Genital herpes is an infection transmitted sexually. The virus that causes it is the herpes simplex virus, and there is no cure for it. It does not, however, mean that there is no way you can treat it. Using proper remedies, you can manage its symptoms, make its outbreak less painful, and prevent future recurrence of its symptoms.
This article will explore genital herpes and let you understand how you can treat the infection without medical consultation often. If you have it or know a friend suffering from it, read on to learn the most effective options you can consider depending on your situation.
Use Over the Counter Genital Herpes Solutions
You can purchase over-the-counter products and use them to treat genital herpes at home without necessarily having to seek medical consultation. Today, many companies manufacture safe and effective treatments for herpes and other serious conditions.
Provided you source your over-the-counter genital herpes treatment from reliable companies, you are sure to manage its symptoms and stop further spread. Over-the-counter treatments can help you manage genital herpes at home in the following ways:
- Relief from pain
- Relief from itching
- Relief from burning and irritation
- Stop long-lasting outbreaks
Given that genital herpes is a viral infection with no specific treatment, medical professionals recommend using safe and tested over-the-counter products. With correct application, you can effectively manage the discomfort that genital herpes causes.
Get and Apply Gel to Affected Areas
Genital herpes causes a lot of discomforts, especially when urinating. Living with such pain disturbs both in private and in public places. Thankfully, applying pure petroleum jelly can significantly reduce the unease when urinating and the associated itching for widespread outbreaks.
Since many products in stores claim to be 100% pure petroleum jelly, you need to know the most effective ones. One of the highly recommended types is Vaseline. You can get it online or at your nearest cosmetics shop, pharmacies, or grocery stores.
For effective relief from the discomfort, you need to wash your hands when applying it. With correct application, petroleum jelly relieves itching and other discomforts in the following ways:
- Creates a barrier between affected skin and external elements
- It helps seal in moisture and allows the skin to heal naturally
For good results, you need to maintain the highest possible levels of hygiene and use the gel as regularly as possible. You also need to keep your pants clean and avoid sexual contact to prevent re-infection.
Increase Your Intake of Vitamins and Supplements
Vitamins and nutritional supplements effectively protect the body against viral infections, including genital herpes and others. With their antiviral properties, vitamins will not only help you suppress herpes but will also boost your body’s immune system. But which vitamins should you focus on?
A research study found that a person’s vitamin D levels show a negative correlation with herpes recurrence. A person with low levels of Vitamin D is more likely to experience a recurrence of herpes in their genital areas since the vitamin helps treat viral infections and improve their body’s immune system.
In addition to Vitamin D, there have also been scientific findings indicating that the anti-oxidative properties of Vitamin E with the antiviral properties of Vitamin C can help fight genital herpes infection. So, if you want to manage the infection at home, consuming foods with these vitamins will no doubt be helpful to you.
Change Your Diet
Dietary change is one way to manage various illnesses. It also works for genital herpes. If you intend to use this method, your new diet should help you get sufficient nutrients to help your body manage the infections. The best foods that you need include those with the following dietary properties:
- Anti-oxidant properties
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Antibacterial properties
Wondering which foods have the above properties? Consider increasing your intake of foods that are rich in an essential amino acid that is called lysine. Such foods include chicken, avocado, and cottage cheese. You should also weed out unhealthy food from your diet, and avoid the following:
- Avoid excessive smoking
- Avoid excessive intake of red wine
- Avoid any foods that cause allergies
Arguably, a healthy lifestyle is one of the most effective tools in the fight against genital herpes. If you can practice it and be consistent, you will suppress the condition effectively.
Prevent Further Spread
Prevention of any further spread is arguably the best way to treat genital herpes. If you observe any symptoms, use the above four methods to manage them. Most importantly, avoid further spread by stopping activities that put you at risk of re-infection or spreading it to others. Avoid sexual contact, whether vaginal, anal, or oral. It puts you at further risk.
To stop the spread of sores in the affected genital areas, you may need to avoid sex, even with a condom. Condoms are only useful if you do not have any symptoms. You can, therefore, use it during symptom-free phases. There may be sores in areas that the condom does not cover. Most importantly, avoid sharing any objects such as towels with partners.
It is also good to share information with your partner about your status. Doing so will help you prevent spreading the infection. Thankfully, with proper care, you can manage it at home without necessarily having to see a doctor unless it is getting severe and you have exhausted all other treatment options.
Wrapping It Up
Genital herpes is one of the most common types of sexually-transmitted infection today. Currently, there is no known herpes cure. Infected people often experience outbreaks of symptoms repeatedly during their life. With proper care and the use of the right products and practices, it is possible to manage the symptoms and the discomfort that it causes.
This article has explained how to treat the condition without seeking medical consultation. If you have genital herpes, use these methods to stop the activity of the virus and reduce the risk of spreading the infection.
Notably, all the recommendations in this post are things you can do at home conveniently. Give it a try and all the best as you manage genital herpes at home. Others have done it and you too can do it!
