It's that simple. The only way to get genital herpes is by having sexual contact with someone who has the virus already. So whether it's through oral sex, vaginal sex, or anal sex, if your partner has it, you can get it. And that's not all. It's also possible to get it from receiving oral sex from someone who has cold sores too.
Most People Don't Know They Have It
Genital herpes can go undetected for a long time, since many people are symptomless. HSV-2 is different from other common viral infections in that once you're infected with the virus you will have it for the rest of your life. The good news is you'll only have periodic symptoms or sometimes no symptoms at all. And those who develop symptoms might be tempted to brush them off. That's why early detection is very important. So call your doctor and ask him or her to do a test. In some cases he or she can tell if you have it just by looking at the genital area. But many times they'll just take a sample of the lesions and test it. Or your doctor may even give you a blood test. So if for any reason you think you might have genital herpes, make an appointment with a doctor immediately.
I Have Genital Herpes And Want To Make Sure That I Don't Spread It To Anyone Else
While having genital herpes is one of those things you'd like to keep to yourself, you should tell your partner about it. There are things you should do to make sure you don't spread it to someone else. Although ZOVIRAX Ointment helps you manage your initial outbreak of genital herpes, it does not prevent transmission of HSV infections.
Reduce The Spread Of Genital Herpes By:
- Being in a long-term, monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and does not have genital herpes
- Wearing latex condoms all the time—even for oral sex
- Avoiding sexual relations when you or your partner has an outbreak, especially visible lesions
- Being informed and having an open conversation with your partner about prevention
- Washing your hands often. You can spread the virus by touching the lesions in your genital area and then touching another part of the body
Abstaining from sexual contact is the surest way to prevent yourself from getting HSV-2 or genital herpes.
It's very important to seek treatment by a health care professional at the first sign of an outbreak. So if you think you might have genital herpes, make an appointment with you doctor right away.
Keep in mind, there is no cure for genital herpes, but there are a variety of treatment options available.