overview
Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Sexual contact is the main way the virus spreads. After the initial infection, the virus lies dormant in your body and can be reactivated several times a year.
Genital herpes can cause pain, itching, and sores in the genital area. However, you may not have any signs or symptoms of genital herpes. When infected, you can be contagious even if you don’t have any visible wounds.
There is no cure for genital herpes, but medications can relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of contracting others. Condoms can also help prevent genital herpes infection from spreading.
symptoms
- Photography of genital herpes blisters on a penis
- Genital herpes Open the popup dialog
- Most people with HSV don’t know they have it because they have no signs or symptoms, or because their signs and symptoms are so mild.
If present, symptoms can begin around two to 12 days after exposure to the virus. If you have symptoms of genital herpes, these may include:
Pain or itching. You may feel pain and tenderness in your genital area until the infection goes away.
Small red bumps or tiny white blisters. These can occur a few days to a few weeks after infection.
Ulcers. These can form when the blisters burst and ooze or bleed. Ulcers can make urination painful.
Crusts. The skin crusts and crusts as the ulcers heal. Genital herpes Treatment in Hyderabad
The reasons
Two types of herpes simplex virus infections can cause genital herpes:
- HSV-1. This is the type that usually causes cold sores or cold sores around the mouth. HSV-1 is often transmitted through skin contact, although it can spread to your genital area during oral sex. Recurrences are much less common than with HSV-2 infection.
- HSV-2. This is the type that usually causes genital herpes. The virus is spread through sexual and skin-to-skin contact. HSV-2 is very common and very contagious whether or not you have an open wound.
Risk factors
Your risk of contracting genital herpes may increase if you:
- Are a woman. Women are more likely to have genital herpes than men. The virus is more easily transmitted sexually from men to women than from women to men.
- Have multiple sexual partners. Any additional sexual partner increases the risk of exposure to the virus that causes genital herpes. Genital herpes Treatment in Hyderabad
preventions
The suggestions for preventing genital herpes are the same as for preventing other sexually transmitted infections: Refrain from all sexual activity or limit sexual contact to someone who is not infected. Apart from that, you can:
- Use or ask your partner to use a latex condom every time you have sexual contact
- Avoid sex if either partner has a herpes outbreak in the genital area or elsewhere.