Herpes is the most common acute viral disease and is manifested by inflammatory processes, often on the lips. In the human body, the infection is latent for a long time. The exacerbation of the disease occurs for various reasons. To start treatment on time, you need to know the symptoms of the disease.
Methods of infection
Herpes simplex virus type 1 is transmitted as a result of contact with the affected area or with body fluids: saliva, semen. The infection enters the body of a he althy person, if the patient even has microcracks in the skin. Once in the body, the virus reproduces and migrates through the body, settling in it forever.
Herpes virus type 1, type 2 is perceived as a foreign body, while the human body produces antibodies to the infection that he contracted. This reduces the risk of disease in the future.
Genital herpes type 2 is transmitted when there is contact with a person whose vulva is affected. The infection maybe transmitted through body fluids.
Causes of exacerbation of herpes
The herpes virus is present in the body of 90% of the population, while not manifesting itself. But when favorable conditions are created, it quickly activates. Herpes types 1 and 2 can begin to develop in the following cases:
- when immunity weakens and colds occur;
- in the presence of infectious and oncological diseases;
- when strict diets are used for weight loss;
- during long-term hormonal treatment;
- when a person is constantly in stressful situations and overtired;
- if there was hypothermia or, conversely, overheating of the body as a result of prolonged exposure to the sun;
- during the menstrual period in girls;
- with insufficient content of vitamins 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 are characterized by the following symptoms:
- General weakness.
- Rise in temperature.
- Painful enlargement of the lymph nodes in the groin area.
- Pain in the muscles.
- Increased urination.
- Itching, burning and pain in the genitals and adjacent skin areas.
- Occurrence of nausea and vomiting.
- Numbness in the back of the head.
- Headache.
For all these symptomsit is characteristic that they pass as soon as skin rashes appear, which group and merge into small bubbles with liquid and after 2-4 days become cloudy and begin to burst. Wet sores form, which after a while become covered with crusts. If the course of the disease is favorable, then in a week they will disappear, leaving a stain in their place.
Even without any treatment, the disease usually goes away on its own in a couple of weeks. In the future, for many people, herpes types 1 and 2 will recur. At the same time, for someone this can happen in a few weeks, and for someone - in a few years.
Herpes type 1
This infectious disease is the most widespread in the world. Both adults and children can be its carriers. The herpes virus type 1 does not cause much danger, because it affects only the top layer of the skin. If there are no favorable conditions in the human body for the progression of the disease, herpes may not manifest itself for many years. But, if the immune forces weaken, the disease begins to develop actively and enters a new stage, an acute one.
Herpes simplex type 1 at the initial stage of exacerbation is characterized by slight irritation of the oral mucosa and facial skin. Then these areas are covered with small bubbles with liquid, which burst after a couple of days. They dry up quickly. This process is accompanied by the formation of a hard crust.
Herpes of the first type is easily transmitted. This happens when in contact withvesicle fluid or skin tissue of the carrier of the disease. In addition, you can become 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 type 1 herpes
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 provokes exacerbation and relapse of the disease? The most common factors are:
- Cold, viral and bacterial infections.
- Hypocooling of the body.
- Stress and overwork.
- Once injured.
- The menstrual cycle in women.
- Depletion of the body due to frequent hard 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 transplants, as well as those with AIDS and oncological diseases, a simple virus can bring a lot of negative consequences, characterized by damage to internal organs.
Treatment
Speaking of the disease, most often refers to the herpes virus type 1. It is treated at home, in extremely rare cases the patient is hospitalized. What helps get rid of herpes? Consider a number of medicalmeans used to combat the manifestations of this disease:
- "Acyclovir" - a drug that can block the reproduction of the virus. Sold as an ointment or cream. They are applied to the affected area several times a 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 the doctor. But usually it is taken in the morning and in the evening, 500 mg at a time for 5-10 days.
- "Aplomedin" is an antiviral, anti-inflammatory agent that is available in the form of a gel. It is applied to the affected area of the body several times during the day at regular intervals. Herpes type 1 treatment 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 was infected with the herpes virus type 2. But today, when new, more advanced methods of diagnosing the disease have appeared, it has been established that 70% of the population, mostly adults, are carriers of type 2 herpes virus. Why are large-scale actions not being taken to prevent the spread of infection? Yes, because in most casesthe disease is asymptomatic, and does not affect the he alth and well-being of a person.
If we compare the two types of disease viruses, they are not much different. They are determined by their location in the human body. Herpesviruses of the second type occupy the sacral ganglia located in the pelvis. They can travel along the nerves 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. Development stages
This disease has primary and secondary manifestations. Accordingly, their symptoms are different. In primary herpes, they are usually not expressed in any way. The virus, penetrating into the body, is suppressed by the person's own immune system. Then it settles in the nerve cells of the sacral plexus and dozes off. Many people do not develop the virus throughout their lives. A person will live to old age and never know about the presence of an infection in the body. No visible changes occur.
There are times when a virus, having entered the body for the first time, leaves serious consequences: the genitals swell, a rash appears on them. This leads to defeatskin. Erosion and ulcers appear. After the course of treatment, the virus is successfully suppressed, but it remains in the body in a dormant state.
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 found, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this disease is capable of:
- Result in blindness, total blindness.
- Make urination difficult.
- Reduce the sensitivity of the skin on the genitals and buttocks.
- Cause severe pain in the genital area.
- Destroy tissues inside the body and the brain if a person's 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 it is the first question he asks. The area affected by the virus is so intimate that the patient is embarrassed 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 ingestion:
- Herbs are taken: lemon balm, motherwort, raspberry and chamomile flowers, juniper fruits, thyme - four tablespoons each; St. John's wort, adonis and wormwood - two tablespoons each. All components are mixed. This mixture is in quantitytwo tablespoons is poured with boiling water, two glasses, and an 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, geranium 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 diseased areas. It is necessary to pour 15 grams of raw materials with milk in the amount of one glass and cook for five minutes. Then the mixture is cooled, wrapped in gauze and applied to the affected area.
Preventive measures to prevent herpes
- You must use a condom during intercourse. Unprotected intimacy between partners increases the risk of passing the disease to a woman by 10%. But a man from a partner becomes infected only in 5% of cases.
- By preventing type 1 disease, the risk of infection with the virus and type 2 is reduced.
- If you carefully process all the items that the patient used, then herpes 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. Big threatThis infection represents during the very process of the birth of a baby, when, passing through the birth canal, it comes into contact with ulcers. In many cases, a caesarean section is used to save the baby.
Herpes virus type 1 in pregnant women appears on the lips. This is an exacerbation of a dormant disease that was in a latent form. During the period of bearing a child, a woman's body undergoes hormonal changes, which allow the virus to manifest itself. Herpes type 1 during pregnancy can adversely affect the development of the fetus. For a woman, the danger is caused by rashes on the face, which can lead to suppuration of the skin.
Carrying 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. It can declare itself with swelling of the genital organs and rashes on them, or it can proceed without visible manifestations. When a woman is first infected, there is a high risk of transmitting the disease to her child.
Primary and secondary herpes during pregnancy
This infectious disease manifests itself and affects the body in different ways. Primary herpes types 1 and 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 in the body of the expectant mother that suppress the infection. If the viruses pass through the placenta, fetal rejection may occur, leading to miscarriage. Received later infection leads to the development of pathologiesspleen and nervous system. The skin of the newborn may be affected. There are cases when a born baby 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 entering the fetus. But if the functions of the placenta are impaired or its vessels are damaged, the production of antibodies may occur with deviations. They will become hostile to their own tissues, and not to the infection. In this case, the development of fetal pathologies is ensured.
Prevention of disease during pregnancy
The herpes virus, even with a single ingestion into the body, from time to time causes an exacerbation. So far, humanity has not come up with such methods, thanks to which it would be possible to get rid of the infection forever. Therefore, before planning a pregnancy, it is impossible to prevent the development of the disease.
In anticipation of the birth of a child, give up addictions, if any, take up hardening and vitamin therapy. This will increase the protective functions of the body. It is advisable to be examined in the clinic. So, with a serological analysis, it will be seen whether the first meeting of the organism with this virus was. If yes, then you can get pregnant. When a woman with frequent manifestations of the disease plans to have a baby, she should be treated with Acyclovir, multivitamins and other immune-boosting drugs.
Intravascular laser irradiation of blood before pregnancy has a good effect. This procedure is performed in the clinic.and helps to reduce the number of viruses.
If antibodies to a disease such as type 1 and type 2 herpes are not found in a woman's blood, this is a favorable situation for the fetus. But the expectant mother must take all precautions so as not to harm the child. First of all, she needs to make sure that her 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.
