Symptoms You Should Never Ignore - Pain, Shortness of Breath
Genital Herpes Symptoms: What To Watch Out For
Genital herpes causes painful sores on your genitals (sex organs). It is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the U.S. It's caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Most cases of genital herpes are due to the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) mostly causes cold sores or fever blisters. But it can also cause genital herpes.
A lot of people with genital herpes don't know they have it. If you do, you might not have any symptoms or only have very mild ones. But because treatment can help prevent complications and make it less likely that you'll spread this STI to others, it's a good idea to be aware of genital herpes symptoms.
Genital herpes virus is passed from one person to another through sexual contact. This happens even if the person with the virus doesn't have symptoms or signs of infection.
Once the virus enters through your skin, it travels along your nerve paths. It can then become dormant (inactive) in your nerves and remain there.
From time to time, the virus can become active again. It travels back along the nerve path to the surface of your skin, where more virus is shed. At this point, it may cause an outbreak of symptoms, or what's called an outbreak or flare. But not everybody has noticeable symptoms.
In either case, the active virus can easily be passed from you to your partner through sexual contact. Even wearing a condom may not be enough protection, as the virus can be present on the skin that remains uncovered.
When you're first infected, you're likely to have an outbreak within 2 days to 3 weeks after contact. But it could also take years.
The first outbreak is usually the longest and most uncomfortable. It could last 2-4 weeks. After that, herpes outbreaks tend to become shorter and less intense.
The number of outbreaks you can have varies. Some people have many flare-ups in the first year after being diagnosed, but these may decrease over time.
Genital herpes can show up on your:
If you have a mild case, you can easily mistake herpes sores for a patch of ingrown hairs or pimples on your genitals.
They may start as small blisters that eventually break open and ooze fluid. Over time, they'll turn into raw sores that may be painful. Then, they'll scab over and heal up within a few weeks.
First signs of genital herpes
About half of all people with genital herpes can tell when an outbreak is about to happen. A few days or hours before, you could notice any of the following in the areas where sores will form:
You could also feel like you're coming down with the flu, with symptoms such as fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, and feeling tired for no reason.
When symptoms occur soon after you're infected, they tend to be severe.
You could have:
Genital herpes is not the only condition that can cause these symptoms. Sometimes, HSV is mistaken for vaginal yeast infections, bacterial infections, or bladder infections. The only way to know for sure whether you have herpes or another condition is to be checked by a doctor.
At your visit, the doctor may take a tiny sample of the fluid from one of your blisters, which is then analyzed at a lab. Or they could do a blood test to look for HSV antibodies. Either way, these tests can confirm if you have genital herpes, but they can't show how you got it or how long you've had it.
All of the symptoms mentioned above can happen in women and people assigned female at birth. You might also be more likely to have pain when you pee. You could have a feeling of pressure below your stomach. And you could notice a discharge from your vagina.
You're at higher risk of getting herpes. That's because the virus spreads more easily from men to women.
The list of symptoms above also apply to you if you're a man or assigned male at birth. Having a partner who's also a man raises your risk of being diagnosed with herpes.
There is no cure for genital herpes. But your doctor can prescribe antiviral medication, which can help:
How often you take medication will depend on how often you get outbreaks and how severe they are. In some cases, your doctor may suggest you take your medication every day. Doctors call this "chronic suppressive therapy."
Some people decide not to get treatment for genital herpes. For instance, you might put it off if your symptoms are very mild or if you're not currently having sex, so you're not worried about spreading the virus to a partner. But because genital herpes raises your risk for other health issues, talk to your doctor about whether this is a safe option for you.
During an outbreak, here's what you can do at home to relieve some of your symptoms:
Try over-the-counter pain relief. If you're not sure whether it's safer for you to take acetaminophenor ibuprofen, check with your doctor.
Bathe sore areas with a warm saltwater solution. Twice a day, mix 1/2 teaspoon salt with 1/2 pint of warm water.
Wear loose-fitting clothes. Letting air around the sores and keeping them dry will help them heal faster. Choose cotton underwear, which will pull moisture away from your skin.
Cool off. Put an ice pack on the affected area. Make sure to wrap the ice pack in a towel first.
Take a sitz bath. Sitting in a warm, shallow bath could make you more comfortable. Air-dry afterward, instead of using a towel.
Make peeing less painful. Peeing while you're in a bath or while your penis is submerged in a bowl of water sounds strange, but it could stop your urine from stinging your sores.
Reduce your triggers. Stress can cause a herpes outbreak, so do what you can to keep calm and stay healthy. Get enough rest, for instance. Try to eat healthy foods. Talk to a counselor if you need tips on managing challenges in your daily life.
To avoid passing the virus to other people, take these steps:
Before you have sex with a new partner, it's important to let them know you have herpes. You can share with them that this virus is really common and unlikely to cause any lasting health issues. You can also lay out the steps you'll take to keep them from getting it.
Once you have an initial outbreak following a genital HSV infection, you can expect to have four to five outbreaks within a year.
As time goes on, your body builds up more immunity to the virus, and your outbreaks may become less frequent. Some people see them stop altogether.
Genital herpes symptoms usually flare up during periods of physical or emotional stress. That's because, during these times, your body's immune system may be less able to suppress the virus and keep it from becoming active.
Common symptom triggers can include:
You may find it helpful to keep track of how you're feeling and anything going on in your life when an outbreak starts. Over time, that can help you understand what activates your infection. Then, you and your doctor can talk about how to avoid these specific triggers or reduce their effect on you.
Most of the time, genital herpes isn't a major threat to your health. Aside from discomfort during outbreaks, an HSV infection is more of an emotional stressor. It can:
In some cases, though, complications from genital herpes can be extremely serious. They include:
Infecting your newborn. If you're pregnant and have genital herpes, you can pass the virus on to your child. This can result in developmental issues and serious physical issues, which can sometimes be life-threatening. So, it's advised to take steps to prevent an outbreak at the time of your delivery, starting at 34 weeks into your pregnancy. If you have signs of an active viral infection when it's time to deliver, your doctor will likely recommend a C-section for delivery to protect your baby's health.
HIV and AIDS. If you've been diagnosed with genital herpes, you have a higher risk of an HIV infection. One reason is that cracks and breaks in the skin that result from an outbreak create openings through which HIV can enter your body. If left untreated, HIV can progress into AIDS.
Infections in other parts of your body. Although it's rare, the HSV virus could lead to severe infections in other parts of your body, such as your eyes or brain.
If you have any reason to think that you have an HSV infection, either genital or oral, contact your doctor.
Once you're infected with genital herpes, you will have this condition for life. Genital herpes symptoms, such as painful, fluid-filled sores on your genitals, will come and go. Antiviral medication can manage your symptoms and prevent you from infecting others. If you're pregnant, it's very important to tell your doctor and get treated. The virus that causes genital herpes can be fatal to your baby.
Is herpes contagious all the time?
Yes, you can be contagious even if you don't have any sores. That's why it's so important to get tested for genital herpes. Once you know you have it, you can take steps to avoid spreading to others.
The Silent Transmission That Makes Herpes So Common
That seemingly minor bump or barely noticeable tingle might reveal something far more significant than it appears. Herpes, one of the most common viral infections worldwide, presents a unique public health challenge precisely because it often hides in plain sight. While many associate this infection exclusively with visible outbreaks, the reality is far more complex. The herpes simplex virus frequently spreads during periods when infected individuals have no recognizable symptoms, creating a transmission pattern that has allowed it to become remarkably prevalent despite decades of awareness campaigns. Understanding the biology behind this silent transmission reveals why herpes has proven so difficult to contain and why standard approaches to preventing sexually transmitted infections often prove ineffective against this particular virus. The disconnect between visible symptoms and actual transmission risk creates a perfect scenario for continued spread, making herpes a masterclass in viral survival that affects millions of people globally.
The stealth biology behind asymptomatic transmissionThe herpes simplex virus employs sophisticated biological mechanisms that enable transmission without visible symptoms, creating challenges for both clinical management and public health efforts.
Viral shedding without symptoms represents the primary driver of herpes transmission, occurring through a process where the virus replicates and releases infectious particles from skin or mucous membrane surfaces without triggering noticeable inflammation. Research using sensitive DNA detection methods reveals that HSV shedding happens on approximately 10-20% of days in people with genital herpes, with the majority of these shedding episodes occurring without any symptoms whatsoever. During these periods, viral particles present on skin surfaces can transfer to partners despite the absence of lesions, tingling, or other warning signs that might otherwise prompt precautions.
The viral lifecycle explains this pattern through its complex relationship with the human nervous system. After initial infection, herpes viruses establish lifelong residence in nerve cells near the spine called ganglia. From this protected location, the virus periodically reactivates and travels back to the skin's surface along nerve pathways. While significant reactivations produce recognizable symptoms, smaller-scale reactivation events release infectious virus without generating enough inflammation to create noticeable signs, essentially creating invisible transmission windows.
Microscopic skin breaks provide transmission pathways even when no visible lesions exist. The virus doesn't require significant skin damage to establish infection, with microscopic abrasions invisible to the naked eye offering sufficient entry points. These minute skin disruptions naturally occur during intimate contact, creating opportunities for viral transfer even when skin appears completely normal and healthy. This ability to exploit microscopic breaks means even careful visual inspection before intimate contact provides limited protection against transmission.
The timing mismatch between peak contagiousness and symptom development further complicates prevention efforts. Viral shedding often begins before symptoms appear and continues after visible signs have healed. Studies tracking viral presence and symptom development show that people are frequently most contagious in the 24-48 hours before a visible outbreak develops, during the prodromal period when they might experience only subtle sensations like mild tingling or itching easily attributed to other causes. This transmission window before clear symptoms emerge makes prevention based solely on symptom recognition fundamentally inadequate.
Anatomical blind spots create additional challenges for self-monitoring. Many herpes lesions develop in locations difficult or impossible for the infected person to see, such as the cervix in women or areas on the genitals only visible with careful examination using mirrors. These visually inaccessible locations can harbor active viral shedding entirely unknown to the infected individual, who may genuinely believe they have no symptoms while unknowingly exposing partners to the virus.
Symptom misinterpretation frequently occurs even when physical signs are present but mild. Many people with herpes mistake minor symptoms for other common conditions like ingrown hairs, razor burn, yeast infections, or normal skin variations. These misidentifications happen particularly often during recurrent outbreaks, which typically produce milder, less characteristic symptoms than initial infections. Without specific education about the diverse ways herpes can manifest, many infected individuals fail to recognize their symptoms, creating another pathway for unwitting transmission.
Why standard prevention methods often failConventional approaches to preventing sexually transmitted infections show limited effectiveness against herpes due to its unique transmission characteristics, creating false confidence while leaving significant vulnerability.
Condom limitations become particularly evident with herpes, as these barriers cover only a portion of potentially infectious skin. While condoms reduce transmission risk by approximately 30-50% according to research studies, this partial protection falls far short of the near-complete protection they provide against fluid-transmitted infections like HIV. This discrepancy stems from herpes' ability to spread from any infected skin area, including the many areas that remain exposed during condom use, such as the base of the penis, scrotum, outer labia, and surrounding skin regions where viral shedding commonly occurs.
The timing of preventive behaviors frequently misaligns with actual transmission risk periods. Most people naturally avoid sexual contact during visible outbreaks, but this intuitive approach addresses only the most obvious transmission risk while missing the more frequent asymptomatic shedding periods. This pattern creates a situation where those with herpes often take precautions when transmission risk is most evident but resume unprotected activity during the less obvious but still infectious periods that actually drive most new infections.
STI testing gaps significantly contribute to ongoing transmission, as standard testing panels typically exclude herpes unless specifically requested. This testing omission leads many people to believe they've been comprehensively screened when they receive negative results for other infections, creating false confidence about herpes status specifically. The requirement to request herpes testing separately, combined with the stigma that might prevent such requests, means many infected individuals never learn their status despite regular sexual health screening.
The awareness disconnect regarding oral herpes transmission to genital areas creates another prevention blind spot. Many people fail to recognize that oral herpes, typically HSV-1, readily transmits to genital regions through oral sex. This knowledge gap means individuals with cold sores might avoid kissing but not consider oral sex a transmission risk, while partners might not request protection for oral sex with someone they know experiences occasional cold sores. This specific misunderstanding has contributed to the increasing proportion of genital herpes cases caused by HSV-1 in recent decades.
Suppressive therapy underutilization represents a missed prevention opportunity. Daily antiviral medications can reduce asymptomatic shedding by approximately 80% and symptomatic outbreaks by up to 90% according to clinical studies. However, many healthcare providers offer this approach only to patients with frequent symptomatic recurrences rather than as a transmission prevention strategy for all sexually active patients with herpes. This clinical practice pattern, combined with patient concerns about medication costs and daily regimens, leads to underuse of one of the most effective available tools for reducing asymptomatic transmission.
The psychological barriers to consistent precautions over time cannot be underestimated. The chronic nature of herpes infection means prevention measures must be maintained indefinitely rather than for short periods. This requirement for permanent behavioral change creates prevention fatigue, where initially strict precautions gradually relax over time, particularly in established relationships or when no visible outbreaks have occurred for extended periods. This very human tendency toward complacency over time contributes significantly to transmission even among those initially committed to prevention.
The surprising places herpes hides in plain sightHerpes transmission often occurs through unexpected pathways and in contexts where people typically feel safe from infection risk, contributing to its widespread prevalence.
Oral herpes during childhood represents one of the most common acquisition routes, with many people contracting HSV-1 through non-sexual contact like familial kissing or sharing utensils long before adulthood. These childhood infections establish lifelong viral residence that may later contribute to either oral or genital transmission to partners. This early-life acquisition pattern means many people enter adulthood already carrying one herpes variant without knowledge, potentially transmitting it to partners despite having no memory of an initial infection or recognition of recurrences.
Asymptomatic partners unknowingly infected for years sometimes transmit herpes within established relationships where both individuals believe they've been mutually monogamous since before the relationship began. This scenario frequently creates confusion and relationship distress, as the newly diagnosed partner may assume recent infidelity caused their infection, when in reality their partner may have carried the virus asymptomatically for decades, including throughout previous relationships. These situations highlight how herpes can remain invisible within relationships for years before detection.
Self-inoculation between body sites occasionally occurs when individuals transfer the virus from one location to another through touch. People with oral herpes can sometimes transmit the virus to their own genitals or other body locations through hand contact if they touch an active lesion and then touch another susceptible body area before washing their hands. This self-transmission route, while less common than person-to-person spread, demonstrates the virus's ability to exploit routine behaviors for transmission opportunities.
Healthcare settings occasionally feature transmission through inadequate infection control, particularly in specialties involving direct skin contact. While medical facilities have protocols to prevent viral spread, research documents rare cases of herpes transmission through improperly sterilized equipment or inadequate hand hygiene between patients. These cases, though uncommon, highlight the virus's environmental resilience and transmission efficiency when prevention protocols lapse.
Shared personal items sometimes serve as indirect transmission vectors in household settings. Items like razors, towels, or lip products can occasionally transfer the virus when used shortly after contact with active lesions. While this route proves less efficient than direct skin-to-skin contact, documented cases demonstrate that shared items, particularly those that might cause microscopic skin breaks or contact mucous membranes, occasionally contribute to non-sexual household transmission.
Competitive contact sports, particularly wrestling and rugby, have documented herpes transmission through the specific variant called herpes gladiatorum or "mat herpes." This sports-related spread occurs through the direct skin contact inherent in these activities, with the virus transferring through minor skin abrasions sustained during competition. Outbreaks among athletic teams demonstrate how contexts involving close physical contact beyond sexual activity sometimes contribute to herpes transmission clustering.
The biological reasons symptoms disappear but the virus remainsUnderstanding herpes' relationship with the human nervous system reveals why symptoms come and go while transmission risk persists, explaining the disconnect between visible signs and actual infection status.
Latency in nerve ganglia represents the core mechanism behind herpes' lifelong persistence. After initial infection, the virus travels along nerve fibers to reach clusters of nerve cells called ganglia near the spine. Within these protected locations, the virus enters a dormant state where it produces minimal proteins, effectively hiding from immune detection. This neurological sanctuary allows the virus to remain indefinitely in the body despite robust immune responses that successfully clear the active infection from skin surfaces.
Periodic reactivation occurs when various triggers disrupt viral latency, causing the dormant virus to resume replication and travel back along nerve pathways to the skin surface. Common reactivation triggers include stress, illness, menstruation, sun exposure, and immune suppression, though reactivations also occur without identifiable causes. Each person's reactivation pattern varies based on individual immune function, viral strain, and trigger exposure, creating unique outbreak frequencies ranging from multiple monthly recurrences to years between episodes.
Immune system adaptation over time typically reduces symptom severity but not viral shedding. After initial infection, the immune system develops increasingly sophisticated responses that limit symptom development during viral reactivation. This immune adaptation explains why recurrent outbreaks generally cause milder, shorter-lasting symptoms than the initial episode. However, research shows this symptom reduction doesn't proportionally decrease viral shedding, creating a situation where the infection becomes less visible over time without becoming less transmissible.
The viral evolution within individuals enhances persistence capabilities. As herpes infections progress, the virus undergoes minor genetic changes selected for their ability to evade specific immune responses. This within-host evolution creates increasingly adapted viral variants customized to the individual's immune system, potentially enhancing the virus's ability to reactivate while causing minimal inflammation that might otherwise alert the host to its presence.
Neuronal damage from repeated reactivations sometimes creates areas of reduced sensation, further complicating symptom recognition. The repeated viral travel along specific nerve pathways can cause subtle nerve damage over time, potentially reducing sensation in frequently affected skin areas. This sensory alteration means some people experience diminishing symptoms with each recurrence not just from improved immune control but also from decreased ability to sense the inflammation and discomfort that would otherwise signal viral activity.
The balance between latency and reactivation represents a evolutionary-optimized viral strategy. Complete dormancy would prevent transmission, while constant active replication would maximize immune response and symptom awareness. The herpes virus has instead evolved an intermittent reactivation pattern that balances transmission opportunities against host detection, creating an ideal approach for long-term persistence and spread. This biological strategy, refined over millions of years of coevolution with humans, explains why herpes proves so difficult to eradicate once established.
The realistic approach to managing transmission riskWhile complete prevention remains challenging, specific evidence-based strategies can substantially reduce herpes transmission risk when applied consistently.
Suppressive antiviral therapy provides the most reliable pharmaceutical approach for reducing asymptomatic transmission. Daily medications like valacyclovir, acyclovir, or famciclovir significantly decrease both symptomatic outbreaks and asymptomatic viral shedding. Research demonstrates that consistent suppressive therapy reduces transmission risk to uninfected partners by approximately 50% compared to no treatment. This risk reduction, while not providing complete protection, represents one of the most effective available interventions for sexually active people with herpes concerned about partner transmission.
Honest disclosure conversations, while emotionally challenging, enable informed consent that forms the foundation of ethical risk management. These discussions allow potential partners to evaluate their personal risk tolerance and participate in prevention planning. Effective disclosure approaches typically include basic education about herpes, specific information about the individual's infection type and symptom patterns, and a collaborative discussion about risk reduction strategies rather than simply revealing status and awaiting judgment.
Barrier method optimization can improve the partial protection condoms provide. While standard condom use reduces transmission risk by 30-50%, combining condoms with other prevention strategies significantly enhances overall protection. For oral sex, dental dams or plastic wrap provide barrier protection that standard prevention messaging often overlooks. Understanding that barriers offer important but incomplete protection helps set realistic expectations while still encouraging their consistent use.
Trigger avoidance helps minimize outbreaks and potentially reduces asymptomatic shedding periods as well. By identifying personal triggers like specific stressors, excessive sun exposure, or particular dietary patterns, individuals can sometimes reduce their reactivation frequency. While this approach doesn't eliminate asymptomatic transmission risk, fewer reactivation events likely correlates with decreased overall transmission probability over time.
Regular self-monitoring with adequate lighting and magnification helps identify subtle symptoms that might otherwise go unnoticed. Using a mirror to examine areas difficult to visualize directly, paying attention to minor skin changes, and tracking ambiguous sensations like tingling or itching that might signal prodromal periods all enhance awareness of potential transmission risk periods. This increased symptom recognition allows for more targeted abstention during higher-risk intervals.
Partner testing before establishing unprotected sexual contact provides baseline knowledge that informs risk management. When both partners know their herpes status through type-specific blood testing, prevention can focus on avoiding transmission of types not already shared. This testing-based approach acknowledges that many adults already carry at least one herpes variant, allowing relationships to navigate specific risk rather than treating herpes exposure as a novel threat in all cases.
Relationship communication beyond initial disclosure supports sustainable risk management over time. Ongoing discussions about symptoms, medication adherence, and evolving risk tolerance help maintain prevention measures despite the tendency toward relaxed precautions in established relationships. This communication challenges the psychological barrier of prevention fatigue by keeping risk management an active, shared responsibility rather than a fading initial concern.
The realistic acknowledgment of herpes' prevalence and transmission patterns provides context for personal risk decisions. With approximately 67% of people worldwide carrying HSV-1 and 11% carrying HSV-2, completely avoiding herpes exposure through partner selection proves statistically unlikely. Understanding this epidemiological reality helps individuals develop reasonable risk management approaches proportionate to herpes' actual health impacts rather than approaches driven primarily by stigma or misperception of rarity.
Can You Get Herpes From Kissing?
Herpes can spread through skin-to-skin contact, including kissing and engaging in oral sex with someone who has the virus.
The herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes herpes.
This article will look at how herpes can spread to others. It will also discuss symptoms, prevention, and the treatment options available.
A person can contract herpes as a result of skin-to-skin contact with someone who has the virus or coming into contact with their saliva. As a result, people can get herpes from kissing.
Although the virus can spread when no symptoms are present, it is more likely to do so while a person has an outbreak.
So, when a person has cold sores or blisters from the virus, it can easily spread to others.
There are two types of herpes virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2.
People are more likely to contract oral herpes, also known as cold sores, from HSV-1. It is possible to contract HSV-1 from kissing or engaging in oral sex with someone who has the virus. Most people with oral herpes receive it during childhood or young adulthood from non-sexual contact with saliva.
The transmission of HSV-2 almost always occurs through sexual contact, causing infection around the genitals and anus.
These viruses can result in either oral or genital herpes, depending on where the virus entered the body.
Herpes can spread through contact between an area of infected skin, such as a blister, and an area of broken skin. It can also spread via mucous membranes, such as the genitals or the mouth.
Some common means of transmission include:
Both types of the virus can spread more easily when a person has an outbreak. However, it can also spread when no symptoms are present.
The reason for this is that there are several days throughout the year when the virus becomes activated despite no symptoms being present. The term for this is "shedding," or asymptomatic reactivation.
It is also possible for someone to contract oral herpes if they perform oral sex on a person who has genital herpes. However, this is rare, as HSV-2 does not usually affect the face.
Although it is rare, it is possible to contract herpes from sharing certain objects.
Any objects that have come into contact with the saliva of a person who has herpes can pass the virus to someone who touches these objects.
The blisters and cold sores that appear during a herpes outbreak are very contagious. People can help prevent the spread of herpes by avoiding certain types of contact during an outbreak.
For example, when a person has a herpes outbreak — during which they will have noticeable symptoms — they should avoid:
The virus can also spread even when a person has no symptoms.
Using condoms and other barrier methods correctly during sexual activity can help reduce the chance of herpes transmission. However, it does not completely rule out the possibility of transmission, as barrier methods do not protect the whole area around the genitals.
People can also take an anti-herpes medication to help prevent transmission to any sexual partners.
Anyone who has herpes during pregnancy should talk with their doctor about the possibility of passing it to the baby.
People with the herpes virus may not have any symptoms. If symptoms do appear, however, they are usually most severe during the first outbreak.
The following sections will list some symptoms by herpes type.
Oral herpes
The initial symptoms of oral herpes may include:
After the first outbreak, a person may have regular outbreaks of the infection. These may cause milder symptoms, such as:
People may also feel itching, tingling, or a burning sensation around the mouth before they notice any visible symptoms.
Genital herpes
If a person has genital herpes, they may have no symptoms or very mild symptoms, which are not always noticeable.
Some symptoms of genital herpes include:
As with oral herpes, initial symptoms of the virus tend to be more severe and can also include flu-like symptoms. With repeat outbreaks, the symptoms are usually milder. People often have less frequent breakouts over time.
People with HSV-2 may also experience some warning signs of an outbreak. For example, they might experience tingling sensations in the body before they notice any genital sores. In some cases, a tingling or shooting pain may occur in the legs, hips, and buttocks.
There is currently no cure for herpes. However, people can seek treatment to reduce or prevent outbreaks of the virus.
Certain medications can also help minimize the likelihood of transmission.
Some treatment options for oral herpes include:
People can also take antiviral medications to treat genital herpes. Medication can help reduce the frequency and severity of herpes outbreaks.
For anyone who has herpes during pregnancy, a doctor may prescribe an anti-herpes medication to reduce the chance of transmitting the virus to the baby. If any symptoms of genital herpes are present at the time of delivery, doctors may recommend a cesarean delivery.
Herpes can spread through skin-to-skin contact or contact with saliva. It is, therefore, possible to get herpes from kissing.
People can also contract oral herpes from oral sex. Genital herpes spreads through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with anyone who has the virus.
People can help prevent transmission by:
Although there is currently no cure for herpes, people can take medication to reduce or prevent outbreaks. Medication can also help lower the chance of passing herpes to others.
If a person thinks that they may have come into contact with herpes, or if they notice any symptoms, they can see their doctor for a physical examination and possible testing.
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