Oral Herpes Symptoms in Women

The scientific name for oral herpes is herpes labialis, and is one of the many diseases caused by the herpes simplex virus, including genital herpes, herpes whitlow - which affects the fingers, herpes keratitis - which affects the eye, and herpes simplex encephalitis - which affects the brain and central nervous system. The last two are serious medical conditions and are sometimes fatal. Herpes simplex virus can be of two types, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Oral herpes occurs when a person is infected with HSV-1. HSV-2 causes genital herpes. This is not always the case though, as sometimes oral herpes can also be caused by HSV-2 and genital herpes by HSV-1. Oral herpes can also cause genital herpes and vice versa. It is commonly known as cold sores or fever blisters.

Early Indications: Some of the early symptoms in women are oral sores and fever. At times asymptomatic infection can also occur, where there may be no immediate symptoms of infection, but they might appear at a later stage.

Diagnosis and How it Spreads: When the early symptoms of oral herpes appear, it means that the virus has invaded your mucous membrane and skin, leading to development of cold sores and fever. This causes severe itching and pain. After this it proceeds to your spine, holing up in the dorsal root ganglion, where it reproduces but remains relatively inactive. This is known as the latent period and is a distinguishing characteristic of the herpes virus. During times of stress in the future though, the virus may again become active and symptoms might reappear. The virus spreads on coming in direct physical contact with the infected person, through their open sores or their body fluids. When a person is infected with herpes it is best to avoid physical contact especially when the symptoms are evident. During the latent period i.e. when there are no signs of herpes, it is better to use a barrier or protection during physical intimacy.

Prevention: To prevent spreading of cold sores, it is best to avoid physical contact, especially when symptoms are showing, and exposed sores should be regularly cleaned. Kissing, hugging or touching should be avoided. Hands should be regularly washed. During sexual intercourse, it is best to use a condom, to prevent any chance of infection.

Treatment: Treatment of herpes is done by the use of antiviral drugs such as acyclovir and valacyclovir or Valtrex. These help in reducing symptoms of herpes to some extent. There are also a number of people recommending alternative therapies such as herbal remedies for herpes. The effectiveness of these medicines is still under dispute.

Oral herpes disease often is a painful and traumatic experience, and this can often cause a lot of public disapproval and personal discomfort. This disease can also be contracted unknowingly, as it does not always show symptoms and can be active from two to three days before symptoms recur. Although there might be itching or pain in the area before the actual sores appear, it is not always the case and the infected individual might spread the virus during this period without actually realizing about it. In order to avoid oral herpes in women it is recommended to maintain hygiene and take all precautionary measures into consideration at all times.