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Can You Get Herpes In More Than One Spot?

BeatHerpes.com — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:17:31 +0000

The question of whether herpes can occur in more than one spot is somewhat nebulous as it may be referring to two different things: whether herpes symptoms can occur across different areas of the body; whether a person can become reinfected with herpes.

Let’s consider the former question — whether herpes symptoms can occur across different areas of the body — first.

A characteristic of herpes is that when herpes outbreaks occur, they occur only in that specific area where herpes infection took place. A person who was initially infected with herpes in their genital region will have outbreaks — if outbreaks should ever occur — in their genital region. A person who became infected with herpes via their genital region will not have outbreaks on their torso, or their face, or their legs.

Herpes outbreaks occur only where infection initially took place.

This trait can be quite specific indeed. A person who gets outbreaks of fever blisters (fever blisters are another term for cold sores) in the area of their mouth will get these outbreaks only where their infection initially took place. If infection took place on the left side of the mouth, this is where any future outbreaks will also occur.

If nothing else outbreaks can demonstrate where a herpes infection initially took place, if this information isn’t known to begin with.

The answer to whether a person can become reinfected with herpes is, for all intents and purposes, no. When herpes infection takes place, the body quickly produces antibodies to fight the infection. These antibodies will prevent infection from reoccurring if future exposures should take place by destroying new traces of the virus as it enters the body.

When it comes to herpes, and herpes simplex in particular, infection occurs only once.

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Find Can You Get Herpes In More Than One Spot? in the Fever Blisters, Herpes Symptoms sections at BeatHerpes.com

Can You Get Herpes From Kissing?

BeatHerpes.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:36:31 +0000

Is kissing safe? That depends on how you define safe. Kissing can in fact transmit certain infections, such as mononucleosis.

Kissing can also transmit herpes.

This may come as a surprise to some people, though this could be due in part to a lack of insight about what herpes actually is. For instance, some people don’t realize that cold sores are a herpes infection. Specifically cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, typically HSV 1.

Herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact, and is most easily spread when a herpes outbreak is in progress. In the case of herpes being spread through kissing then, the most likely infection path would involve cold sores since cold sore symptoms usually occur in the vicinity of the mouth.

If a person having a cold sore outbreak kisses or is kissed by someone else, the herpes / cold sore infection has the definite possibility of being spread. A cold sore won’t always be spread if an outbreak is taking place, but outbreak occurrences are typically when contamination occurs.

The obvious means to prevent becoming herpes infected through kissing then is to avoid kissing someone who is in an active cold sore outbreak. Most people would probably avoid doing this inherently. Studies have demonstrated however that it is possible for herpes to be spread even in the absence of an active outbreak.

This is thought to occur during something called viral shedding, which puts the herpes virus at the skin surface and causes the possibility for infection to occur. While viral shedding may lead to herpes being spread, it is certainly a less likely means for infection than when an active outbreak is taking place.

While herpes should be avoided where possible, it’s worth knowing that herpes is typically not a significant threat to health. Beyond that, effective herpes treatment is available for dealing with any herpes outbreak that should ever occur if infection happens.

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Find Can You Get Herpes From Kissing? in the Cold Sore Treatment, Herpes Treatment sections at BeatHerpes.com

Sexually Active With Herpes – Is It Safe?

BeatHerpes.com — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 02:00:57 +0000

An often severe bit of news for people who get a herpes simplex diagnosis is that herpes is considered to be a lifelong condition. Once a person is infected with herpes they are, according to the thinking of mainstream medicine at least, infected forever. Whether this thinking is actually true or not is something that can be debated (and perhaps discussed in another blog post).

For now however an assumption of lifetime infection is the standard. So what does this mean for intimacy? What does it mean for sexual activity? Well one possibility for intimacy at least is the option for dating other people with herpes. There are various herpes dating websites on the Web, and other sites as well for people with herpes to network — which sometimes leads to intimacy.

Sexual activity goes beyond simple intimacy of course and does raise certain issues. First and foremost being aware of herpes status carries implied responsibilities, including telling sexual partners that one is herpes infected. A herpes infected person who has sex without confirming their status to their partner immediately becomes legally liable and can be hit with financial damages.

Multimillion dollar judgments have been made, and settled, against people who were herpes infected and had sexual relations without divulging their herpes status. Beyond financial liability however, there is a question of morality. Ask yourself this: Would you want your sexual partner to withhold an STD diagnosis from you? Most people would say no.

Another issue with herpes and sexual activity is the increased risk for HIV infection. People who are infected with genital herpes have a considerably higher risk for HIV infection than people who do not have genital herpes, something that is not related solely to genital herpes symptoms. So a person with genital herpes should take particular care to avoid being exposed to HIV. The best methods for doing this are abstinence, and properly using condoms during any sexual activity.

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Find Sexually Active With Herpes – Is It Safe? in the Herpes Symptoms, Herpes Test sections at BeatHerpes.com

How Long Do Fever Blisters Last?

BeatHerpes.com — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:41:51 +0000

It’s important to note that fever blister outbreaks are not across the board identical. This is to say that one fever blister outbreak won’t absolutely be the same as a previous outbreak, and outbreaks in different people certainly won’t always be identical. The reason for bringing this up is that people often want absolute answers when it comes to fever blister symptomology.

The fact is absolute answers about fever blisters aren’t always possible. There are however some firm facts about fever blisters and how they often present.

Fever blisters are the result of a herpes simplex virus infection, typically herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV 1). Fever blisters and cold sores are different terms for the exact same condition: an HSV 1 infection. Like all herpes symptoms, fever blister outbreaks typically move through a cycle. The cycle starts with a tingle and/or soreness, then moves to an appearance of small (possibly shiny) blister clusters that fill with fluid, burst and drain, scab over, and then heal.

From start to finish, a fever blister outbreak typically lasts two weeks. Do note however that this timeline can run considerably less when effective treatment is used. With treatment a fever blister outbreak can go from lasting two weeks to lasting a week, or even several days. As cold sores and fever blisters are the same condition, cold sore treatment can and should be used if treatment for fever blisters is desired.

Fever blisters are contagious, particularly when an active fever blister outbreak is present. During an active fever blister outbreak the herpes virus is present at the skin surface in significant quantities. Coming into direct contact with the skin at this time carries a definite probability for transmission of fever blisters from one person to another.

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Find How Long Do Fever Blisters Last? in the Cold Sore Treatment, Fever Blisters sections at BeatHerpes.com

Foods That Prevent Herpes Outbreaks?

BeatHerpes.com — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:11:23 +0000

For people infected with herpes, having an outbreak at some time or another is always a possibility. While herpes outbreaks are typically not serious medical situations and are considered to be nuisance events more than anything, they can be painful and can also be sources of emotional strain. In fact for some people just the possibility of a herpes outbreak can cause significant emotional stress.

Given this there are efforts sometimes made to prevent outbreaks from occurring at all. Apparently some information sources infer or even state outright that eating certain foods will prevent herpes outbreaks from happening. Is this true?

Stated connections between food intake and herpes outbreaks may reflect the role of nutrition on physical health in general. The better one’s diet, the better one’s overall health will tend to be. Following this line of reasoning, good overall health will possibly keep herpes infections and herpes outbreaks in check. This in fact may be true, but could be most relevant as it relates to immune system functioning.

Herpes infection, and herpes simplex infection in particular, is thought to remain permanently within the body and is responded to by body immunity function on a regular basis. If the immune system should be compromised or strained, the herpes virus can react more easily and cause greater numbers of outbreaks. With respect to herpes then body immunity is important and, possibly, body immunity can be enhanced through good nutrition.

Is this the same as saying certain foods will prevent herpes outbreaks? We believe not. There is no particular food or combination of foods that will keep herpes outbreaks from occurring. In fact there is no certain herpes outbreak cause. While there sometimes appears to be causing factors for a herpes outbreak, outbreaks also occur for no apparent reason at all.

Our recommendation is that rather than focusing on food for herpes outbreaks, instead find an effective herpes treatment and use it whenever an outbreak should occur.

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Find Foods That Prevent Herpes Outbreaks? in the Cold Sore Treatment, Genital Herpes Treatment, Herpes Treatment sections at BeatHerpes.com

Can Stress Cause Herpes?

BeatHerpes.com — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:16:05 +0000

Many of us have heard the classic hypothetical about the chicken and the egg. Which came first — the chicken or the egg? A new hypothetical may now be emerging about herpes and emotional stress.

Is emotional stress the cause or the result of a herpes outbreak?

The answer is not conclusive in either direction. Though there is speculation about emotional stress causing herpes outbreaks, as well as some herpes infected people claiming stress is certainly a trigger for them having an outbreak, there isn’t definitive evidence that stress causes herpes outbreaks. On the other hand, while not all herpes infected people experience emotional stress about having herpes, some certainly do.

Stress reactions that are present seem to differ between herpes infections. For people with cold sores — which is a herpes infection (HSV 1 to be precise) in spite of some people not being aware of this reality — the emotional stress is typically most significant during an outbreak. In other words, people who get cold sore outbreaks feel emotional stress mostly when cold sores are in place. No cold sore outbreak often means no stress… even though, outbreaks or no, they remain herpes infected.

Those infected with genital herpes tend to experience emotional stress on a more regular basis, something that isn’t particularly impacted by the presence or lack of an outbreak. This isn’t to say that genital herpes outbreaks don’t cause stress. On the contrary, they often do if for no other reason than genital herpes outbreaks serve as a reminder of a genital herpes infection.

People with genital herpes however tend to remain aware of their condition regardless of outbreak symptoms being in place. This is quite likely due to the stigma of genital herpes, and the notion that a genital herpes condition may be a reflection of one’s character or even worth. The reality is that no form of herpes gives any consideration whatsoever to a person’s character, and beliefs that herpes and personal character or personal worth are connected is totally false.

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Find Can Stress Cause Herpes? in the Cold Sore Treatment, Genital Herpes Treatment, Herpes Symptoms sections at BeatHerpes.com

Seeking The Signs Of Genital Herpes

BeatHerpes.com — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:46:59 +0000

Whenever the topic of genital herpes should come up, there is always and without fail a considerable level of interest in the symptoms of genital herpes. The reason for this is quite obvious: at any given time there are people concerned about having genital herpes. To try and diagnose themselves, or perhaps to reassure themselves that a positive diagnosis doesn’t apply to them, people concerned about having genital herpes will often inquire in some way or another about what the symptoms of genital herpes are.

This strategy is problematic. To begin with, genital herpes symptoms can and do vary and so what may appear to be a false diagnosis for genital herpes or a positive diagnosis may, in fact, be incorrect. At least one way that genital herpes symptoms vary is symptoms appearing at all. The majority of people who do have genital herpes, as high as 80%, don’t realize they are infected. This is due, at least in part, to an absence of apparent symptoms. In a strange twist, people who actually have genital herpes often have no concerns whatsoever about being infected. They’re blissfully ignorant of their true status.

The person who is concerned about being genital herpes infected, on the other hand, typically is aware of a potential medical problem. This is why they’re concerned. And they may have good reason to be concerned — but not about genital herpes. In fact, genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that is mostly passed through unprotected intercourse. Genital herpes however is different from many sexually transmitted infections in that it’s basically benign. In other words genital herpes typically does not present a significant threat to health.

This cannot be said of other sexually transmitted infections, some of which are lethal if left untreated. A person inquiring about genital herpes symptoms may have had an unprotected sexual encounter. If this is so then genital herpes is certainly not the greatest threat they’re possibly facing. Not by a long shot.

This isn’t meant to come across as a scare tactic. Any sexually transmitted infection is rare, and this is particularly true for quite serious sexually transmitted infections. The point to be made here is that self-diagnosis for genital herpes is a very flawed strategy. Getting tested may well be the best means for knowing genital herpes status, and any other potential status as well.

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Find Seeking The Signs Of Genital Herpes in the Herpes Symptoms, Herpes Test sections at BeatHerpes.com

HSV Type 2 General Info

BeatHerpes.com — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:32:15 +0000

HSV 2 is an anacronym for herpes simplex virus 2, also referred to as herpes simplex 2. HSV 2 is a contagious virus that is usually transmitted through sexual contact. HSV 2 infection typically affects the genital region and is often labeled genital herpes.

HSV 2 infection is not extremely common, but not so uncommon either as to be unheard of. In the United States roughly 16% of people between the ages of 14 and 49 are thought to be infected with HSV 2. Determining exact HSV 2 infection rates presents a challenge due to a quite low percentage of infection awareness. It’s believed that at least 80% of people infected with HSV 2 in the United States are not aware that they are, in fact, infected.

The lack of infection awareness associated with HSV 2 is likely due to a lack of apparent symptoms. HSV 2 infection can present slight symptoms, and potentially no symptoms at all — at least not symptoms that are clearly recognized by infected individuals. In some cases however HSV 2 infection can show quite clear symptoms including pain and soreness, and blistering. It’s unclear why some HSV 2 infected people show clear signs of infection, while other people infected with HSV 2 move through life with little to no signs of infection.

Even when HSV 2 does show symptoms, the condition is not considered to be a significant threat to health and wellness. When present, the symptoms of an HSV 2 infection will eventually clear on their own though they will almost always clear more quickly and with less pain and discomfort when effective treatment is used.

People who do perceive potential HSV 2 symptoms tend to be rather stressed over the possibility of being HSV 2 infected and may search out information about HSV 2, or genital herpes, in an effort to determine their status. However the lack of uniform symptom response for HSV 2 infection makes self diagnosis extremely challenging and also unreliable. Medical testing then may be the only sure way to know if infection is, in fact, present.

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Find HSV Type 2 General Info in the Genital Herpes Treatment, Herpes Test sections at BeatHerpes.com

How To Treat A Fever Blister

BeatHerpes.com — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:49:51 +0000

There are, generally speaking, two options when it comes to fever blister treatment. The first option represents the treatment of physical discomfort. While fever blisters are not especially painful typically, they can be somewhat painful and can certainly be uncomfortable. There are means however for controlling the discomfort and pain that fever blisters may generate. Applying ice to fever blister outbreaks is one way.

Rather than applying ice, some people may prefer applying a hot compress to a fever blister outbreak. The hot compress can provide the same soothing experience that ice may provide. For fever blister pain, taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or other pain relief medication can help. While ice, heat, or pain relief can help make any symptoms fever blisters cause more endurable, it’s important to note that these treatments do not affect the fever blister outbreak itself. This is to say that using these remedies will not clear a fever blister outbreak, or shorten fever blister outbreak duration.

Most people seeking to treat a fever blister outbreak are more concerned with ending the outbreak or shortening its duration versus simply treating pain or discomfort. There are treatments available for treating fever blister outbreaks. Typically these treatments come packaged as cold sore treatment. In fact fever blister and cold sore are simply different terms for the exact same condition.

There are various over-the-counter fever blister treatments. Most of these treatments claim only to shorten the duration of a fever blister outbreak, though some also claim to reduce the possibility of future outbreaks as well. Various prescription treatments are also available for the treatment of fever blister outbreaks. As with over-the-counter remedies, prescription fever blister treatments focus primarily on treating active outbreaks versus reducing future outbreaks.

It should be noted that the body’s natural immune response will eventually clear fever blister outbreaks. This is to say that fever blister outbreaks will eventually clear on their own with no external treatment whatsoever. However, outbreaks that receive treatment will clear much more quickly than outbreaks that are not treated.

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Find How To Treat A Fever Blister in the Cold Sore Treatment, Fever Blisters sections at BeatHerpes.com

Living With Herpes – A Burden Or Not?

BeatHerpes.com — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:56:17 +0000

Getting a herpes diagnosis can be a quite significant blow. The weight of having contracted a “disease” always holds the potential for emotional suffering, but contracting herpes can be particularly trying because of the association herpes has in the minds of some. In fact any negative reputation herpes has is almost certainly overblown and often undeserved.

Herpes, and herpes simplex in particular, is a very common condition and only in very rare cases causes any significant health problems. A herpes condition in fact typically requires no medical treatment whatsoever — in the event a herpes outbreak occurs, the outbreak will eventually be cleared by the body’s natural immune response.

Having said that a herpes outbreak that receives effective treatment will typically heal more quickly, effectively, and comfortably than an outbreak that receives no treatment. The good news is there is effective herpes treatment available (see our Herpes Treatment page for more information on highly effective herpes treatment).

Even in the case where a person has herpes they often have no symptoms whatsoever. Herpes is typically a silent condition — in other words it often has no symptoms. For this reason the only way to know certainly whether a herpes infection is in place can be through testing: seeking out symptoms alone and foregoing testing can leave an individual falsely aware of their herpes status.

A herpes infection then is a condition that is often without symptoms — and even when symptoms are present treatment is available to effectively treat these symptoms — and typically causes no threat to health. So where then is the burden of being herpes infected? Often in the mind.

In fairness herpes is officially considered incurable and lifelong and this can be a cause for stress and upset in people who have herpes. But as mentioned previously, herpes and herpes simplex in particular, is a very common condition. So even if herpes is lifelong many other people are in identical circumstances. Again then, the emotional strain of a herpes infection seems to be a product of perception versus reality.

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Find Living With Herpes – A Burden Or Not? in the Herpes Symptoms, Herpes Test, Herpes Treatment sections at BeatHerpes.com