{"id":27120,"date":"2019-07-19T08:00:13","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T08:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/?p=27120"},"modified":"2026-03-31T06:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T23:00:11","slug":"regular-symptom-tracking-can-help-you-manage-cold-sores-or-herpes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/std-sexually-transmitted-diseases-treatments\/regular-symptom-tracking-can-help-you-manage-cold-sores-or-herpes\/","title":{"rendered":"Regular Symptom Tracking Can Help You Manage Cold Sores or Herpes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning you have herpes may be scary. After all, there is no cure. You may be wondering how the virus will affect your life, sexual health and relationships. The good news is: the more you know your body, the easier it will be to manage and treat the symptoms.<\/em><\/p>\n

Herpes virus is common worldwide<\/h3>\n

It may not be much of a consolation but herpes is it’s good to know herpes is extremely common. Half of the world\u2019s population has it! According to the World Health Organization<\/a>, about 3.7 billion people under 50 have HSV-1 infection. Further 417 million people aged 15-49 (11%) have HSV-2 infection globally.<\/p>\n

Many people are unaware of their infection because both oral herpes (known as cold sores) and genital herpes can give no symptoms. Unfortunately, it is possible to infect someone even if you don\u2019t see an outbreak on your body.<\/p>\n

How is herpes transmitted?<\/h3>\n

Why has herpes spread so far and wide? The answer is simple: it’s very easy to catch. All you need is some skin to skin contact with the affected area. You may also have the virus on your hands after touching the cold sores. Other common ways of transmitting herpes are: saliva, genital fluids and semen. Practicing safer sex helps reduce the risk but not completely.<\/p>\n

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Using condoms and latex barriers can reduce the risk of herpes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you have herpes, finding the right treatment and monitoring your symptoms is important for two reasons:<\/p>\n

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  1. You are able to spot the upcoming outbreak and take medication early enough to prevent the full onset of symptoms or shorten their duration.<\/li>\n
  2. You can reduce the risk of infecting your sexual partner\/s. When you know an outbreak is coming, you can abstain from sexual activity or use extra protection. To minimize the risk of infection you may (and probably should) take medication.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Knowing your herpes prodrome symptoms<\/h3>\n

    Some people with herpes experience the so-called prodromal phase. It means their body is giving warning signs of an upcoming outbreak. Sometimes slight changes in your well-being can give you a hint<\/a> that viral shedding takes place. This phase happens when the virus is present on the surface of the skin without the visible sores.<\/p>\n

    Every person is different so it\u2019s important you keep track of your own symptoms. Look for itching, stinging or pain in the area where you usually get the sores.<\/p>\n

    Understanding your herpes triggers<\/h3>\n

    If you\u2019ve been living with herpes for some time, you may have realized that certain factors can trigger an outbreak. It\u2019s good to track these to better understand how your body deals with the virus. Knowing what activates it may help you make lifestyle changes and reduce the number of outbreaks.<\/p>\n

    Typical herpes triggers include<\/a>:<\/p>\n