Decrease Your Risk of
Genital Herpes
It's important to know how to decrease
your risk of genital herpes if you do not have it. It is also important
to know how to reduce the risk of spreading the virus if you do have
it. Genital Herpes is a virus that once you get it, you have it for
life. Having the virus also increases your risk for contracting HIV
or AIDS. This is why it's important to know how to reduce your risk
of contracting it. Part of that is understanding how it is spread.
Genital herpes can be spread by anal,
oral, and vaginal sex. Kissing, or skin-to-skin contact can also spread
it. It can be spread even if you are not having an outbreak, or any
symptoms. You may have the virus and not know it. If you believe you
may have it, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, and
avoid contact with others in the ways explained above. During an outbreak
the virus can be spread by any contact with another person. You must
be specifically careful when you are having an outbreak, but remember
that it can be spread even if you are not having an outbreak and/or
any symptoms.
To help prevent the spread of this virus
if you have it you should avoid sexual contact, limit your number
of sexual partners, use protection (latex condoms), and visit a doctor
regularly and ask for help with treatment.
If you are pregnant, and have this virus,
or think you might, you should tell your doctor immediately so they
can conduct tests, and/or reduce the chance of infecting the baby
during birth.
A person who is uninfected that has sexual
contact with an infected person during the active stage has a 75%
chance of contracting the virus.
An infected person can even spread the
virus to other parts of their body by touching the infected area,
then touching another part of their body. This is why it's important
to understand that even masturbation can spread the infection.
Of course abstinence from all of the
above activities will reduce your risk of contracting the virus almost
inevitably. Protection, and precautions need to be taken for those
who do not refrain.
It is believed that anything that makes
the nervous system work harder can make outbreaks occur. This can
be things such as fatigue, stress, bad nutrition, and even ultra violet
light. Another belief is that tight clothing can stimulate outbreaks.
These are beliefs of patients, and will be further discussed in "Health
and Nutrition with Genital Herpes".
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to Genital Herpes
