Why Should You Take Herpes Seriously: 7 Reasons

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When dealing with herpes, you should know that it can be severe. It is not something that you’ll be cured of overnight, and there is no magic pill to make the symptoms of the virus go away. Yet, if you are facing a severe case of genital herpes, then there are things that you need to do to keep yourself healthy and safe. Here we address the critical issues about this disease.

What Is Herpes?

Herpes is a common infection that most people have. It’s usually caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). This is a tiny, single-celled organism in the body’s mucous membranes. Herpes affects the skin or mouth and causes blisters to form on the skin. The blisters break open when you scratch your skin and leave sores on your mouth or genitals. So why should you take this virus seriously?

1. Herpes Has Been Identified as a Cause of Cancer

Herpes is an infection that affects the skin and mucous membranes. It is caused by HSV-1, which also causes cold sores and fever blisters, and HSV-2, which causes genital herpes.

Cancer of the cervix. According to a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), herpes may cause cervical cancer. This is because the virus can infect cells in the cervix that line the uterus, causing them to multiply. Besides, some studies have found that women with a history of genital herpes are more likely to develop cervical cancer than those who do not have it.

Cervical cancer can spread quickly if left untreated or if it spreads from one part of the body to another through contact with fluids in the area where it grows. This is true during menstruation when there is more exchange between cells on different sides of your body.

2. You Can Transfer the Disease Without Knowing

The virus spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s body fluids, such as saliva or semen. You can get herpes if you touch the blisters or sores of a person with active herpes. The virus can also be passed from person to person when one has an active cold sore or fever blister in their mouth. This is called ‘oral infection.’

You can also get herpes from kissing someone who has an open sore in their mouth. This is called ‘oral-to-genital’ transmission of the virus (OIGT). If you have OIGT and do not know that your partner has a genital outbreak, you will be infectious and irritate your partner’s genital areas. You may think that you don’t risk getting herpes because you haven’t had symptoms yet, but remember that even if you’ve never had symptoms before, it doesn’t mean they won’t start soon.

3. Herpes Symptoms Can Be Mild

Herpes can cause serious health problems if left untreated. If you have active symptoms, you must see a doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you get a natural herpes treatment within 72 hours after the first signs appear, the more likely you will recover completely from your infection.

You can prevent genital herpes in women by using condoms every time you have sex. But this isn’t guaranteed to keep all infections from happening. Condoms also do not protect against spreading oral herpes to your genitals if you have an active cold sore in your mouth or throat while having oral sex with an infected partner.

Signs and Symptoms of Herpes 

Some herpes symptoms are similar to those of a vaginal yeast infection.

• The first sign of herpes is usually a tingling, burning, or itching sensation that develops on the skin or inside the mouth. In most cases, this initial symptom is mild and short-lived. However, in some cases, it can be severe, causing pain and discomfort.
• You can get sore or blister on the skin, especially on the genitals, anus, or mouth.
• Sores that are watery, painful, and may ooze fluid. These sores can happen anywhere on the body but are often found around the lips and nose.
• Itching or pain if you have frequent outbreaks in the affected area
• A red area with a white center that looks like a pimple but doesn’t go away when you press on it. 
• A raised bump that does not go away when you press on it. This is usually located on the vulva, penis, or vagina. The nodes typically appear before sores and often have an odor or other symptoms like itching or burning.

4. You Can Get Herpes From Someone Who Doesn’t Have Symptoms

You can also get the virus from an infected person even if they don’t have any symptoms. For example, if a person with genital herpes has a cold or flu, they may not realize that their blisters are caused by herpes. If this happens, the virus can spread to other areas of the body where there are no visible signs of infection.

People with genital herpes can infect others without knowing it. This is called asymptomatic viral shedding, and it can lead to the transmission of HSV-2 infections in those who are not symptomatic but have high antibodies against HSV-2 (the virus).

5. It Can Cause Blindness

The herpes virus causes sores on the skin and in the genital area. While most people recover from herpes, the virus can lie dormant for years and flare up in a new location. This means you could have herpes for years before finding it and then getting it again later in life. When left untreated, these conditions can become more severe and even life-threatening. If left untreated, herpes can lead to blindness or deafness due to nerve damage or cataracts due to inflammation of the cornea.

6. Herpes Is More Common in Women Than Men

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Herpes boosts your chances of getting other STDs, like HIV and gonorrhea. That’s because herpes makes it easier for these infections to spread from one person to another. And if you’re having sex with someone with an STD, you might also catch one.

Additionally, herpes can make it more likely that you’ll get HPV. This is another sexually transmitted infection that causes genital warts and can lead to cancer of the cervix or vulva in some women. Herpes can also cause severe problems during pregnancy, including miscarriage or premature delivery. So if you’re pregnant, talk with your doctor about how to protect yourself and your baby against herpes.

7. A Herpes Infection Can Lead to Serious Health Complications

The most common health complication caused by herpes is an outbreak of blisters and sores on the mouth or genitals. These sores may be painful but usually, go away within a few days. But, in some cases, the virus stays in your body and can cause problems like cold sores on the face or buttocks. The virus can also spread to other parts of your body through breaks in the skin.

Conclusion 

If you are one of the millions of men and women who have this virus, you must take it seriously. It can have many effects on your life. You do not want to live limited by this STD, but you can. If you catch this early enough, it can be cured with a simple pill. So if you think you may have gotten HSV-1 or HSV-2, make your doctor aware immediately. Once it becomes active, the only genital herpes treatment option is a daily pill dosage for the rest of your life, unless one of the newer herpes treatments comes about!