Stages of Herpes: Herpes Outbreaks Explained

by Nanci Elliott on February 1, 2010

Stages Of Herpes Outbreak:

The stages of herpes can be embarrassing and difficult to handle. However, with a little understanding and self care, outbreaks can be minimized or possibly eliminated. The symptoms of HSV2 can be best understood through an explanation of the stages of herpes and what happens during a the stages of a herpes outbreak.

HSV2 is transmitted through sexual contact. Once the virus enters your body (usually through the soft mucous membranes of the genital area), it can lie dormant for weeks, months or even years. When the HSV2 is dormant in your body, it is undetectable by your immune system and is thus impossible to ever completely eliminate.  HSV2 has no cure.

Once the virus is triggered – and there is not yet any scientific understanding of exactly what triggers herpes outbreaks (suspects are extended levels of stress, unresolved anger, excessive friction at the outbreak site, ultraviolet light, imbalance of lysine/arginine levels) – the virus becomes active, traveling along the nerves in and around your genital region.

This begins the beginning stages of herpes being, tingling, intense itching and slight burning at the potential outbreak site.

Almost immediately, your body will detect the virus and begin to fight it. You can sense this is true by the immune fighting responses your body will experience, such as swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, headaches, and possibly fever. Often (with a little help) your immunity can abort the attack or at least reduce the severity of the outbreaks.

One might consider oil of oregano, live enzymes, and or vitamin C and zinc as immune boosters.

If and when the herpes symptoms fully develop, a lesion or sore, or a cluster of bumps can develop at the site of the outbreak. It is very common for a herpes outbreak to differ both in the length of an outbreak and/or severity of symptoms. What is reported as very common is the intense itching and burning at the site of the outbreak for several days.

As the outbreak starts to heal you will feel a lessening in symptoms (swelling, pain, redness) and a crust may form over the sore or outbreak to protect the new skin forming underneath. It is very rare for any scarring or residual effects to linger after complete healing of any outbreaks.

Knowledge is power when understanding and treating the stages of HSV2.

There is a tremendous amount of further information at Genital Herpes.

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Beginning Stages of Herpes – are they really that bad?

by Nanci Elliott on December 21, 2009

Beginning Stages of Genital Herpes:

First stage of genital herpes:

The beginning stages of herpes are characterized by the similar signs of oncoming flu (body aches, headache, fatigue) with the major difference being that you will usually feel an itching and burning sensation (sometimes quite intense) at the site where the outbreak is expected to make it’s arrival.   There is no reason that you cannot continue to function (work, life) during this early stage.   Tylenol or Advil can help with the flu like symptoms and a small amount of tea tree oil mixed with olive oil can assist in numbing the itching sensation.

Beginning stages of genital herpes: Viral Shedding

Make sure not to have sexual contact during any of the stages of herpes – even if you have don’t yet have signs of an active outbreak.  Viral shedding is the terminology used to describe the process of the virus moving from being dormant in your nerve cells to traveling up your nerve pathways up to the surface of the skin.  While statistics vary on the level of viral shedding when you have zero symptoms, viral shedding is real and rampant in this early stage of herpes.

Protect your sexual partners by avoiding all sexual contact during these beginning stages of genital herpes.

Treatment for beginning stages of genital herpes:

Other than any pain reliever medication you may be taking to help with body and muscle aches, you can attempt to abort the oncoming outbreak by drastically increasing your intake of Vitamin C, zinc, and/or any other immune boosting supplement you find works for your body.   I like panax-ginseng (Cold-FX), as well as beta-1,3-glucan.

The first stage of herpes does not have to be a great source of distress in your life.  Educate yourself and learn what supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help ward off  outbreaks and/or lessen the severity the effect the virus has in your life.    You can always find more information and support at Herpes.

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Early Stages of Herpes

November 30, 2009

The Early Stages of Herpes:
Other than keeping your immune system strong and the virus dormant through effective treatment of HSV2, it is the early stages of herpes that give you the best chance of aborting an outbreak.    The first stages of herpes can appear 24 – 48 hours before an outbreak is expected.   Symptoms [...]

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Stages Of Genital Herpes

November 24, 2009

There are typically three stages of genital herpes.  The first stage is called the prodrome stage where you may start to have sensations throughout your body signaling a possible outbreak.   Herpes is a virus that lives in dormant in your body until triggered, at which point it will find the path of least resistance [...]

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