Herpes 1 is usually spread through an opening or break in the skin. It is spread through another person who is infected with the virus and passed to another through touch, saliva or blood. Herpes can also be spread to other areas of the body. Knowing what you know about herpes cold sores, you may ask, “How do you get rid of them?”

How to Treat Herpes Cold Sores – A Step-by-Step Guide

Step One

First know, you cannot get rid of them. Once you have been infected with the virus the virus will stay in your body for the remainder your life. So, if you know you have a cold sore recognize the signs of a cold sore. Typical signs of an outbreak include, tingling or burning in the location of a possible cold sore. At this point there is also a slight bump or hardened area that appears slightly pink. You may also have a fever, swollen glands or even a sore throat.

Step Two

Quarantine the virus. Herpes cold sores are extremely contagious so it is very important to avoid kissing or touching anyone to avoid spreading the virus. Wash hands frequently as well as wash dishes, utensils, cups and straws thoroughly with soap and water. It is very important to take great care in the beginning stages of an outbreak, herpes cold sores can be spread to other people as well as other places on your body.

Step Three

Take an antiviral medication prescribed for herpes simplex virus. As noted earlier, there is no cure for cold sores. However, there are medications that speed up healing and prevent some cases of outbreaks. Some FDA approved drugs include, Penciclovir, Acyclovir, and Famciclovir. There is also an all natural remedy for cold sores called Trilex. It is made with herbs and comes with a 90-day, money-back guarantee.

Step Four

Take an over-the-counter medication that will treat the fever and ease the pain. Many times (especially with children) a cold sore is accompanied by a fever. Take a fever reducer such as acetaminophen and monitor the fever carefully. Many drugstores also carry over-the-counter cold sore creams, ointments or sometimes pills that will help ease the pain.

The Final Step In How To Treat Herpes

Lastly, seek medical advice if you have a fever that will not go away, an outbreak that lasts for more then two weeks or irritation of the eyes. In some cases when someone already has a weakened immune system, death has occurred. So, when in doubt get medical advice. In the meantime, following these steps will provide your answer on how to treat herpes cold sores.

Do I Have Herpes If Blisters and Sores Appear?

The most common herpes outbreak symptoms are blisters and sores, but the appearance of these lesions in of itself does not necessarily mean that a person has contracted Herpes Simplex 2 (the virus responsible for genital herpes). There are several other types of sexually-transmitted diseases that can also cause these symptoms (including syphilis and yeast infections) as well as a handful of non-sexual skin conditions (e.g. eczema). Only through submitting to testing for herpes can a person be certain that they are infected.

How to Get Herpes Diagnosed Properly

So, for someone who is exhibiting either blisters and sores, or other possible symptoms, the challenge becomes how to get herpes diagnosed properly. It comes as a surprise to most people to not only learn that most cases of herpes infection go undiagnosed (as many as 80% according to the CDC), but that most forms of testing are less than 90% reliable. The one exception to this is the blood test for herpes, which is not only effective at identifying the presence of the virus, but also at determining which form (HSV-1 or HSV-2) the patient is carrying.

Therefore, if you’re wondering “do I have herpes”, the best way to get an accurate answer is by scheduling an appointment with your physician, and requesting a blood test for the virus. Unlike the culture swab (which requires the presence of sores or blisters) and the PCR test, blood testing is highly reliable and rarely, if ever, produces false negative results.

Do I Have Herpes? – Something Else to Consider

The prospect of catching herpes is something that can be traumatic for many people. The perception that people infected with genital herpes are somehow “dirty” or otherwise ruined is fairly widespread, and is the primary source for feelings of guilt and shame. Unfortunately, this emotional reaction to infection not only leads many to withdraw from normal, healthy social interaction but, worse yet, it can cause them to become increasingly reckless in their future sexual behaviors.

If you’re concerned that you may have contracted genital herpes, the first thing you should do is to take a deep breath, and realize that your life is not over. While herpes is highly contagious and there is not yet a cure available for it, it is not life-threatening and can be effectively managed through suppression therapy. The second thing you need to do, obviously, is to contact your physician to arrange for testing. Getting a proper diagnosis is important to help you treat the virus, avoid spreading it to others, and to get an answer once and for all to the question “Do I have herpes?”

Is Herpes Curable Today?

As of today, there is no cure for either oral or genital herpes. Once a person has contracted the virus, it will remain embedded in his or her body for the remainder of their lives. That is not to say, however, that the person will continue to experience outbreaks of blisters, sores and other herpes symptoms in men and women. In fact, it is quite common for the virus to lay dormant for long periods of time after the initial infection occurs.

It must be noted, however, that the virus remains highly contagious even during periods when no herpes outbreak symptoms are present. Although the disease cannot be cured, it can be treated through suppressive therapy which will not only decrease the frequency and severity of outbreaks in the infected individual, but reduce the chances of spreading it to others.

Can Herpes Be Cured In The Future?

Thanks to significant advances in research for a genital herpes vaccine in 2011, there is considerable optimism in the medical community that we will eventually be able to eradicate the virus. While the HerpV vaccine that made news this past year holds the potential to stop the spread of genital herpes to uninfected people, research into viral genome codes by scientists at Duke University has raised the possibility that doctors may soon be able to permanently “turn off” the virus in infected individuals as well. There is no exact time frame for when either of these medical breakthroughs will become available to the public, but it event appears increasingly likely to occur in our lifetime.

An Important Note on the Subject of “Is Herpes Curable?”

Until researchers succeed in eradicating the herpes simplex virus once and for all, physicians will continue to prescribe suppressive therapy as treatment for infections. An important step in this process is to, of course, accurately identify cases of infection as they occur. For this reason, regular testing for herpes is recommended for anyone who is sexually active with multiple partners.

Although the question “is herpes curable?” does not yet have the answer that we’d all like to hear, it does serve as an important reminder about the need for regular testing and the practice of safe sex in order to prevent the spread of the disease.

In this article, we’ll examine the three most popular methods of testing for herpes, and discuss the circumstances under which each is best applied.

How To Test For Herpes During An Outbreak

Of the three common types of screening used to identify genital herpes infections, two of them are prescribed only if the patient is tested during an outbreak that produces lesions.

Collecting Viral Cultures

If blisters, sores and other obvious symptoms of genital herpes are present at the time a patient sees the doctor, the preferred method of testing is to take a culture. This process involves collecting a sample of fluid from one of the sores, and sending it to a lab for testing. When viewed under a microscope, the fluid will usually reveal with a high degree of certainty whether or not the herpes simplex virus is present in the patient’s body.

While collecting viral cultures has long been one of the most popular methods of identifying herpes infections, it has recently fallen out of favor with some physicians due to the comparatively high number of false negatives it yields.

PCR Tests

Like the aforementioned viral culture swabs, Polymerase Chain Reaction tests (often referred to as PCR exams), are also usually prescribed if the patient is showing visible symptoms of genital herpes at the time of infection. Unlike culture swabs, however, PCR tests can also be performed with samples collected from spinal fluid.

Due to the added cost and complexity involved with PCR tests, they are usually only administered if the physician has reason to believe that the herpes virus may cause a secondary infection of the vital organs (usually the brain). Because this type of scenario is exceedingly rare, doctors almost always opt to administer the viral culture swab instead.

How To Test For Herpes When No Symptoms Are Present

If a patient believes that he or she is infected with herpes simplex 2, but is not showing physical symptoms at the time of examination, the physician may opt to administer a blood test for herpes. This type of screening calls for drawing a sample of blood, and then testing it for the presence of herpes antibodies.

Of the three types of tests mentioned in this article, the blood test is regarded by most health care professionals to be the most reliable as it is approximately 90% accurate at identifying infections. Its lone drawback is that it usually cannot be administered until the patient’s body has built up a sufficient level of antibodies – a process that can often take months.

An Important Note On Testing For Herpes

There has been a significant amount of debate in the medical community in recent years regarding testing for herpes. Because the viral culture swab and PCR test can both produce false-negative results as much as 30% of the time, there are many doctors who feel that they are simply not worth the time and expense they require.

If you believe that you have contracted genital herpes, and want to be certain, it is recommended that you specifically request a blood test. These days, it’s how to test for herpes if you want to get the most accurate diagnosis possible.

What is Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1?

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 is actually one of the most common viruses that affect humans. Responsible for cold sores (those unsightly blisters that appear around the mouth and lips from time to time), this virus is embeds itself near the nerve endings after entering the host’s body where it lies dormant most of the time.

A few times every year, however, the Herpes 1 virus becomes active and causes an outbreak of sores and fluid-filled blisters around the site of infection. Because this particular form of the virus typically affects the mouth and lips, the result is usually oral cold sores.

The virus is extremely contagious during outbreaks, and can be transmitted with or without direct physical contact with the infected individual. As a matter of fact, most people contract Herpes 1 when they are children by getting infected saliva on their hands on the playground, desks or from doorknobs, and then touching their own faces. And you thought that your mother was overreacting when she told you not to put things in your mouth!

What is Herpes Simplex 2?

The Herpes Simplex 2 virus is closely related to Herpes 1 and resembles it in many ways, but is only transmittable through sexual contact. For this reason, you probably know this virus by its common name “genital herpes”.

Like oral herpes, Herpes Type 2 remains dormant near the nerve endings of the infected person’s body the vast majority of the time. For reasons that are only vaguely understood, however, the virus occasionally begins replicating through a process called shedding, at which time it can cause outbreaks of sores and blisters on and around the genitals.

This form of the Herpes virus is every bit as contagious as its relative, but requires direct, sexual contact in order to be acquired. The presence of sores dramatically increases the likelihood of transmitting the disease to a partner, but it is also very easy to transmit the virus when no visible symptoms of infection are present.

Treating Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Herpes Simplex 2

Researchers have found that these two viruses are nearly 98% identical at a molecular level, and for that reason their treatments are remarkably similar. There is no cure for either form of herpes, but a variety of drugs are available that can inhibit the virus’ replication and reduce both the frequency, and severity of future outbreaks.

Both forms of the virus can also be managed by an infected person through what is known as repressive therapy. This is a process whereby the individual avoids certain activities and materials (e.g. foods) that are known to act as triggers for outbreaks.

While there is no way to eradicate either form of herpes (although researchers are getting close to developing a vaccine), prescription medication and repressive therapy will allow an infected person to lead a fairly normal life. Neither Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 or Herpes Simplex 2 directly cause any serious health complications, and proper treatment often reduces them to nothing more than an occasional inconvenience.

The Prodrome Phase – First Signs of Genital Herpes in Men

Somewhere between three and five days after the herpes simplex virus first enters a man’s body, the first symptoms start to appear. The period (known as prodrome) during which these warning signs appear is often marked by unusual itching, tingling and burning sensations around the genitals and groin region. In many cases, it is also accompanied by the onset of fatigue, mysterious aches and pains (usually in the abdomen and lower back) and flu-like symptoms.

The first outbreak of genital herpes is almost always the worst that a patient will suffer, and many infected men experience an eruption of painful herpes blisters and sores several days after the prodrome phase begins. Unfortunately, for those trying to determine whether or not they have been infected with HSV-2, this obvious tell-tale sign manifests itself in less than 40% of all cases. This means that the remaining 60% of infected individuals do not experience an outbreak of blisters, and may exhibit no further symptoms after the initial tingling and itching sensations, and/or fatigue, etc. has subsided.

How Can I Be Infected Without Showing Signs of Herpes?

Unfortunately, it is very possible to become infected with genital herpes and never show any outward signs of the disease. This is not to say that an infected man will never experience an outbreak or develop symptoms of infection during a recurrent episode, but it does mean that you can carry the virus for extremely long periods of time before becoming aware of it. There have been cases reported where men have carried the virus (and, most likely, infected others with it) for as long as 20 years before exhibiting obvious visual indicators of the disease (namely, blisters and sores).

Preventing the Spread of Genital Herpes in Men

At present, there is no cure for genital herpes in men, although there has been significant progress made toward a vaccine over the past year. Until a cure is discovered, however, preventing the spread of the HSV-2 virus depends on infected men taking a test for herpes that provides them with an accurate diagnosis, and taking the appropriate precautions (condom use, etc.) to protect themselves and their partners from exposure to the highly-contagious disease. These precautions should be followed vigilantly, regardless of whether you have begun to display signs of genital herpes in men.

Reasons Not to Take a Blood Test for Herpes

There is a school of thought that says the psychological impact of being infected with herpes is far worse than any actual physical problems the disease can cause. In other words, the fear and worry experienced by herpes sufferers is the greatest issue one confronts after becoming infected – not the physical symptoms themselves. Therefore, some physicians have stated that going to the extent of taking blood samples to test for herpes is simply more trouble than it’s worth.

These are the reasons most-often cited by physicians who advocate against blood tests:

Herpes is Just a Minor Skin Disease

As alluded to earlier, medically speaking, genital herpes is really nothing more than a skin disease that causes occasional episodes of irritation. The tendency to view it as something more serious comes from the stigma that society places upon herpes sufferers as being somehow “damaged” or “unclean”. For this reason, may doctors feel that drawing blood to test for the condition is an extreme measure.

Diagnosis Doesn’t Lead to Treatment

Because there is no cure for genital herpes, obtaining a positive diagnosis does not lead to any specific treatment. Preventing the spread of the disease largely consists of safe sex practices that one should use regardless of whether or not he or she is infected. Furthermore, suppressive therapy is often expensive and is not 100% effective at stopping new cases of infection.

In the words of University of Washington STD specialist Jeanne Marrazzo, “It’s under debate whether herpes testing is cost-effective and really going to improve people’s psychosocial health.” The conclusion here is that the cost-benefit of blood tests is so low that they may not make sense from a clinical perspective.

Reasons You Should Take a Blood Test for Herpes

While there is some disagreement over the importance of using blood tests to screen for genital herpes, there are still plenty of good reasons why getting an accurate diagnosis is important. Testing for HSV-2 antibodies in the blood remains the most-accurate method of accurately diagnosing the disease, and this approach should be considered for the following reasons as well:

Reducing the Risk of Transmission

While safe-sex practices and suppressive therapy can certainly help reduce the risk of transmission, having the ability to discuss your status with new partners is also an important step. Genital herpes can be spread even with the use of a condom, so you should still talk about your infection with any person you are considering becoming intimate with. This approach will not only help build the trust required to establish a healthy relationship, but will also allow them to take additional precautions to protect themselves.

Find Out Which Strain of Herpes You Carry

Physicians report an increased number of oral herpes cases appearing in areas traditionally associated with HSV-2 (genital herpes) infections. Oral sex is believed to be the culprit, but regardless of cause, it is important that you determine which type of virus is causing your herpes symptoms.

Should you elect to use suppressive therapy, different medications are required to treat the two different infections and only through an accurate diagnosis (best achieved with blood tests) can you be certain which virus you carry.

Be Certain You Don’t Have Some Other STD

Syphilis and several other sexually-transmitted diseases often have symptoms similar to genital herpes. Because these other infections can lead to far more serious health problems than HSV-2, however, it is important to identify and treat them early.

Final Thoughts on the Blood Test for Herpes

It must be pointed out that deciding whether or not to test for herpes is a separate issue from choosing to take a blood test. While there is a disagreement among physicians over the need to use serology to screen for the virus, there is no debate over the importance of accurate diagnosis in fighting the spread of herpes. Regardless of what you decide about the blood test for herpes, be sure to see a physician if you experience anything that resembles herpes symptoms.

Black Walnut

Thanks to its high levels of natural iodine, black walnut is an extremely popular herbal treatment for oral herpes symptoms. Iodine has a proven history of successful use as an antiseptic, but there is also a growing body of evidence to support its usefulness as an antiviral agent. The herb can be either ingested in dried form as a way to suppress outbreaks, or applied topically to treat cold sores and fever blisters.

Aloe Vera Gel

One of the most versatile herbal treatments for any number of skin conditions, Aloe Vera is also regarded as an effective means of reducing pain and inflammation from herpes cold sores, and speeding up their healing process. It is recommended that you use pure Aloe Vera Gel instead of moisturizers or creams that contain Aloe for the best results.

Rhubarb and Sage

The herbs rhubarb and sage are available in some over-the-counter creams, and the combination of the two has actually been clinically proven to reduce discomfort and assist in the healing of cold sores and fever blisters. As a matter of fact, a recent study in Switzerland found that topical creams containing both rhubarb and sage were just as effective at treating oral herpes outbreaks as medications containing acyclovir.

Licorice Root

Most people are familiar with licorice-flavored candy, but authentic, natural licorice root does far more than soothe your sweet tooth according to many herbal medicine advocates. According to its advocates, taking 50 grams per day of a licorice root supplement suppresses the HSV-1 virus enough to cause a dramatic drop off in the frequency of outbreaks.

Researchers have led credence to this belief as well, by noting that the glycyrrhetinic acid found in licorice root significantly reduces the presence of HSV-1 in test tubes during laboratory experiments.

Reishi and Astragalus

Chinese doctors have prescribed ingesting the Reishi mushroom in tandem with the herb astragalus as an antiviral treatment for centuries. The concoction is usually consumed in dried, or pill form, as a daily herbal supplement.

While there has not yet been any conclusive clinical data to support Reishi and Astragalus’ specific effectiveness in treating herpes, preliminary studies have shown that the two herbs support and strengthen the immune system in general.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Undoubtedly one of the most-widely accepted herbal cold sore remedies, lemon balm has a long history as an oral herpes treatment in the West. Unlike many herbal remedies, lemon balm cream, in particular, has been studied extensively by researchers and has been proven to possess antiviral qualities that make it effective in suppressing the herpes virus.

Peppermint

Although peppermint has long been known to be effective at relieving digestive disorders, the plant’s oil has recently been found to also be useful in treating herpes simplex virus. Peppermint can be either ingested as a tea, or applied topically in oil form.

A Final Word on Herbal Cold Sore Remedies

As is the case with so many issues related to the herpes simplex virus, herbal cold sore remedies enjoy varying levels of success in treating different people. Whereas some herpes sufferers will find that using one of the aforementioned substances completely eradicates their sores, others may see no results whatsoever. Only through experimentation on your own will you be able to decide whether or not any of them work for you.

How Does HerpV Work?

Without delving too far into complex biology, HerpV functions by stimulating an immune system response that improves cells’ ability to recognize the virus. This is achieved by introducing what is called a “heat shock protein”, or HSP, into the bloodstream. Once in the body, the HSP attaches itself to the surface of healthy cells, thereby causing infected cells to become incompatible and unable to attach themselves (i.e., replicate).

By preventing the HSV-2 virus from replicating, HerpV essentially renders it incapable of causing outbreaks in current patients and non-contagious to uninfected people. This is certainly an exciting proposition for the estimated 16% of the population currently suffering from genital herpes.

How Impressive Were Agenus’ Findings?

In what was referred to as a Phase 1 study, 100% of herpes-positive patients who were administered a HerpV injection showed a significant elevation in antigen-specific cell immune system response to the virus. In lay terms, this means that the T cells in every one of the study’s participants developed immunity to HSV-2 after being exposed to the HSP.

Dr. David Koelle, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, presented the findings on behalf of Agenus and made the following statement, “I believe these data represent the first finding of their kind in humans in genital herpes treatments.” The doctor continued on to say, “The potential use for a therapeutic vaccine candidate such as HerpV is in managing outbreaks and ultimately disease transmission in patients with genital herpes.”

Does This Mean That A Vaccine Is Just Around The Corner?

The implications of these initial findings on HerpV are immense. Dr. Koelle reinforced this point thusly, “Being able to impact and possibly decrease the spread of genital herpes would be a huge step in stemming this epidemic that affects one in six adults in the U.S.” With all of the excitement that this announcement generated, a logical question was “So, how close is the HerpV vaccine to being released to the public?”

While it may not be too far off, it is unlikely that the vaccine will become available to current genital herpes patients anytime in the immediate future. Agenus is just now launching Phase 2 of its study on the drug’s effectiveness and, assuming that it proves successful, will then have to enter the FDA-approval process before releasing the vaccine. Because this process can sometimes take years, the struggle to eradicate herpes symptoms in men and women may not be as close to its end as we would like to believe.

How Common is Pubic Shaving and Waxing?

According to Annette Milligan, the Director of Independent Nursing Practitioners in New Zealand, “The habit of pubic shaving really is the norm. When we do genital exams on a 20-year-old and they have got pubic hair, we almost fall over with surprise.” Milligan’s comments echo those reported earlier this year from a pair of Canadian researchers.

Presenting their findings in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, Hannah Varto and Lenore Riddell stated that approximately 50% of respondents who participated in their voluntary survey shaved or waxed some part of their pubic region. Furthermore, a full 30% of those surveyed indicated that they regularly shaved or waxed the entire area. The researchers also noted that the latter group suffered from a disproportionately high rate of genital herpes and HPV (genital warts) infections.

How are Pubic Shaving and Waxing Related to Herpes in Men?

Because both shaving and waxing can cause trauma to the skin, these grooming techniques create openings through which the genital herpes simplex virus can easily enter the body. Nurse Milligan addressed this phenomenon by saying, “Our strong suspicion is that when they shave or wax, they get a whole lot of microscopic cuts, so if they shave or wax before they go out, and then they have sex with an infected person who is having an asymptomatic shedding episode, it is the perfect portal for entry for herpes virus.”

The nurse’s opinion was corroborated by someone with extensive experience in the field – Lucy Cabral who teaches waxing at the Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics in Toronto. Cabral teaches her students that when waxing, “your follicles and your pores are opened, so you’re now more susceptible to infection.” While this lesson is intended to stress the importance of keeping their tools clean, it also shows just how much the skin’s immunity to disease becomes compromised by these processes.

Conclusions

Although there have been no official scientific studies into the issue (Varto and Riddell’s research was based only on surveys), there does appear to be some link between a reported increase in genital herpes transmission rates and the high number of young men, in particular, who practice pubic shaving and waxing.

A veteran nurse from Milligan’s own practice acknowledged that she rarely sees pubic hair on anyone between the ages of 13 and 28 anymore, and that the timing of this grooming trend has perfectly coincided with an explosion in the number of herpes in men cases she has seen. Milligan agreed by saying, “It’s very disturbing. We are seeing lots more cases of genital herpes than we saw 20 years ago.”