Sex may be pervasive in our popular culture, but conversations about it are still associated with stigma and shame in Indian homes. As a result, most individuals dealing with sexual health issues or trying to find information about sex often resort to unverified online sources or follow unscientific advice from their friends.
To dispel widespread misinformation about sex, News18.com is running this weekly sex column titled ‘Let’s Talk Sex’ every Friday. We hope to start the conversation about sex with this column and address issues of sexual health with scientific insight and nuance.
This column is being written by Sexologist Prof. (Dr.) Saransh Jain. In today’s column, Dr. Jain explains how to deal with herpes and the virus.
Herpes is primarily a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that causes sores on your genitals and/or mouth. Shingles can be annoying and painful, but it does not usually cause serious health problems. It is caused by two different but similar viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both can cause sores to pop up on your vulva, vagina, cervix, anus, penis, scrotum, butt, inner thighs, lips, mouth, throat and rarely, your eyes.
Ringworm is spread by skin-to-skin contact with infected areas, often during vaginal sex, oral sex, anal sex, and kissing. Ringworm causes outbreaks of itchy, painful blisters or sores that come and go. Many people with shingles do not notice the sores or mistake them for something else, so they may not know they are infected. You can spread shingles even when you have no sores or symptoms.
Are there different types of herpes?
Because there are two different types of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2), many people get confused about the different types of herpes.
, genital herpes: When you get HSV-1 or HSV-2 on or near your genitals (vagina, vagina, cervix, anus, penis, scrotum, butt, inner thighs), it’s called genital herpes.
• Oral herpes: When you get HSV-1 or HSV-2 in or around your lips, mouth, and throat, it’s called oral herpes. Oral herpes sores are sometimes called cold sores or fever blisters.
HSV-1 commonly causes oral herpes, and HSV-2 genital herpes, but it’s entirely possible for both types of herpes simplex to infect any area because of unprotected sex. For example, you can get HSV-1 on your genitals if someone who has cold sores on their lips gives you oral sex. And if you hit on someone with HSV-2, you could get HSV-2 in your mouth.
How is herpes simplex virus spread?
Herpes can usually be spread through:
• Sexual intercourse including anal, vulva-penis and vulva-vaginal.
• Having oral sex with an infected person.
• Skin-to-skin contact without ejaculation.
• touching open wounds, including breast-feeding.
• Delivery by a mother or gestational parent with an active infection.
You can spread herpes to other parts of your body if you touch a herpes sore and then touch your mouth, genitals, or eyes without first washing your hands. You can also give shingles to someone else in this way. Because the virus quickly dies outside the body, you cannot get shingles from hugging, holding hands, coughing, sneezing, or sitting on a toilet seat.
neonatal herpes
When a baby is exposed to HSV (HSV-1 or HSV-2) in the genital tract during delivery, they can develop neonatal herpes. Neonatal herpes is a rare infection that affects about 10 out of every 100,000 children worldwide, but it is a serious infection that can cause long-term neurological disability or death.
Women who have had genital herpes before becoming pregnant have a very small risk of spreading the virus to their babies. The risk of neonatal herpes is highest when a mother first contracts HSV in late pregnancy, as HSV levels in the genital tract are highest in the early stages of infection.
What treatments are available for herpes?
Currently, there is no cure for shingles, but medication can ease your symptoms and reduce your chances of passing the virus to other people. And the good news is that outbreaks usually subside over time. People with herpes have relationships, have sex, and lead completely healthy lives. Treatment of HSV includes the following:
, Medicine: Blisters usually heal on their own without medical treatment. But if you experience severe or frequent outbreaks, a doctor or therapist may prescribe antiviral medications. Antivirals can help reduce the number of episodes you experience and reduce the severity of symptoms.
, Home remedies: Many home remedies can help ease the pain and discomfort associated with herpes blisters. You can also help ease the pain by:
o taking a hot bath
o Keeping your genital area dry (moisture makes sores last longer)
0 wearing soft or loose clothing
o applying ice packs to wounds
o Apply aloe vera on wounds
What can I do if I have herpes?
Many people who find out they have shingles feel depressed knowing they will always have the virus and can pass it on to others.
• Learn everything you can about it. The information will help you manage your disease and feel better about yourself.
• Talk to your doctor about your illness.
If you have shingles, don’t worry, you can still:
• Have sex while using a condom (and/or get your partner to use a condom), and tell your partner about your illness. Some couples who only have sex with each other may choose not to use condoms even if one partner has herpes. Since each situation is different, you should ask your doctor if this is the right option for you in your relationship.
• Have children. People with shingles can give birth to healthy babies. If you have shingles and plan to have children, discuss your illness with your healthcare provider.
Millions of people are living with the herpes virus and you should not be ashamed. Treatment can ease symptoms, reduce outbreaks, and protect sexual partners from infection. Having the virus should not affect your relationship or sexual health.
However, you need to let your sexual partner know that you have the virus. Your doctor can discuss ways to prevent it from spreading. If you have herpes, you should also get tested for HIV (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
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