Herpes is the most common acute viral disease and is manifested by inflammatory processes, most often on the lips. In the human body, the infection is in a latent state for a long time. Exacerbation of the disease occurs for various reasons. To start treatment on time, you need to know the symptoms of the disease.
Infection methods
Herpes simplex virus type 1 is transmitted as a result of contact with the affected area or with body fluids: saliva, sperm. The infection enters the body of a healthy person, if the patient has even microcracks in the skin. Once in the body, the virus reproduce and migrate through the body, settling in it forever.
The herpes virus type 1, 2 is perceived as a foreign body, while antibodies are produced in the human body to the infection that it has infected. This reduces the risk of the disease in the future.
Genital herpes type 2 is transmitted when there is contact with a person who has affected the external genitalia. Infection can also be transmitted through body fluids.
Causes of herpes exacerbation
Herpes virus is present in the body in 90% of the population, while not showing itself at all. But when favorable conditions are created, it quickly activates. Herpes of types 1 and 2 can begin to develop in the following cases:
- when there is a weakening of the immune system and the occurrence of a cold;
- in the presence of infectious and oncological diseases;
- when using tight diets for weight loss;
- during prolonged treatment with hormonal drugs;
- when a person is constantly in stressful situations and overworked;
- if hypothermia has occurred or, conversely, overheating of the body as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun;
- during the menstrual period in girls;
- with insufficient vitamin content in the body.
What are the symptoms of herpes?
When the incubation period passes (from 3 days to two weeks), the first precursors of the disease begin to appear. Herpes type 1 and type 2 is characterized by the following symptoms:
- General weakness.
- Rise in temperature.
- Painful enlargement of the lymph nodes in the groin.
- Muscle aches.
- Increased urination.
- Itching, burning and pain of the genitals and adjacent skin.
- The onset of nausea and vomiting.
- Numbness of the nape.
- Headache.
All these symptoms are characterized by the fact that they disappear as soon as skin rashes appear, which group and merge into small vesicles with liquid and become cloudy after 2-4 days and begin to burst. Wet sores form, which after a while become crusty. If the course of the disease is favorable, then in a week they will disappear, leaving a spot in its place.
Even if no treatment is given, the disease usually resolves on its own in a couple of weeks. In the future, many people have type 1 and type 2 herpes relapses. At the same time, this can happen for someone in a few weeks, and for someone in a few years.
Herpes type 1
This infectious disease is the most common in the world. Its carriers can be both adults and children. The herpes simplex virus type 1 does not cause great danger, because it affects only the upper layer of the skin. If there are no favorable conditions for the progression of the disease in the human body, herpes may not manifest itself for many years. But, if the immune forces are weakening, the disease begins to actively develop and goes into a new stage, acute.
Herpes simplex type 1 at the initial stage of exacerbation is characterized by slight irritation of the mucous membrane of the mouth and facial skin. Then these areas are covered with small bubbles with liquid, which burst after a couple of days. They dry quickly. This process is accompanied by the formation of a hard crust.
Herpes of the first type is easily transmitted. This occurs when it comes in contact with a fluid of vesicles or skin tissue of a carrier of the disease. In addition, you can get infected during a blood transfusion or using shared linen, toys, cosmetics, dishes and personal hygiene items. In some cases, the virus is transmitted to the fetus from an infected mother. In this case, the disease is congenital.
Causes of herpes type 1
The infection caused by this virus most often affects the face. Sometimes it is called a cold on the lips. But she appears not only on them. So, rashes can form on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, on the skin of the face. What triggers an exacerbation and relapse of the disease? The most common factors are:
- Cold, viral and bacterial infections.
- Hypothermia of the body.
- Stress and overwork.
- Once injured.
- The menstrual cycle in women.
- The depletion of the body due to frequent strict diets for weight loss.
Some do not notice a cold on the lips and attribute it to cosmetic flaws. But for people who have undergone organ transplantation, as well as those who have AIDS and cancer, a simple virus can bring a lot of negative consequences, characterized by damage to internal organs.
Treatment
Speaking about the disease, most often refers to the herpes simplex virus type 1. Its treatment is carried out at home, in extremely rare cases, the patient is hospitalized. What helps to get rid of herpes? Consider a number of medical devices used to combat the manifestations of this ailment:
- "Acyclovir" is a drug that can block the reproduction of the virus. Sold in the form of ointment or cream. They are applied to the affected area several times during the day. The duration of treatment is 5-10 days.
- "Valacyclovir" when it enters the bloodstream under the action of liver enzymes has the same effect as "Acyclovir". The dose and time of taking the drug are prescribed by a doctor. But usually it is taken in the morning and in the evening at 500 mg in one dose for 5-10 days.
- Aplomedin is an antiviral, anti-inflammatory drug that comes in the form of a gel. It is applied to the affected area of the body several times during the day at regular intervals. Treatment of herpes type 1 lasts 2-3 days.
You can list endlessly the names of tablets, ointments and gels, because there are a lot of them on sale now. In order to determine the most suitable drug for your case, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Herpes type 2
This disease is also called genital herpes. It has become extremely widespread. It was once believed that one in five people is infected with the second type of herpes virus. But today, when new, more advanced methods of diagnosing the disease have appeared, it has been established that 70% of the population, mainly adults, are carriers of the herpes virus type 2. Why aren’t large-scale actions taken to prevent the spread of infection? Yes, because in most cases this disease is asymptomatic, and does not affect the health and well-being of a person.
If we compare the viruses of the disease of two types, then they are not much different. They are determined by location in the human body. Herpes viruses of the second type occupy the sacral ganglia located in the pelvis. They along the nerves can go to the surface of the skin and provoke rashes.
Herpes type 2: symptoms of the disease
This ailment can manifest itself in different ways. But the most characteristic symptoms are the following conditions:
- Redness of the skin and mucous membranes.
- The appearance of bubbles with a clear liquid inside.
This virus is dangerous because it causes diseases such as meningitis, encephalitis. It can affect the newborn and the brain.
Genital herpes. Developmental stages
This disease has primary and secondary forms of manifestation. Accordingly, their symptoms are different. In primary herpes, they are usually not expressed in any way. The virus, penetrating the body, is suppressed by the person’s own immune system. Further, he settles in the nerve cells of the sacral plexus and is dormant. For many people, the virus does not appear throughout their lives. A person will live to old age and will never know about the presence of infection in the body. No visible changes occur.
There are times when the virus, having first entered the body, leaves serious consequences: the genitals swell, a rash appears on them. This leads to skin damage. Erosion and ulcers appear. After completing the course of treatment, the virus is successfully suppressed, but remains in a dormant state in the body.
The danger of herpes type 2
It happens that the external manifestations of this virus are localized not only in the inguinal region. So, symptoms may appear in the eye area or on the fingers. In any case, if external signs of herpes are detected, you should immediately consult a doctor, since this disease is capable of:
- Lead to blindness, moreover, complete.
- Cause difficulty urinating.
- Reduce the sensitivity of the skin on the genitals and buttocks.
- Cause severe pain in the genital area.
- Destroy the tissues inside the body and the brain if the human immunity is lowered. In this case, a fatal outcome is often observed.
Genital herpes. Herbal treatment
When a person has type 2 herpes, how to treat is the first question he asks. The area affected by the virus is so intimate that the patient feels awkward when contacting a doctor. But there are no hopeless situations. Phytotherapy comes to the aid of patients along with traditional medicine. We bring to your attention several recipes for tinctures for lotions and oral administration:
- Herbs are taken: lemon balm, motherwort, raspberry and daisy flowers, juniper fruits, thyme - four tablespoons each; St. John's wort, adonis and wormwood - two tablespoons each. All components are mixed. This mixture in the amount of two tablespoons is poured with boiling water, two glasses, and the hour is infused. The tincture is cooled and taken orally up to four times a day for a quarter cup.
- Baths with essential oils, lemon, eucalyptus, geraniums and tea tree leaves help well. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes.
- Arnica flowers are considered an effective remedy. You need to take 15 pieces, pour 0.5 liters. boiling water and insist for two hours. Compresses from this tincture are applied to sore spots.
- Birch buds help relieve swelling in the affected areas. It is necessary to fill in 15 grams of raw milk with the amount of one glass and put it to boil for five minutes. Then the mixture cools, wrapped in gauze and applied to the affected area.
Herpes Prevention
- You must use a condom during intercourse. Unprotected proximity between partners increases the risk of transmitting the disease to a woman by 10%. But a man from a partner becomes infected only in 5% of cases.
- Carrying out the prevention of type 1 disease, the risk of infection with the virus and the second type is reduced.
- If you carefully process all the items that the patient used, then herpes of type 1 and type 2 will not affect the rest of the family.
- When taking Tenofovir during sexual intercourse, the risk of infection is reduced by 50%.
What is the danger of type 1 disease during pregnancy?
Herpes virus of any type is very dangerous for a pregnant woman, as it can harm the fetus. This infection poses a great threat during the process of the birth of the baby, when he, passing through the birth canal, comes into contact with ulcers. In many cases, caesarean section is used to save the child.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 in pregnant women appears on the lips. This exacerbation of a latent disease, which was in a latent form. During the period of bearing a child, the woman’s body undergoes hormonal changes, which allow the virus to express itself. Herpes type 1 during pregnancy can adversely affect the development of the fetus. For a woman, rashes on the face cause danger, which can lead to suppuration of the skin.
Bearing a child during the period of illness
Herpes type 2 during pregnancy is more insidious and dangerous, despite the fact that it is much less common. He can declare himself swelling of the genital organs and rashes on them, and can occur without visible manifestations. With the initial infection of a woman, there is a high risk of transmitting the disease to the child.
Primary and secondary herpes during pregnancy
This infectious disease manifests itself in different ways and affects the body. Primary herpes type 1 and type 2 in a pregnant woman is observed when she became infected after the conception of a child. This form of the disease is most dangerous due to the absence of antibodies that suppress the infection in the body of the future mother. If viruses cross the placenta, fetal rejection may occur, leading to miscarriage. The infection obtained later leads to the development of pathologies of the spleen and nervous system. Newborn skin may be affected. There are cases when a born child is born dead.
With secondary herpes during pregnancy, the embryo suffers in extremely rare cases. The fact is that the mother's body actively produces antibodies that prevent infection from reaching the fetus. But if the functions of the placenta are impaired or its vessels are damaged, the production of antibodies can occur with deviations. They will begin to behave hostile to their own tissues, and not to infection. In this case, the development of fetal pathologies is ensured.
Pregnancy Disease Prevention
Herpes virus even with a single entry into the body from time to time causes an exacerbation. So far, mankind has not come up with such methods, thanks to which it would be possible to get rid of the infection forever. Therefore, before planning pregnancy, it is impossible to prevent the development of the disease.
In anticipation of the birth of a child, give up harmful habits, if they had a place to be, go in for hardening and vitamin therapy. This will increase the protective functions of the body. It is advisable to be examined in a clinic. So, with a serological analysis, it will be seen whether the first encounter of the body with this virus was. If so, you can become pregnant. When a woman with frequent manifestations of the disease plans to give birth to a child, she should undergo treatment with “Acyclovir”, multivitamins, and other immunity enhancing agents.
Intravascular laser irradiation of blood prior to pregnancy has a good effect. This procedure is carried out in the clinic and allows you to reduce the number of viruses.
If antibodies to a disease such as herpes type 1 and type 2 are not found in the blood of a woman, this is a favorable situation for the fetus. But the expectant mother must follow all precautions so as not to harm the baby. First of all, she needs to make sure that the partner does not have genital herpes. If the disease is present, then it is necessary to refrain from sexual intercourse, even with the use of precautions.