Home Care Measures

First, simple self-care may be enough to relieve most discomfort caused by genital herpes. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, can help ease the pain of herpes symptoms. Doctors sometimes recommend soaking the affected area in warm water. But the area should be kept dry most of the time. If toweling off after bathing is uncomfortable, try using a hair dryer. Then put on cotton underwear. Cotton absorbs moisture better than synthetic fabric does.

You may ask these common questions when you’ve just found out you have genital herpes. Find some answers below.

If I continue to have sex, will I infect my partner?

It’s certainly possible. You can reduce the risk to your partner by having sex only when you have no symptoms. However, the virus can still be contagious without any noticeable symptoms such as sores or a rash on the skin. That’s why you should always use a latex condom. A condom does not completely eliminate the risk, because it may not cover an affected area, but it does offer some protection.

Taking antiviral medications acyclovir (Zovirax), Valtrex, and Famvir can make symptoms appear less often and make them less severe. There is some evidence that these drugs also may protect against transmission.

Is there any way to get rid of the virus?

There is no cure for genital herpes. Unless scientists find one in the future, you will always have the virus. But taking antiviral drugs can help manage your condition. Ask your doctor about treatment options.

How serious is my condition?

Genital herpes can be painful, inconvenient, and upsetting, but it’s not considered a life-threatening condition. Even so, it may increase your risk of getting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, because the sores are prime spots for HIV to get into your body. What’s more, being infected with HIV and the herpes virus may make both diseases worse.

A pregnant woman can pass genital herpes on to her baby, so it’s particularly serious during pregnancy. If you get infected near the end of pregnancy, the risk is highest. At least 30% and as many as 50% of newly infected pregnant women give the virus to their babies. For moms who were infected long before delivery, the risk is much lower. Less than 1% of babies born to mothers with an older genital herpes infection get the virus. Also, doctors usually will perform a cesarean section if a woman is having an outbreak at the time of delivery.

You may have heard that genital herpes causes cervical cancer. That’s not exactly true. It may be a factor, but it’s not the main cause.

How often will I have symptoms?

That depends on the type of herpes virus you have. After being infected, people with herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) tend to have far fewer and less severe outbreaks than those infected with herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2). Both types can cause genital herpes. Many people never have symptoms, and don’t even know they are infected.

In those who do have symptoms, how often they will appear and how long they will last varies greatly from person to person. Stress, illness, menstruation, and various other things can trigger a flare-up.

What should I tell my partner?

You should tell any sex partner that you have genital herpes. It’s important to learn all you can about genital herpes and share that information. Then you and your partner can make an informed decision about sex. Tell a partner that there is always a chance of getting the virus from you, but that there are ways to reduce the risk, such as using latex condoms and avoiding sex when you have symptoms.

There are plenty of reasons why you should communicate openly. Your partner may have infected you, and he or she should know. It may also help your relationship in the long run. Your partner is likely to appreciate your honesty.

When breaking the news, explain how common genital herpes is: About one in five adults in the U.S. are infected. You can say it’s like having cold sores on the mouth (which 50% to 80% of all adults in the U.S. have), except the virus has infected your genitals. It will also help if you’re calm when talking to your partner and approach the discussion with a positive attitude: “I think we can work this out so that we’ll both be happy,” not, “This will probably tear us apart, but….”

If you were sexually intimate with your partner before you were diagnosed, he or she should be tested for the virus.

Where can I find support?

Many resources are available for people living with genital herpes. A good place to start is the CDC National STD/HIV Hotline: 1-800-227-8922. Also, talk to your doctor about any concerns you have.

If You Are Newly Diagnosed

• What type of herpes virus do I have?
• How long have I been infected?
• Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases?
• How can I keep my partner from becoming infected?
• How soon should my partner be tested?
• How often can I expect to have symptoms? How will they affect my daily life?
• Should I start taking medication? If not now, when should I consider it?
• Will herpes complicate any other health problems I have?
• Can I still plan to have children?
• Can you recommend a support group or a counselor to help me deal with my diagnosis?

If You Are Living With Outbreaks

• Would I benefit from taking herpes suppression drugs every day, or should I take medication only when I have flare-ups?
• Which drug would be the best choice for me, and why?
• What are the possible side effects?
• What should I do if my medication causes problems or doesn’t work well?
• Is there anything else I can use to relieve my symptoms?
• What can trigger outbreaks? Can I make lifestyle changes to help prevent them?
• How often should my long-term partner be tested? How soon should a new partner wait to have a test?
• What should I do if I want to have children?
• Should I join a clinical trial for an experimental therapy?
• Can you recommend a support group or a counselor to help me work through this?

If Your Partner Has Herpes

• If I have been infected, how long would it take for the virus to show up in tests?
• Is it possible to have a “false negative” test result? How can I be sure that my test result is accurate?
• Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases?
• How likely am I to be infected by my partner? What can we do to reduce the risk?
• If I keep having sex with my partner, how often should I be tested?
• If I become infected, would my partner and I have to change our sexual routine?
• What symptoms should I watch for?
• Can I still plan to have children with my partner?
• What can I do to help my partner manage the condition?
• Can you recommend a support group or a counselor to help me come to terms with this?

The second issue is a little more complex, and it concerns a mother who actually gets infected with herpes during the pregnancy. This specific situation is much more serious and actually entails the predominant number of infants who do badly due to exposure to herpes virus during pregnancy.

Generally, raising children if you have herpes is not a problem. It is wise to use appropriate precautions while you are having outbreaks. Read the section on non-sexual transmission of herpes for more guidelines on this

The chlorine that is in pools, hot tubs, and shower water kills virus. Soap of course instantly kills virus. One can find occasional reports of people who claim that they have contracted herpes from a hot tub. But, such a case must be extremely rare. Cases of facial herpes have been reported to have been transmitted during rugby playing, presumably because of an infected player transmitting it to other players.

The infected person should be encouraged to use good sense and to not place others at risk when symptoms are obvious. Infected persons should understand their responsibility to clean infected areas on their bodies well with soap and water and to refrain from contacting common household areas with the infected part of their bodies when active infection is present. At a time when they have an active infection on the genitalia, if they were to sit on a toilet seat that is used by others, it would be common courtesy to clean the toilet seat after use with either alcohol or soap and water on a clean cloth and then set the cloth aside to be laundered in a hot wash.