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Further Information
Chlamydia
Gonorrhoea
Herpes
NSU and Ureaplasma
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Treatment Information
Doxycycline
Aciclovir and Valaciclovir
Metronidazole
Zithromax
Suprax

Other Myonlinedoctor Services
Other treatments available

Home Genital Herpes Test Kit

Genital herpes is caused by a virus called Herpes Simplex 2. This pathogen is similar to the virus that gives you cold sores around your lips, Herpes Simplex 1. Genital herpes manifests itself as painful, unsightly liquid-filled blisters on and around your genitals. There is no known cure but there are available treatments that help the patient control the symptoms and speed up healing. During an outbreak, the disease is very infectious and easily passed on to a sexual partner, but at other times the risk of infection is very low.

Herpes does not affect a woman's ability to become pregnant, but if you get infected or have a herpes episode in the first three months of your pregnancy, there is a small risk of miscarriage. Also, if you get a herpes episode towards the end of pregnancy it can cause the baby to be born early and may mean that it is necessary to give birth by Caesarean section. However, most women with genital herpes have an entirely normal pregnancy and a normal delivery.

There is also evidence to suggest that herpes may affect men's fertility if left untreated.

Genital Herpes Symptoms

• Itching or tingling sensation in the genital or anal area.
• Small, fluid-filled blisters. These burst and leave small sores, which can be very painful. In time, they dry out, scab over and heal. With the first infection, they can take between 2 and 4 weeks to heal properly.
• Pain when peeing if urine comes into contact with any of the open sores.
• A flu-like illness, backache, headache, swollen glands or fever.

Repeat infections are usually not as bad as the first outbreak. The sores tend to be fewer, smaller, less painful and heal more quickly. A herpes outbreak can be triggered by many factors including emotional stress or trauma as well as physical illness or a generally weakened immune system. Once infected with herpes, the virus lies dormant until it can replicate again, which will be the case if your immune system's response is impaired, leading to the manifestation of the symptoms listed above.

If you suspect you or your partner have got genital herpes, you should get tested and obtain appropriate treatment without delay.

Treatments for Herpes

While there's no cure for genital herpes, it is possible to reduce the discomfort of a herpes outbreak by taking appropriate herpes treatment.The sexually transmitted infection is caused by a virus, hence antiviral drugs are required to control the symptoms and speed up the healing of the blisters. The most common oral anti-herpes drugs are Aciclovir and Valaciclovir, which you can conveniently and discreetly source from Myonlinedoctor if you do suffer from genital herpes.

Sex After Herpes Treatment

Herpes can be passed on to partners at any time, but the risk of infection is higher particularly immediately before, during and after a symptomatic outbreak. Using condoms can protect women from contracting herpes from a male partner. However, condoms won't necessarily protect against female to male transmission. It is therefore particularly important that you are honest about the infection and do not put your partner at risk.