Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Genital Herpes
A variety of treatments offer relief from this common STD—find out what works best for your symptoms. According to research or other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.
- Test topical alternatives
For symptom relief and faster healing, try ointments containing zinc, lithium succinate, propolis, lemon balm, or aloe
- Try lysine
Taking 1,000 mg a day of this nutritional supplement may speed healing and help prevent outbreaks
- Use condoms
Gain added protection by using latex condoms when having sex
- Guard your partner
Avoid sexual contact during active infections to prevent infecting others
- Protect your unborn child
Let your doctor know if your infection becomes active near your delivery date to prevent passing the infection to your baby
Also indexed as:
- genital herpes,
- herpes simplex 2,
- herpes simplex type 2,
- herpes simplex type II infection,
- HSV-2 infection
About this treatment
About This Condition
Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted viral infection characterized by fluid filled blisters or red bumps in the genital area.
Genital herpes is caused by either of two types of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There is no known cure for herpes. Both conventional and alternative treatments only help in reducing the symptoms and frequency of outbreaks. Treatments effective for cold sores—which are also caused by the herpes virus—may or may not also be effective for genital herpes, because of possible differences in the type of herpes virus causing infections in different body locations.
Symptoms
People with genital herpes may have outbreaks of small, often painful, fluid-filled blisters (vesicles) in the genital or anal region. Fever, general weakness, and painful urination often accompany the initial occurrence. Subsequent outbreaks may appear with colds, fevers, menstrual periods, or during periods of stress, and usually disappear within two weeks. Initially there may be tingling or prickling at the site of the blisters even before they are visible, then the blisters often weep a clear fluid and form a scab.
Holistic Options
Stress plays a major role in the recurrence of genital herpes outbreaks. One preliminary study found that persistent stress (stress lasting more than seven days) increased the recurrence rate by about 25%, but another preliminary study found no connection between stress and genital herpes outbreaks. In addition, short-term stress, mood changes, and menstrual cycles do not appear to affect herpes recurrences. Treatments aimed in part at stress reduction may be helpful for treating genital herpes. One controlled trial showed that patients had fewer outbreaks, shorter episode duration, and less episode severity when they were treated with a series of sessions involving education about genital herpes, stress management, deep breathing exercises, and guided imagery. A preliminary study suggested that applied relaxation (a technique that guides the participant through a series of muscle relaxation exercises) reduces recurrences of genital herpes outbreaks. Two case reports indicate that self-hypnosis, practiced on a daily basis, helps ease the pain and severity of genital herpes lesions.
Last Review: 05-11-2011
Copyright © 2011 Aisle7. All rights reserved. www.Aisle7.net
Learn more about Aisle7, the company.
The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Self-treatment is not recommended for life-threatening conditions that require medical treatment under a doctor's care. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
Welcome to Care Circle, an exclusive tool to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here's how it works:
- Create profiles for yourself and your loved ones.
- Select the topics and conditions that interest each of you.
- Get customized news updates, original content, tools, and expert advice for each Care Circle member delivered directly to your personalized homepage.
The information you input is strictly private; you choose who has access to your Care Circle.
How do I add myself or someone else to my care circle?
Click on "Add someone." Fill out the short profile. Choose an avatar. Select the topics and conditions that interest this person from the pulldown menu. You can select as many as you want, but you must choose at least one. Click on "Add Someone" again. You should start getting updates immediately.
How do I save content to my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab of the person for whom you're saving content. Put your cursor over the piece of content that you want to save; a disk icon will appear in the righthand corner. Click on the disk and the piece of content will be moved to a save folder.
How do I add additional topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Add More to Follow," select additional topics and conditions.
How do I delete topics and conditions for someone in my Care Circle?
Click on "Manage My Care Circle." Select the tab for the person whose preferences you'd like to update. Under "Follows," scroll over the topic or condition you want to delete. An "X" should appear on the righthand side. Click on the "X" and the topic or condition will be deleted from the list.
To manage your Care Circle, Please
Sign In.
from
- Facebook is now fueling organ donations
- Military women and suicide: Home safe but not sound
- Still in gear: Injuries don’t stop veterans on 100-day bike trek
- Ask Jenna: I've hit a weight loss plateau. What do I do?
- He poses in a tutu to laugh in face of wife's cancer
- After chemo hair loss, 'henna crowns' help heal
The iVillage Network