caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Sexual contact is the major route of the spread of this virus. The virus remains inactive after the initial infection and can be reactivated after years. In some cases, the patient might have blisters and open sores in the genital areas, whereas, in others, the patient might remain asymptomatic for prolonged periods. The typical feature of genital herpes is that you remain contagious even if you do not have any visible sores.

Genital herpes primarily spreads through sexual contact. The transmission mainly occurs when a healthy person comes in contact with an infected partner who does not have visible lesions and is unaware of the condition. In addition to this, the two types of viruses that can cause genital herpes are listed below:

• HSV-1: HSV-1 spreads through skin-to-skin contact and can affect the genitals during oral sex. It usually causes fever, cold sores, and blisters.
• HSV-2: It spreads through sexual and skin-to-skin contact and causes genital herpes. It is commonly seen and is highly contagious.

People usually experience blisters in and around thier genitals in genital herpes. This phase is known as the outbreak. During this period, the blisters break and turn into painful sores that may heal after one or more weeks. Some people might not know that they are suffering from herpes becuase the symptoms are very mild. The symptoms develop 2 to 12 days after exposure to the virus. So, if you have genital herpes, you are likely to experince the following:

• Pain and itching in the genitals.
• Red bumps or white blisters.
• Ulcers and scabs in the genitals.

Antiviral medications are available, but there is no specific cure for genital herpes. Treatment with prescription antiviral medications can only reduce the outbreaks but cannot permanently cure genital herpes. Herpes is incurable or challenging to cure because of the nature of the virus. The virus enters the body easily, can hide in the patient's nerve cells, and remains dormant for several months or years.

You can avail certain prescription drugs for genital herpes via iCliniq First. However, please note that we only prescribe specific drugs, and only for eligible patients. For more information on available drug options or your eligibility for them, consult a doctor at iCliniq First.

As a virus causes genital herpes, it is challenging to purchase antiviral medications without a doctor's prescription. Over-the-counter drugs and creams are not recommended for genital herpes because they interfere with healing and cause herpes outbreaks to last longer. However, there is only one over-the-counter cream named Docosanol available that have been approved by the FDA as it accelerates the healing procedure. In addition to the cream, the patient must keep the area dry and clean and wear loose undergarments. You can consult a doctor to know more about the prescription medications to treat genital herpes.

Treatment for genital herpes may vary depending on the type, severity, and individual factors. If you’re concerned or confused, speak with one of our doctors, who will provide you with an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan. Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, and Famciclovir are used antiviral medications against genital herpes. People start taking these medications at the first sign of an outbreak and continue taking them for several days to hasten the healing process. If a person wants to suppress or eliminate the herpes outbreak, he might take antiviral medications daily to ease his symptoms.

Oral herpes is a common mouth infection caused by the herpes virus. The patient experiences painful sores on the lips, gums, tongue, cheek, and the roof of the mouth. It can also cause fever and muscle aches. Oral herpes can affect people of any age group, but children between one to two years are more vulnerable. The herpes simplex virus is highly contagious, and people contract it by touching the infected saliva, mucous membrane, and skin.

Herpes is an infectious and highly contagious disease. Though antiviral medications are available to treat herpes infection, these medications are not sufficient enough to kill the virus. These medications only manage the outbreaks without removing the root cause of the disease. Several experiments are being conducted on animals, but it will take a long time, or approximately three years, to conduct human trials. The researchers are working on gene therapy to permanently cure herpes, but nothing can be commented about the exact date of these experiments on humans.

People with herpes usually have one or more blisters in and around the genitals or rectum. Some might experience warning signs 48 hours before an outbreak. When these blisters burst, they form ulcers, and people notice genital pain, tingling sensation, or shooting pain in the legs and buttocks. The pain usually occurs a few days before the eruption of the herpetic lesions. Sometimes, the pain might radiate from the buttocks to the knees.

Herpes is mainly caused by herpes simplex-1 (HSV1) and herpes simplex-2 (HSV2) viruses. Therefore, a swab, blood, and lumbar puncture test can be done if a person is symptomatic. However, people suffering from only HSV-1 are likely to receive a false positive test for HSV-2. Immunoglobin M (IgM) tests can cross-react with other viruses like varicella-zoster virus and cytomegalovirus, resulting in misleading or false positive results.