Advice & Tips

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Tips For Managing Herpes Breakout More Effectively

As of yet there has been no cure found for Herpes, however, there have been numerous remedies discovered that can help you manage your herpes breakout more effectively. Living with herpes is definitely not easy and it can greatly affect the quality of your life. Herpes breakouts are common and it can be difficult to manage them if you don’t have proper knowledge about the disease. That is why we have decided to provide you with important tips that will help you in managing your herpes breakout more effectively.

Tips for Managing Your Herpes

There are some easy ways in which you can manage your herpes breakout and it can make life very easy for you when you are living with herpes. Here are some of them:

  • Avoid touching your herpes sores
  • Avoid all sexual contact till the symptoms disappear
  • Wash your hands frequently throughout the day
  • Keep your lesions clean and dry
  • Wear cotton underwear and loose-fitted clothing
  • Drink lots of water
  • Reduce stress in your life
  • Use ice packs to ease the pain in your genitals
  • Apply vitamin A and vitamin E directly on to the sores
  • Eat almonds, cereals, cashews, chocolate, corn, chicken, meat, nuts, seed and dairy products
  • Don’t consume citrus fruits or juices

Genital Herpes Pain Relief

People who are suffering from genital herpes may experience lots of discomfort and uncomfortable situations during their outbreak. It can be extremely distressing to experience a genital herpes outbreak and is embarrassing for the person, causing them stress and anxiety as well. It is recommended that you eliminate stress and anxiety from your life, since it can trigger an outbreak of the infection. Here are some tips to help you overcome genital herpes pain relief:

  • Apply cool non-herbal tea bags to the affected area
  • Take a long warm bath
  • Place ice-packs onto the affected area
  • Take ibuprofen, acetaminophen or aspirin if you experience fever, pain, or aches during the herpes outbreak.

Herpes is not a condition that is pleasant and it can be quite painful, distressing and uncomfortable when you are dealing with a herpes outbreak. That is why it is recommended that you discuss all possible remedies for managing your herpes outbreak effectively.

Warning of Herpes Outbreaks

It is important that you take the time out to learn more about herpes and how it affects your life. The number of people living with herpes in the United States is growing every single day, and that is why you should pay more attention to the warnings of herpes outbreaks.

  1. Inform your partner about your condition as soon as you are diagnosed with herpes.
  2. Never engage in sexual activity with your partner during a herpes outbreak, since it increases the chance of transmission.
  3. If you experience a severe outbreak of herpes, you may need to get admitted to hospital so that proper medical and professional treatment can be administered to manage the outbreak.

With proper knowledge about herpes you can learn to manage your herpes breakout more effectively.

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Dating With Herpes: Stepping Into Unknown Waters

Dating? And Me?

Yes, a million times yes! Dating has been a part of this world since year zero. Dating is the first step to finding love and a happily ever after, along with being a tonne of fun! However, it is not as easy as it may seem, given the various problems that could arise. Herpes is just one of those issues, one that is usually hard to accept. Therefore, is it not wise to just avoid all the trial-and-error and get right to your Mr/Ms Right? Yes, we thought so too!

But… What Do I Do?

Below are some factors that will help you understand dating a little better and help you find the perfect partner for yourself:

Avoid: Focusing on Just the Chemistry

We completely understand the struggle of finding someone who makes you want to hang on to every word of theirs. In fact, dating can be tough like that; you will need to sift through a pile of people till someone comes along who just grabs your attention like it is no big deal. However, being blindly attracted to them, only because of the chemistry between you two, is not really a smart move.

For instance, if the person has herpes, would you actually want to take the risk of acquiring it, only because you two have this sizzle going on between you two? If your brain says “yes”, pay it no heed! This is because after you sleep with this person, find out that you have contracted herpes from them, only you would feel foolish, cursing yourself for being so driven by just attraction.

We do not mean that you are not entitled to find someone with similar interests and a great face/body. What we are trying to imply is, please do not be blinded by JUST the magnetism.

Embrace: Keeping a Good Vibe on

Do not let your past get to you. Whatever bad things have happened, learn from those and keep strong. There is a good chance that you WILL come across someone who makes the long wait feel like it was worth it. Then, all your past worries and miseries will not matter anymore.

Avoid: Being Wary of Finding Love

Of course, dating is not going to be easy, especially if you have had your fair share of failures. Yes, dating could get you highly exasperated and furious at times. However, do not give up! If you think you will not find love or that you will not even come across people who are your type, you are wrong. Maybe, all you need is to just give it some time. You must remember that losing hope and limiting your choices will not help at all; you will lose before you win. Get out there, show some enthusiasm and scout out some new, interesting people who could help you enjoy life. Who knows, you might find love soon.

Embrace: Being Fond of Your Partner

You know what absolutely kills the spark between you and a potential lover? That would be trying to turn the relationship into a series of counselling sessions. Yes, you can speak to your partner about your pet peeves, daddy issues and other personal stuff, but not at the first go! No one likes to be a punching bag or a therapist for the person they are dating. There will be a time when you find peace and comfort in each other’s presence, after some time of dating. Then, feel free to share everything. Till then, try to keep your relationship lively and enjoyable, so that your partner just cannot get enough of you.

Avoid: Do not Let Your Expectations Go Sky-high

Yes, people keep telling you that you deserve better than the last guy you dated. However, this does not mean that you need to let your expectations go unbelievably, dangerously high. Chances are, you will be disappointed. Besides, if you keep your expectations to somewhere average, you might be blown away when Mr/Ms Right comes walking through your door. Remember, being realistic is the key！

Embrace: Asking Your Partner if They Are Clean

Hey, there is no shame in that! Sexually transmitted diseases are common in several regions of the world. Herpes, Chlamydia, AIDS are just some of them, each having its own set of consequences. Do you want to contract any of these? Absolutely not! Therefore, when you are certain that you have found someone you want to be intimate with, ask them if they are clean. Your body is going to thank you for it!

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Reducing the Herpes Risk in Relationships: How Not To Spread and How Not To Get

Herpes is no small disease, effortless to get rid of, just like the flu. If you, your partner or someone close to you has acquired it, it is best to take precautions as herpes could be easily transmitted, especially through the act of having sexual intercourse. Therefore, we have arranged a list of the methods that could be used to limit the chances of contracting or transmitting herpes:

Manage Things with Your Partner

Now, not everyone is in a committed relationship, which is comprehensible. For all those men and women who are in the dating and partying scene need to remember to be careful. Some guidelines to live by would be:

  • Even if you are about to have a one night stand, ask them if they have any kind of sexually transmitted disease
  • Try to limit the number of sexual partners you have
  • If you are about to have sexual intercourse with a person, get to know them; ask them about the number of people they have had sexual intercourse with
  • If they have sores around their mouth or genitals, do not indulge in oral, vaginal or anal sex with them
  • Never have sexual intercourse with someone while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Even those individuals who are in a committed relationship must be cautious, be it monogamous or polygamous. Now, we understand that having the talk with them about whether or not they have any STDs could be embarrassing for some of us. However, it is absolutely necessary, especially if you do not wish to spend the rest of your life regretting NOT asking the question. Here are some things you could try:

  • Make a pact to get the both of you checked for herpes
  • Ask them if they have had sexual intercourse with many people in the past
  • Ask them if they have ever had any form of STD in the past

One of the most important things to remember is to let your partner know about the matter, if you have herpes. They have the right to know and think about what they are about to get into.

Educating the Patients

A lot of people forget that herpes, although not deadly, could be quite scary. Also, there is a large portion of the general public that has never even heard of herpes. If you know anything at all about herpes, you should discuss it with those around you. Spread the message, as it may help just about anyone! Also, if you think you or someone close to you has it, speak to an expert about it and gather as much of information as you can.

Condoms

CondomSince there is no direct, skin-to-skin contact possible, latex condoms also prevent the transfer of the herpes virus. Admittedly, people were not subjected to experiments to understand the exact way that condoms help with keeping herpes at bay. However, countless questionnaires and polls that were taken over the course of the last decade or two showed that condoms definitely helped the matter; if a man has the herpes 2 virus, wearing a condom will assure a lower risk of him transmitting it to their partner, assuming they are both monogamous.

Abstinence

If someone has herpes, they have outbreaks every now and then. This is a period when the patient has sores and blisters around their mouth or their genitals, based on the type of herpes virus their body contains. Not only are they risking their partner by having sexual intercourse during such a time, they are also making the sex painful, thanks to their lesions and blisters. Therefore, the best idea during this time is to keep away from having sex.

Suppressive Therapy

A lot of brands and companies of dietary supplements or herbal preparations cite that they help eliminate the risks and problems of herpes completely. As a matter of fact, some swear that they completely rid the patient of the disease. However, these claims are baseless and are definitely not true. But there happens to be a method that could decrease the amount of viral discarding: herpes medications that need to be ingested every single day. Some of these medications are valacyclovir and acyclovir, the first offering up to 40-50% of risks of outbreaks. It seems that the daily intake of these medications help reduce the number of outbreaks, especially if you have been making use of them for a while now.

Lead a Relaxed Life

Taking a load of stress due to having acquired herpes could just make the matter worse. According to experts, being all uptight, upset and stressed out about herpes seems to correlate to the rate at which the patient has outbreaks. Therefore, do not forget to learn to love yourself and your body. Additionally, remember to keep smiling through it all!

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The Herpes Scam: Know the Truth about the Unproven Cures

If you, your partner or someone close to you contracts herpes, the first course of action needs to be seeing a specialist and getting to know about the situation as much as possible. Naturally, you will probably be provided with medications that will absolutely help you lessen the chances of having outbreaks every now and then. While there are many herpes patients who are following this entire process and finding help, there are also many who are dwindling towards certain so-called herbal preparations and supplements which are not helpful.

Scam Alert

Yes, to the absolute horror of many, there are several drug/pharmaceutical companies that love to dupe actual patients who require the instant help of the right medications! While promising that the wrong drug will cure a certain patient’s problem is terrible, swearing that your own drug will cure a patient of a disease that is not curable is a whole other level of wrongdoing. For instance, herpes is a condition that you will have for the rest of your life, if you manage to acquire it. Although many people who have just heard of it assume that horrific disease that guarantees an early death, others understand that herpes is not deadly. They also understand that having herpes could certainly test your patience if you happen to contract it somehow. This is why a heinous lie such as completely helping a patient get rid of their herpes problem with a mere drug, is unacceptable.

During the month of May in 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued notices to several drugs that promised impossible treatments and cures for herpes, namely:

  • Never an Outbreak
  • Medavir
  • Viruxo

The FDA also handed out letters to the companies mentioned below:

Dynamiclear

An example of herpes medication scams, this product’s company actually spent their time till the year 2012 claiming that they can not only reduce the seriousness of their herpes and the sores due to it, but could also lessen the overall outbreak time periods. Apparently, their Phase III trials were the key to this unbelievable lock.

During the year of 2010, the Complaint Resolution Panel clearly asked Dynamiclear to remove certain claims, such as:

  • the product can start producing instant results;
  • the product provides with instant relief;
  • the product makes sure that its treatment for herpes 1 cold sores is better than normal herpes 1 sore products;
  • the product makes sure that its treatment for herpes 1 cold sores is far more quicker than herpes 1 sore products;
  • the product has been proven clinically;
  • the product has been proven clinically as a method to reduce sore healing time;
  • the product has been endorsed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA);
  • the product is so useful, the patient need not make use of other herpes 1 sore products;
  • the product is at least 70% more successful and efficient than other cold sore items;
  • the product has no side effects whatsoever;
  • the product gets you rid of all of your cold sores in the matter of just three days;
  • the product has been proven clinically safe and effective for cold sore burning, itching, redness and blisters;
  • the product has been shown to have noteworthy positive effect on the cold sores in a matter of just one day.

Dynamiclear not only failed to act on the issued warning, they still have not even acknowledged the fact that they have been cheating patients. Since this product was made in Australia, the United States does not have any say over this case. Unfortunately, Dynamiclear is listed in Australia as a medicine, but is not officially registered. Apparently, as long as your product is considered as “safe” by the board in Australia, your medicine will appear as listed. However, the board does not take into consideration that the drug may not even be effective at all! Despite the fact that Dynamiclear does not cause harm to the patients, it sure costs them unnecessary money.

Fake Reviews

Even though there are several people who are desperate for remedies that will work “a 100%”, despite the treatment they are probably already receiving. These individuals may purchase the products in a moment of naivety. However, there are others who require a little persuasion, which is where drug review sites come in. There are a bunch of websites that have promoted Dynamiclear and other similar drugs, a clear indication that they are being operated by the people of these medications’ companies. Some of these fake sites are as follows:

  • 2Herpes.com
  • Herpes-Coldsores.com
  • GenitalHerpes-Treatment.com
  • IdealHeatlhServices.com
  • HerpesMedication.org
  • Herpes-Answers.org
  • HowToCureHerpes.org
  • Herpes-Treatment.org
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The Psychological Effects of Herpes You Should Know

Being Diagnosed With Herpes

Knowing the fact that you have acquired herpes could affect you deeply, whether it is herpes type 1 or herpes type 2. While some individuals have heard of this condition before, others are clueless about it. Needless to say, the latter group have a more difficult time adjusting to the problems and implications of herpes.

Bitterness and anger are feelings that are bound to come flooding in if you happen to be diagnosed with herpes. It is quite common to see herpes patients thinking to themselves, “If only I had not…”. In other cases, patients are seen being upset with their partners for having herpes and transmitting it to them. While these feelings are quite stressful, they are part of the grieving process. Patients should keep in mind that negative feelings will not turn time backwards; neither will they make them feel any better.

Psychological Effects of HerpesAnother common emotion among herpes patients is fear. This may come in various forms: some people may be scared of their loved ones finding out about their condition, others may be petrified of socializing any more, some may even be horrified thinking that they cannot have sexual relationships with people as much as they used to before. Such individuals need to understand that they are not alone. Also, it will get better with time and they will find happiness soon.

Some Myths Regarding Herpes

There are several myths that contribute to the depression, anxiousness, hopelessness and helplessness faced by the patients. Some of them have been mentioned below:

  • 1. Herpes is quite rare; not many catch it.
  • 2. The virus could be passed onto new-born babies, hence patients can never have children.
  • 3. Herpes is a result of being highly promiscuous.

How Stress Has an Impact on Herpes Outbreaks

There are countless damaging effects that come from the stress due to suffering from herpes. However, the scariest effect is the one on the patient’s herpes outbreaks. After a ton of research and tests, it has been discovered that there is a link between heightened stress and herpes outbreaks. Those who have a tougher time accepting the fact that they suffer from herpes find themselves facing higher numbers of outbreaks. As a result, this person then gets entangled in a cycle of never-ending occurrences.

Needless to say, the number of outbreaks in turn causes high stress levels in the person. At a point, they find themselves feeling hopeless and weak. Unfortunately, there is a direct connection between physical and psychological health, which means individuals with a lot of negative emotions are bound to face a bigger number of herpes outbreaks.

How to Deal With These Psychological Effects

Accepting What Has Happened

Being in denial will just add to your pain and cause problems, like stated above. Herpes does not have a cure and requires treatments for a lifetime, including visits to your doctor and ingesting medications prescribed by him/her. Once a patient accepts the fact that they have herpes, they could work on ways to deal with outbreaks, their personal relationships and their overall health and happiness.

What You Should Not Do

  • Most importantly, never ignore the symptoms: If you come to notice blisters around your mouth or genitals, please visit your doctor as soon as possible. Do not ignore the signs due to fear or carelessness. Also, ignoring the signs will not make herpes go away.
  • Do not lose yourself in the process of feeling self-pity: If you have caught herpes, it is natural to feel down. However, do not dwell in it to the point where you get depressed and risk facing higher numbers of outbreaks.
  • Do not hide the fact that you have herpes from your partner: You need not disclose your secret to them if it is just a date. However, if you are ever serious with a person to the point where you are considering having a sexual relationship with them, you must let them know of your problem. Take a look at this post to know how to have the talk.

What You Should Do

  • Educate yourself about herpes as much as you can: There is a ton of information you could find on herpes, each useful if you happen to suffer from it. You could make use of this data to take care of your condition appropriately, along with educating others.
  • Talk to a counsellor about your emotions: If you are stressed out due to the fact that you have herpes, speak to a therapist. They will definitely help you feel better.
  • De-stress yourself: Treat yourself to things that bring you happiness and make you feel at ease.
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Herpes: From a Woman’s Perspective

The Tiny Things That You MUST Know

Believe it or not, women have a tough time divulging secrets, despite popular belief. Therefore, when it comes to something big, like suffering from herpes, we are more absolutely petrified of disclosing the matter to others. As a woman who has seen a handful of people around her who suffer from herpes, I would like to state that the disease could certainly be a pain. But it is also true that if you learn how to manage the problem, it cannot affect you in any major ways.

Firstly, let us address the most basic facts of herpes:

  • It is a condition that occurs due to the herpes simplex virus.
  • There are 2 types: herpes type 1 and herpes type 2.
  • Type 1 is also known as oral herpes, distinguished by sores and blisters around the mouth region.
  • Type 2 is also known as genital herpes, identified by blisters around the genitals.
  • A person is diagnosed with herpes with the help of a blood test or a test that involves taking a smear of the fluid from the blisters.

Differentiating the Lies from the Truths

Herpes has a ton of information that needs to be spread out among the general public in order to make people alert. There are lots of individuals, men and women who do not know what hit them when they or a loved one contract herpes. With the lack of information comes the lack of knowledge that helps to keep the outbreaks in check. Also, having sufficient knowledge clears out all the myths that come with herpes. Some of the fabrications that pertain to women having herpes have been mentioned below:

  • Myth: If I have oral herpes and if I touch my genitals, I will also acquire genital herpes.
    That is wrong, as it is hard to get the same type of herpes at another region of the body. This is due to the fact that your body is constantly forming antibodies that prevent the spread of the infection from one part to another.
  • Myth: Herpes can cause cervical cancer.
    Another false statement, as herpes virus is not related to the cervix, cervix abnormalities or even cervix cancer; the last is caused by the human papilloma virus.
  • Myth: If a person contracts herpes it means that they are highly promiscuous.
    This is not true, as herpes can happen to you even if you are having sex or participating in oral sex for the first time.
  • Myth: Women who have herpes can never have their own children.
    This is another lie that is probably the result of certain misunderstandings. Women who contract herpes during the last stage of pregnancy have the chance of passing it on to their unborn child. However, if the mother has caught it before pregnancy, there are very slight chances of transmission to the foetus.

Lastly, Dealing With the Situation

There is no way you could throw aside the worry, caution and fear that comes along with contracting herpes. However, for the sake of your sanity and happiness, you must move on from the wallowing in self-pity and the constant nagging worry of being rejected.

My friend Gemma caught herpes from a one night stand, a situation that had her in a mess. Not only did she have trouble breaking it down to all those close to her, she also constantly worried about socializing with people, intent in believing that she will be denied any love. Sure enough, she took her first rejection too hard, certain that this meant her love life has gone down the drains. Fast forwarding to 8 months, she had come to terms with her condition, feeling bold about mentioning it to people. Cupid’s bow struck her when she met Jaime in her office, a sweetheart who loved her for being “Gemma” and not “Gemma with herpes”.

Regardless of how bad your condition is, it is always easy to take good care of yourself, if you have acquired oral or genital herpes. You have to keep in mind that you are not damaged goods for people to trample over. Rather, you are now a mature person who must let the right person in who could respect you and your body, alongside loving you for who you are: a beautiful human being who is responsible and confident enough to share her secret with whoever she wishes to.

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Herpes: A Stigma Overblown and Ruining Relationships

Firstly, What Is Herpes?

Herpes is a medical condition that is caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is generally divided into two types: oral herpes and genital herpes. The first tends to occur and affects the regions around the mouth, often brought about by a common cold. The latter is transmitted via sexual contact, affecting the genital region and other parts of the skin. know more about herpes in tis post – What is Herpes: What You Need to Know about the Stigmatized STD.

What To Do When You Have Been Diagnosed With Herpes?

The most important information on herpes is that it is very easy to be caught by others and has no permanent cure. You could speak to experts and doctors to find treatment plans to keep a leash on the severity of the condition. Moreover, you could sign up for groups and teams that discuss the concepts of herpes and help patients overcome their fear and anxiety regarding it. The best thing you could do if you contract herpes is educate yourself about as much as possible and wrap your head around it as much as possible, in order to be able to run a smooth and stress-free life.

What The Results And The Experts Do Not Tell You

The fear instilled in those who do not suffer from herpes and have never heard of it is great. This is mostly due to the fact that the details of the disease are unknown to them. Genital herpes is a problematic condition; only because of the way many people seem to be put off when their partner claims to have it.

I Have HerpesWhen you are suspecting that you suffer from herpes, the first thing you could do is visit the doctors, who will take a blood test. While this test confirms the presence of genital herpes, it does not warn you of the distress, anxiety and worry it causes as long as you have it. Most patients find it hard to grasp the idea of having a condition that is not curable. The stigma following genital herpes is another matter entirely, one that causes additional pressure on the patients. Pursuing relationships with anyone is a worry. In fact, many patients find themselves distancing themselves from others, only due to the fear that they will be rejected over and over.

The lack of education regarding herpes among the common public is embarrassing, along with being one of the main reasons behind the stigma. Many assume that herpes is as uncontrollable and deadly as AIDS. Naturally, these same individuals then feel petrified of being close to those who have already contracted the herpes simplex virus.

There are countless patients who have acquired the herpes virus from previous partners who did not know they have it. Sadly, many people assume that only the disease attacks those who are immoral and tend to sleep around a lot. However, the truth is far from that. Today, over 80% of the total population of the United States of America have herpes. However, most of these people are clueless, since the symptoms are not too clear or because they it never occurred to them that they have herpes. The fact that people jump to conclusions about the nature and morals of the affected is what makes herpes a scare for us; a disease that cannot be fatal and is limited to just the skin is feared like it is the worst possible scenario for an individual.

The herpes virus could actually lie in your system, dormant for days, months and even years. As a matter of fact, you may never face an outbreak! On the other hand, it is also possible to bring about the activation of the virus by an everyday matter like menstruation. Since the disease itself is so simple and uncomplicated to understand, those who know of herpes must put an end to the shame, guilt and shaming that has almost become like an onset of herpes. As long as the patients are responsible enough to take care of their problem, we must also be responsible enough to understand their situation and support them through it. Also, just because they have contracted the disease does not mean that they are incapable of feeling and loving others. Therefore, it is only fair that we treat them like we would treat any other human being.