It is known that patients benefit from a "healthy life" approach to managing genital herpes. This begins with understanding what is known about treating recurrences and utilizing these matters into managing the herpes virus.

Hepres-Health begins with the patient learning to closely watch for symptoms and to treat them promptly. Evidence is clear that 80% of people that are infected with the herpes simplex virus do not have outbreaks. However, it has also been shown that 60% of these people without obvious outbreaks do show SOME symptoms.

Hepres-Health means to shower at least daily, maybe twice daily when symptoms are present, and to wear clean clothing that is changed regularly, especially when symptoms are present.

Herpes blisters that occur during outbreaks should be broken, in the shower, using a clean wash rag with plenty of warm soapy water. Once the wash rag is used on the rash, it should NOT be used to clean any other part of the body and should be sent to the washing machine for a hot soapy wash.

Once the herpes blisters are broken, they should be cleaned with alcohol. This applies ONLY to external wounds, NEVER internal wounds. Cleaning a fresh wound with alcohol is painful, but alcohol kills fresh virus and probably sterilizes the wound somewhat as well as decreases the likelihood of secondary bacterial infection. We suggest that the sore be cleaned with alcohol twice: Once on the first day and once on the second day. However, if the alcohol is too uncomfortable, soap and water does almost as good.

After the lesions have been cleaned, they should be covered with a small amount of absorbent material, such as tissue. The tissue absorbs wound fluid and keeps it from spreading elsewhere. The tissue should be changed regularly, perhaps two or three times a day. Some women can use a feminine hygiene pad for this purpose, especially when the lesions are internal.

Herpes Prescription Medicines

Genital herpes is very well controlled in most patients using anti-viral medications. Three medications are generally available: Acyclovir, Valtrex, and Zovirax (acyclovir in the form of a cream). Other prescription medications can be used in patients with viruses that are resistant to those drugs above, though viral resistance to acyclovir or Valtrex (alacyclovir) is highly uncommon.

New evidence is accumulating that the use of acyclovir and Valtrex (alacyclovir) and other anti-virals not only dramatically diminish viral shedding but MAY prevent, or decrease, transmission of the disease to partners. While those data are not yet in, people with the Herpes Simplex Virus should strongly consider being on a herpes prescription medication if they are in intimate relationships - especially, if in fact ongoing research supports the fact that suppressive therapy also reduces transmission of genital herpes to partners.

Topical acyclovir (Zovirax) helps some people with oral lesions and has been approved by the FDA for use on oral herpes infections.

Fatigue and Herpes Outbreaks

When someone gets tired, the body has to work harder to keep going. This in turn also makes the nervous system work harder. In genital herpes, the herpes virus lives in a little part of the nervous system down at the bottom of the spinal cord called the "ganglia". Since the virus is part of the nervous system, the activity of the cells containing the virus is increased. This is likely one of the reasons that fatigue can increase outbreaks.

Fatigue can activate recurrences in many cases. A herpes health patient should seek to maintain a proper sleeping pattern, which would require about eight hours of restful, non-chemically-modified sleep, including REM sleep.

Stress and Herpes Outbreaks

Many if not most patients experience more frequent herpes outbreaks in association with deep stress. This sort of stress is that in which intense emotions are triggered. Such emotions include anger and fear. Difficulties in relationships, difficult interpersonal conflicts, or deep worry about finances are examples of those "deep level" stresses that can induce herpes outbreaks.

Patients with herpes infections must work to control these stresses. It is recommended that if recurrences do take place, the patient should look carefully at the stresses in life to determine if changes need to be made.

Tight Clothes and Herpes Outbreaks

Many patients have found that tight clothing, especially undergarments, can stimulate recurrences. It is reasonable for the person suffering with frequent recurrences to at least make sure that garments in the pelvic area are not constricting.

Ultra-violet Light and Herpes Outbreaks

Ultra-violet light exposure is known to re-activate oral herpes infections. A Hepres-Health patient should then avoid UV light exposure, or certainly use a sunscreen of Factor 25 or higher on the face prior to UV exposure.

If a patient with frequent genital herpes recurrences is also one that utilizes a tanning booth without clothing, it would be appropriate to consider terminating these tanning sessions. Sun-bathing in the nude also might be decreased or eliminated if herpes outbreaks are frequent.

Diet and Herpes Outbreaks

Some people tend to benefit from diets with elevated lysine levels and decreased arginine levels. Research in this area does not show a convincing link for all patients suffering with herpes. However, lysine supplements are readily available at any health food store.

Some people have increased herpes outbreaks due to excessive amounts of alcohol and/or caffeine. Progressive withdrawal of either or both might be reasonable in a patient with frequent outbreaks.

Dietary Supplements and Herpes Outbreaks

Many herbal products have been shown to have properties that may benefit some people with herpes infections.Some products are known to have anti-viral effects. These include red marine algae, olive leaf extract, melissa, garlic, and a certain cactus called opuntia streptacantha. Immune system stimulators echinacea and astragalus have seemed to benefit many people with both genital and oral herpes.

Various Topical Preparations for Herpes Outbreaks

Other chemicals have been shown to be antiviral. These include rubbing alcohol, various essential oils, and lemon balm. However, we suggest if you chose this option that you use Zovirax (acyclovir in the form of a cream) to help you with your herpes outbreaks.

Intimacy between Partners with Herpes

Many potential combinations of partners with and without herpes exist. Sometimes one partner has frequent oral outbreaks only. Perhaps one partner has frequent genital outbreaks. Sometimes both partners have genital herpes. Sometimes one partner has type 1 herpes in the genital area and another partner has type 2 herpes in the genital area. How are recommendations made in these various settings?

To start, the reader should remember that it is apparent that any area of skin that has ever been infected with herpes simplex has the possibility of shedding the herpes virus out of that area of the skin even when there are no symptoms present - asymptomatic shedding. So, just because a man/woman who has had genital herpes has no obvious symptoms, he/she may still be shedding the virus. Semen, interestingly, does not seem to carry herpes simplex virus.

One of the most common issues of concern is that of performing oral sex in the setting of one or both partners having genital herpes. It is a fact, that a person who performs oral sex on another person with genital herpes can catch the infection on the mouth. On the other hand, between 80 and 90% of Americans have oral herpes infections, almost always type 1 herpes simplex, though many of these infections are "latent", or not obvious.

Therefore,, it is important to understand that no clear signal can ever be given that it is completely "safe" for a person to perform oral sex upon an intimate partner with genital herpes. This means that the person performing the oral sex might indeed catch the infection on the mouth.

It is not uncommon for oral herpes infections, usually type 1, to be transmitted to the genitals of the partner. This is a common occurrence, with the incidence of type 1 herpes in the genital area being quoted as low as a few per cent to as high as thirty per cent or more of cases of genital herpes. So, someone who has an oral herpes infections should use caution when performing oral sex upon an intimate partner.

A man should wear a latex condom which should, if it remains unbroken, prevent transmission of oral herpes infections to the penis or genital herpes to the mouth. A woman has other options.A newer device, called the "dental dam", is available for females with genital herpes to wear while oral sex is performed upon them. This is a square piece of latex that covers the vaginal area and provides a barrier to transmission to the mouth of the intimate partner. As long as the barrier remains unbroken AND as long as the outside of the dental dam does not get wet with vaginal secretions, the dental dam should be a useful tool to decrease the risk of transferring genital herpes to the mouth of the intimate partner.

If one partner has genital herpes and the other does not, latex condoms offer a high degree of protection. However, the condom must remain unbroken, must remain in place, and it must cover all areas of the penis that might touch the vagina. Obviously, the condom does not protect the scrotum, fingers, or other areas of the male partner's body if the female is the infected partner.

In many couples both partners have genital herpes. It is known that different strains of each type of virus exist. Some strains of type 2 might be less sensitive to acyclovir than others. Thus, if one partner has a less drug sensitive strain of type 2 while the partner has a more drug sensitive strain, the partner with the drug sensitive strain could potentially acquire an additional strain of type 2 herpes simplex that might be harder to treat.

Herpes infections occur when the virus is transmitted through a broken area of the skin. Recurrences occur in the same place where the virus first broke through the skin or in other areas served by the same nerve cell. It is possible that when both partners have genital herpes that one partner might insert the infection into additional areas on the partner's genitalia, causing other areas to become infected.

So, it is reasonable that in intimate partners where both have genital herpes, consideration should be taken to avoiding very aggressive intercourse, to consider using latex condoms with a spermicidal lubricant, and to certainly avoid having sexual intercourse when any partner is having symptoms. As mentioned above, consideration should be given to the partner(s) being on medication to prevent virus transmission.

The Future and Herpes Outbreaks

It has been shown previously that most people with genital herpes shed virus from time to time, sometimes very frequently and sometimes not. It has been demonstrated, several years ago, that acyclovir and Valtrex can decrease viral shedding by over 80%. This should imply that the drug, when taken faithfully, may make the partner with genital herpes less contagious. Studies are ongoing at this time looking into this very issue.

Perhaps, in the near future, new recommendations regarding partners and intimacy will be forthcoming in the setting of one or both members having genital and/or oral herpes. However, in the meantime, we suggest you use Valtrex or acyclovir or Zovirax to help yourself and to protect your partner.