Herpes Symptoms

Herpes types help distinguish which type of herpes virus you are suffering from.  There are two main types.  Herpes Simplex Type 1, which is also known as HSV 1 and Herpes Simplex Type 2, or HSV 2, are the two types.  Herpes can also be classified by the areas of the body that the condition affects.  Oral herpes is a general illness that causes cold sores as well as fever blisters on and in the mouth and that region.  Genital herpes is another condition which includes genital sores as well as any other sores that happen below the waist line.  Either of these illness is a serious condition, though not usually life threatening.

What To Know About Herpes

Another important herpes fact is about the response your body has to it.  When you contract the herpes virus, your body instantly springs to action to start fighting off the invading cells.  This is the normal immune response your body has to most illnesses you get, when you are healthy.  When this happens, the herpes virus can be put into remission (the body cannot overcome it completely, though.)  A the same time, your immune system has taken a beating, which often means it is not suspectible to failing against other viruses or illnesses you come into contact with.  Because of this, if you are suffering from the herpes virus, you should work actively at getting help and minimizing breakouts.

Facts About Herpes To Know

There are several key things you should know about herpes.

• There are about 80 million people in the United States that currently have herpes.  The problem is most people do not know they have it.  This also means that one person in every five have the illness.
• The Center for Disease Control suggests that 25 percent of girls between the ages of 14 and 19 have some type of sexually transmitted disease, about 2 percent of these are herpes cases.
• Many women and men contract herpes not just from having sexual intercourse, but also from oral sex or close intimate contact, especially with a person that has an outbreak of herpes.
• You can prevent transmission of herpes by not having sex.  While condoms can help, they do not always provide enough protection, especially when the outbreak occurs in an area of the genitals not covered by the condom.
• You can spread genital herpes to the mouth by having oral sex with someone that has an outbreak of herpes.  The herpes virus can then show itself in the form of cold sores.
• Herpes and pregnancy are real risks.  If you are pregnant, your doctor needs to take significant measures to prevent your child from contracting the disease at birth.

Know the herpes symptoms.  Find out if your partners have come in contact with the illness.  The various types of herpes are very real and very worrisome health conditions.  Although you may not know it, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to abstain from sexual relations.