Contents:
- Medical Video: Dr Oz On Herpes Cure | Herpes Can Be Cured - Dr OZ
- What is herpes?
- Signs and symptoms
- What are the characteristics and symptoms of herpes?
- When should I see a doctor?
- Cause
- What causes herpes simplex?
- What are the causes of shingles?
- Risk factors
- Who is at risk of developing herpes?
- Medicine and treatment
- What are the commonly used herpes drugs?
- Therapy for treating herpes
- Treatment at home
- What are the natural herpes remedies that you can try at home?
- Prevention
- What can be done to prevent herpes?
Medical Video: Dr Oz On Herpes Cure | Herpes Can Be Cured - Dr OZ
Herpes is a disease characterized by the appearance of blisters on reddish-colored, fluid-filled skin. Herpes is a long-term condition, the virus can last a lifetime in the body. Among the many herpes viruses, herpes simplex and herpes zoster are two of the most prevalent diseases. Various natural herpes medications as well as from a doctor will help alleviate the symptoms and even shorten the time they appear. One of the effective skin herpes drugs to treat herpes simplex or zoster is antiviral drugs. Here's the full review.
What is herpes?
Herpes is an infection caused by the herpes virus. The herpes virus itself consists of eight types but only the two most common types of viruses are herpes simplex and also zoster.
Herpes simplex is included in the type of venereal disease so it is often known as genital or genital herpes. In genital herpes, there are two types of viruses that attack, namely:
- HSV-1, known as oral herpes, can cause blisters and bumps around the mouth and face.
- HSV-2, belongs to the genital herpes group (genitalia) and usually appears in the outer genitals and the area around the anus.
In addition to herpes simplex, herpes zoster is one of the diseases caused by the herpes virus. Shingles is a herpes disease caused by the varicella zoster virus.
Shingles is usually characterized by a reddish rash on the skin that causes pain and burning. Herpes zoster is also called snake pox or fire pox because blisters will appear on the skin in the form of lines or small areas on one side of the face or body and it feels quite hot like burning.
Usually herpes zoster is preceded by a history of having chickenpox, then reappears when the immune system decreases.
Signs and symptoms
What are the characteristics and symptoms of herpes?
Herpes simplex
When a person is infected with herpes simplex, symptoms usually appear after months to years of infection. At the beginning of its appearance, the body will show various symptoms such as:
- Blisters and sores on the external genitals.
- Red blisters filled with water around the mouth, anus, or genitals.
- Leucorrhoea.
- Pain and itching in blisters.
- Unwell.
- Fever.
- Pain when urinating.
- Swollen lymph glands.
Generally, people affected by herpes simplex will experience symptoms that continue to recur repeatedly. However, symptoms in recurrent infections tend to be milder and do not last more than 10 days. The following are the symptoms shown:
- Burning or tingling around the genitals before the blisters filled with water appear again.
- There are blisters and sores on the cervix.
- Blisters around the mouth that are fluid and reddish.
Shingles
If you have herpes zoster, you will find various symptoms such as:
- A rash accompanied by group resilience that only occurs on one side of the body.
- The rash begins with a red lump, turns into a slightly runny swelling, and eventually becomes a dry crust (looks like a small swarm of chicken pox).
- Pain, itching, and tingling in the rash. This also applies to parts of the body when a new rash will appear.
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Chills.
- Fatigue.
- Sensitive to light.
When should I see a doctor?
You need to consult a doctor immediately when you see various symptoms that indicate herpes simplex or zoster. The doctor will immediately take the best treatment according to the conditions to prevent the severity of the condition. Especially if you are among those who have been sexually active, immediately consult yourself to ascertain your condition.
For herpes zoster, you also need to consult a doctor immediately if you see symptoms. Especially if you've been exposed to chickenpox. Then the possibility of an active virus again will be even greater.
Cause
What causes herpes simplex?
Herpes simplex is an infectious disease that can be transmitted from one person to another through direct contact with the infected area.
Besides through the mouth, anus, and genitals, the virus can also spread through other areas of the skin and eyes. However, you will not be infected with the virus just by touching items or areas that have been touched and used by people infected with the herpes simplex virus. Infection can be transmitted by:
- Unprotected vaginal or anal sex.
- Do oral sex with people who have wounds and rashes due to herpes around their mouth.
- Use sex toys alternately.
- Kissing someone who has a rash from herpes around his mouth.
- Through birth if the mother with genital herpes has a wound during childbirth.
In children, the HSV-1 virus is usually spread when experiencing direct contact with an infected adult. In the end, this virus will settle in the body for life.
What are the causes of shingles?
This disease is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which is a virus that also causes chickenpox. Herpes zoster will generally appear in people who have had chickenpox.
Viruses usually can live in the nervous system for years. In some people, the virus will still sleep but others will wake up and be reactivated.
Usually, the virus will reappear when you have a disease that weakens the immune system, along with aging, undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, and taking drugs that weaken the immune system. Therefore, herpes zoster can appear more than once.
Unlike herpes simplex, you will not contract the virus from direct contact with other people. However, if you have never been exposed to or vaccinated against chickenpox, it is possible to contract it from someone who is sick with shingles.
Risk factors
Who is at risk of developing herpes?
Herpes simplex
Everyone is at risk of getting the herpes simplex virus, from children to adults. However, in the case of HSV-2 which attacks the genitals it is easier to infect sexually active people without applying safe sex. Various HSV-2 risk factors such as:
- Female sex.
- Have more than one sex partner.
- Having sex at a very young age.
- Has a weak immune system.
- Have other venereal diseases.
Shingles
All people who have had chickenpox can get shingles. In addition, there are various other factors that increase a person's risk of developing herpes zoster, namely:
- More than 50 years old.
- Has certain diseases that weaken the immune system such as HIV / AIDS and cancer.
- Are undergoing cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy which can reduce the body's immunity against disease.
- Taking drugs designed to prevent rejection of transplanted organs such as prolonged steroid use such as prednisone.
Medicine and treatment
What are the commonly used herpes drugs?
Herpes simplex medicine
Basically, there is no medicine that can get rid of the herpes virus. However, doctors will usually prescribe antivirals such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir to help prevent the virus from multiplying.
In addition, this antiviral drug is also used to help reduce the severity of symptoms and reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to other people. Usually, these medicines are in the form of pills and also creams. However, for cases that are severe enough the doctor will give it by injection.
Acyclovir
Acyclovir is a skin herpes drug that was first produced in the form of an ointment and currently more in the form of pills. Quoted from the American Sexual Health Association acyclovir has been proven safe to use every day for 10 years.
Valacyclovir
This skin herpes drug uses acyclovir as its active ingredient. This type of drug makes acyclovir more easily absorbed by the body. Even so, this drug cannot be used to remove viruses from the body but is effective enough to reduce symptoms and speed healing.
Famciclovir
This skin herpes drug that uses penciclovir as its active ingredient to stop replicating HSV from becoming more numerous. Herpes famciclovir drug can last longer in the body so that it can be consumed less frequently than acyclovir.
Shingles
Just like herpes simplex, there are no drugs that can eliminate the herpes zoster virus specifically. However, certain types of skin herpes medications can be prescribed to help relieve symptoms and shorten the period of recurrence of infection. The following are various skin herpes medications that are usually prescribed by doctors.
- Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, famiciclovir, and valacyclovir help reduce pain and speed healing. This skin herpes medication is taken 2 to 5 times a day according to your doctor's prescription.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling. Consumed every 6 to 8 hours.
- Drugs from narcotics and analgesics to reduce pain are usually taken twice a day or according to a doctor's prescription.
- Anticonvulsants or tricyclic antidepressants to treat prolonged pain, usually taken 1 or 2 times a day.
- Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to treat itching are usually consumed every eight hours.
- Numb creams, gels, or patches for like lidocaine to deal with pain, usually applied when needed.
- Capsaicin (Zostrix), helps reduce the risk of nerve pain called post-herpes neuralgia that occurs after you recover from shingles.
Therapy for treating herpes
Antiviral skin herpes medications are prescribed for patients who experience the first episode of genital herpes. For recurrent episodes, doctors usually recommend episodic therapy and suppressive therapy which also uses antiviral drugs.
Episodic therapy
If you experience six recurrences within a year, your doctor will recommend episodic therapy. In episodic therapy, you will be asked to continue taking antiviral skin herpes drugs for several days since the first sign of infection is seen. This aims to accelerate healing and even prevent infection from occurring.
This therapy usually helps to shorten the symptoms of herpes which usually occurs in a long time. Because each skin herpes drug from the antiviral group has different levels of absorption and effectiveness, the dosage usually varies. But generally, you will be prescribed one to five pills every day for three to five days after the infection attacks.
Suppressive therapy
Meanwhile, suppressive therapy is usually used for people who experience recurrence more than six times a year. This therapy can reduce symptoms by at least 75 percent when you take antiviral drugs.
Usually, this skin herpes medication is taken to eliminate and suppress symptoms. This therapy is considered to be quite safe and effective. Generally, the dosage given also varies according to conditions from one to two pills per day.
Treatment at home
What are the natural herpes remedies that you can try at home?
Apart from doctor's care, you can also find various natural herpes medications at home. Various natural herpes medications, home care, and lifestyle changes can be done to help deal with herpes simplex or zoster.
You can combine various home remedies and natural herpes drugs with the care of a doctor. Because using home remedies and natural herpes drugs is not enough.
Therefore, you need to combine doctor's care with home care and natural herpes medications to help alleviate and eliminate symptoms. Here are various home remedies and simplex and zoster natural herpes drugs.
Natural herpes medication for herpes simplex
Here are various home remedies and natural herpes medications to relieve symptoms:
- Bathe with salt water to help relieve symptoms.
- Soak in a bathtub filled with warm water.
- Petroleum jelly is a natural herpes drug that can be used by applying it to the infected area.
- Use loose clothing and avoid tight, especially in infected areas.
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap, especially after touching the infected area.
- Do not engage in vaginal, oral and anal sexual activities until the symptoms disappear.
- Compress the infected area using ice wrapped in a towel.
Natural herpes remedy for shingles
The following are various natural remedies for shingles that you can try using at home, namely:
- Get enough rest to restore the strength of the immune system.
- Compressing rashes or blisters using cold water to reduce pain and also itching.
- Use calamine lotion to reduce itching.
Natural herpes medications and home remedies can be used to help relieve symptoms of herpes zoster. Usually, this condition will disappear within a few weeks and rarely recur.
However, if the symptoms of herpes zoster do not go away or diminish within 10 days, immediately consult a doctor for further examination.
Prevention
What can be done to prevent herpes?
Herpes simplex
There is no cure for herpes simplex. Therefore, the best way to avoid infection is to take various preventive measures such as:
- Avoid direct physical contact with people infected with herpes.
- Avoid oral, vaginal and anal sex during infection.
- Avoid kissing people who have infections in the mouth.
Shingles
The chickenpox vaccine helps prevent you from the symptoms of severe herpes zoster and the complications it causes. For this reason, all children need to do varicella immunization. In fact, adults who have never had chickenpox also need to do this one vaccine.
Meanwhile, parents entering the age of 50 need to have a herpes zoster vaccine known as varicella zoster immunization. This vaccine will later help prevent the severity of symptoms and complications due to shingles.
You also need to prevent the spread of infection by:
- Avoid contact with people who have never been exposed to chickenpox and have a weak immune system.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap.
- Maintain the body's resistance to stay good by applying a healthy lifestyle that is nutritious eating, adequate rest, reducing stress and regular exercise.
