Where to cure herpes. How to cure herpes permanently

Probably, every person at least once faced such a nuisance as herpes. AT modern time it is a very common viral disease that affects the skin and mucous membranes. Herpes, what kind of disease is this?

It serves as the source of the disease. HSV infection, what is it?

There are two types of HSV:

  • HSV-1. The facial skin and oral mucosa are affected, causing rashes on the face,.
  • HSV-2. Affects the genitals. It can also cause inflammation of the lining of the brain.

The causative agent of the disease are infected patients who develop fresh herpetic eruptions. Infection occurs when viral particles get on the skin or mucous membranes by airborne droplets, contact or sexual contact. Infection also occurs through the affected objects that the patient used. It is also possible intrauterine infection of the fetus during pregnancy.

The following main causes of herpes can be distinguished:

  • Weakened the immune system;
  • Frequent colds;
  • Severe hypothermia of the body;
  • Nervous stresses, experiences;
  • Excessive alcohol consumption, smoking;
  • Women's critical days, abortions, intrauterine devices;
  • Hypovitaminosis;
  • Hormonal changes.

Symptoms of the disease

8 main types

90% of the inhabitants of the earth carry the herpes simplex virus in their bodies. However, only 5% of these people show symptoms of the disease. This is primarily due to the fact that in most cases the infection is asymptomatic and simply sleeps in the human body.

However, in winter, during the period of hypovitaminosis, when the immune system is in a weakened state, an exacerbation may occur. The virus wakes up, becomes active, and is manifested by the process of rash.

The main symptom that determines the disease is a multiple rash in the form of vesicles with transparent contents.

Even before the rash appears in these places, discomfort, itching, discomfort, and swelling may occur. After some time, the contents of the bubbles become cloudy, they burst, forming ulcers in their place.

Symptoms of a herpes infection also include:

  • Weakened general condition
  • headache,
  • increase in body temperature.

Virus treatment


The worst thing is when a virus is found in a pregnant woman

The course of treatment for those infected with the herpetic virus is selected depending on the form and stage of the disease, the location of the rash, and the state of immunity. In any case, if the rash does not go away for a long time, lasts more than 2-3 weeks, you should consult a dermatologist.

It is completely impossible to destroy the virus in the body, because, having entered the body, it remains in it for life. However, you can keep it in a "sleeping" state. In any case, complex immunotherapy is required. It is important to normalize your immunity.

If the disease proceeds without complications, it is possible. Then for its treatment it is enough to treat the affected area or with a cream.

In moderate or severe form, antiherpetic drugs are prescribed for treatment by a doctor.

In very severe case the course of the disease, the patient may be hospitalized and prescribed a course of antibiotics.

In the course of the disease without complications, rashes disappear on their own after 3 weeks. Even if the rashes have gone away on their own, this does not mean that the body has completely recovered from the virus. It is able to remain in the body for a long time in a dormant state, provoking exacerbations and complications of the disease.

It is important to start competent treatment from the very first rash, then you can avoid relapses of the disease.

Many use decoctions and teas from herpes as a treatment for herpes. medicinal plants, which purify the blood and are considered herbal antibiotics. These are, for example, tinctures of burdock, clover.

Complications

The development of herpes into more terrible diseases

Many people think that herpes is a terrible disease. . And not in vain. This virus can provoke dangerous diseases, infections, recurrent diseases, even cause damage to internal organs.

The most susceptible to this are people with a sharply reduced immunity, patients with AIDS, oncological diseases, who have undergone major operations.

In addition, this infection can provoke not very good consequences. First of all, this applies to pregnant women, since intrauterine infection of the fetus can occur and congenital deformities can develop in the child.

In any case, only a doctor can assess the degree of danger of infection and choose the appropriate course of treatment. It is important to understand that a herpes infection is the strongest factor in reducing immunity, since the body's resistance to colds and viral diseases decreases. In addition, it can aggravate the course of inflammatory processes.

How not to get infected?


Even a condom will not help with genital

In order not to get infected, first of all, you need to take. For prevention, it is necessary to observe simple rules hygiene.

Remember that with the advent of a herpetic rash, a person becomes contagious, and not only for others, but also for himself. With dirty hands, an infected person can infect from one place, for example, from the mouth, to another, for example, to the eyes.

Therefore, the following rules should be strictly observed:

  • Do not touch the affected area in places of rashes. In case of contact, wash your hands thoroughly.
  • It is necessary to use individual dishes, towels and other hygiene items and store them in a separate place.
  • You can not crush the bubbles, comb them, peel off the crusts. This can bring an infection.
  • Kissing and oral-genital contact should be avoided.
  • Using antiviral creams, they should be applied to the affected area with cosmetic cotton swabs.
  • Frequently carry out wet cleaning of the room where the patient was
  • During contact with the patient, use an individual mask for protection.
  • Use of condoms during intercourse.
  • Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly after being in public places.

Important! With good immunity, the right lifestyle (nutrition, rest), the body will not allow viruses to come out. With any failure of the immune system, they immediately begin to actively multiply and come out on the skin, causing a worsening of the herpes infection.

What areas of the body are affected?

Girl all over her body

Herpes has a lot of species that can live everywhere. Their location depends on the type of virus and where the immune system has failed. Its virus is capable of infecting not only human skin, but also affecting vital organs. The degree of damage to the body depends on the human immune system.

The three most common types of herpes are:

  • Localized on the mucous membrane of the mouth or the shell of the eye;
  • Distributed on the genitals;
  • Herpes zoster.

What kind of disease is lumbar herpes ... This acute viral disease affects, in addition to the skin and mucous membranes, also nervous system and proceeds with severe pain syndrome. Herpes zoster is very similar to chickenpox because they are caused by the same virus, Herpes virus Varicella.

Therefore, the herpes zoster virus affects people who have previously had chickenpox, as well as women and the elderly. This virus - voricella zoster - remains for life in human nerve cells after an illness. For a long time, it may not manifest itself in any way and suddenly become more active in old age due to a decrease in immunity or due to a serious illness.

The rash appears on the chest, abdomen, lower back, shoulders, or head. Bubbles may appear simultaneously or gradually one after another.

Because it affects nervous tissue, the patient develops pain in the muscles of a paroxysmal nature, characteristic at night. Such neuralgic pains can continue for a long time after recovery. There may also be an increase in lymph nodes.

Clinical manifestations

In the throat

Shingles

On the tongue

On the pope

In a pregnant woman

The symptoms of herpes depend on the type of infection.

According to clinical signs there may be a typical form of manifestation of the disease with a rash in the form of small bubbles. Maybe an atypical form with mild rashes, perhaps without them at all.

By severity diseases: mild, moderate and severe forms are distinguished.

With the flow distinguish:

  • acute primary, when a person becomes infected with this virus
  • or a chronic relapsing stage where virus reactivation occurs.

In most cases, herpes is a latent infection, however, you should carefully monitor your body. The appearance of rashes means that the immune system is weakened, and the virus has begun to act actively. Do not delay treatment, do not start the disease, so as not to provoke complications.

Who said that curing herpes is difficult?

  • Do you suffer from itching and burning in the places of rashes?
  • The sight of blisters does not at all add to your self-confidence ...
  • And somehow ashamed, especially if you suffer from genital herpes ...
  • And for some reason, ointments and medicines recommended by doctors are not effective in your case ...
  • In addition, constant relapses have already firmly entered your life ...
  • And now you are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that will help you get rid of herpes!
  • Effective remedy from herpes exists. and find out how Elena Makarenko cured herself of genital herpes in 3 days!

Content

The popular name for the disease that this pathogen causes is the “cold”. The herpes virus has 8 types that cause diseases in humans, among which HSV is the most famous: the same rash on the lips or near the nose is a key symptom of a herpes infection. Why does the virus enter the body, why is it dangerous and how to behave during an exacerbation?

What is the herpes virus

Every second person encountered small bubbles on the lip, but this is only one of the manifestations of this pathogenic microorganism. Understanding what herpes is, one cannot ignore several of its distinguishing features:

  • If the pathogen enters the body, it is securely fixed in the nervous system, and the person remains a carrier forever, and gets a chronic disease that cannot be cured.
  • The virus has a seasonality - it is activated in autumn and spring: classic periods natural decline immunity.
  • Children who are deprived of antiviral antibodies by 3-4 years of age mainly face primary infection. Re-infections are already often observed in adults.
  • The process of virus reproduction proceeds as follows: it infects the cell, modifies the synthesizing systems, and, being in the nucleus, programs the cell to produce new viral proteins. The speed of this process increases if the virus is in the mucous membranes or epithelium, or it has entered the blood/lymph.

How is it transmitted

Not a single person can protect himself from the risk of infection - most people are confident in the exclusively contact transmission of the herpetic virus, but at least the pathogens are transmitted by airborne droplets. However, according to medical statistics, it enters the body when:

  • handshake;
  • kiss;
  • sexual intercourse;
  • sharing items with a carrier of the virus.

A separate category of cases of herpes infection are cases of infection of newborns - this is the transmission of the virus from mother to child during childbirth. Regarding the penetration process itself, there are several mechanisms:

  • If pathogens are sexually transmitted, they pass from the epithelium of the mucous membrane of a partner who has a virus, or through areas of damage to the skin. With oral contacts, the transmission algorithm is the same.
  • During childbirth, the virus enters the child through the birth canal, either by contact with the cervix (if it enters the uterine cavity through the cervical canal) or transplacentally.
  • If the virus is on a shared item, it can be transmitted to a healthy person through contact within a few hours of the item being infected. On plastic, herpes lives for 4 hours, in tissues it can linger for 36 hours.

Where can herpes be

The main areas of damage to the virus are the nerve nodes and internal organs, any mucous membranes and skin. The exact area where a herpes infection appears depends on its type:

  • If a person has received the virus due to active sexual intercourse, a rash (reminiscent of the manifestations of a fungus) can pop up on the external organs of the reproductive system. In women with genital herpes, the lesion will be the labia, cervix, thighs. In men, the head and trunk of the penis suffers, less often - the foreskin area.
  • The remaining cases mainly cause rashes on open areas of the mucous membrane: lips, nasal passages, eyes. Less often they are observed on the skin of the body and face.
  • If the virus has affected exclusively the nervous system, it may not be accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membranes, but manifest itself in the form of meningitis.

Types of herpes

There are about 80 types of this virus, but mainly in children and adults, doctors observe herpes simplex types 1 and 2, and only 8 can directly cause diseases associated with infection. About the causes of herpes types 6-8, as well as about their manifestations , little is known to doctors - mainly in medicine the herpes simplex virus, chickenpox, Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus are considered.

Symptoms

The main sign of herpes activity is a rash, but it cannot pop up "without warning" - it is always preceded by a few more symptoms. Most carriers experience asymptomatic relapses: only 5% of those infected have experienced manifestations of genital or other forms of herpes. The rest of how it looks, know only from the photo. The exact symptomatology is determined by the type of pathogen:

  • If it is HHV-4, the infection proceeds with inflammation of the lymph nodes, enlargement of the liver.
  • In cytomegalovirus (HHV-5), among the clinical symptoms, damage to internal organs, the central nervous system, and the brain is observed.

The algorithm for how herpes manifests itself is the same for HSV types 1 and 2 (the most common):

  1. Itching appears on the skin or mucous membranes, which may be accompanied by burning, pain. For emerging skin rashes, reddening of the affected area is also characteristic.
  2. Following is the formation of characteristic rashes, which are small bubbles with a red border and a thin shell.
  3. The color of the rash gradually changes: from transparent it becomes white, yellowish or red (depending on the nature of the filling - purulent, bloody). Herpetic eruptions are characterized by constant itching.
  4. At the last stage of the disease, the bubbles burst, scabs form in their place, which gradually fall off.

The reasons

Everyone is infected, but an active disease is people with weak antiviral immunity, the state of which is affected by:

  • alcohol abuse;
  • exacerbation of chronic diseases;
  • frequent stress;
  • pregnancy;
  • hypothermia;
  • unprotected sex (without confidence in the health of sexual partners);
  • AIDS.

Complications

Infection with HSV and other types of herpes virus for pregnant women is especially dangerous, since this affects the development of the fetus: CNS pathologies, respiratory distress syndrome, stillbirth - in terms of teratogenic activity, herpes is comparable only to rubella. Separately, doctors note:

  • If the membranes of the vaginal cavity or other genital organs are infected, the patient has an increased risk of contracting HIV.
  • In the case of neonatal herpes, the child can get a neurological disability. If the mother had a primary infection during the 3rd trimester, the likelihood of death of the newborn due to brain damage is high.
  • Psychological disorders and problems with socialization, and in case of genital infection and obstacles to relations with the opposite sex, are the result of frequent relapses.

Diagnostics

Examination of the patient involves laboratory tests - you need to check for igg antibodies (if antibodies are detected, the virus enters the nervous system). With genital herpes, cytological studies are carried out. Additionally, checks can be carried out:

  • immunofluorescence reactions;
  • enzyme immunoassay.

Treatment

You can only get rid of the symptoms of herpes - the virus itself remains inside. In the case of latent infections (when the disease proceeds without external manifestations), doctors prefer not to treat the patient, but to prescribe him only measures to strengthen immunity. With active viral infections, especially if the localization of the rash is a large area of ​​the skin, antiviral therapy of local and internal orientation is prescribed. Mainly practiced:

  • taking immunostimulants;
  • therapy with Acyclovir on the areas of rashes.

Antivirals

Medicines used during the acute form of herpes are divided into 2 groups: these are immunostimulants that stimulate the synthesis of cells that can fight this virus, or drugs that suppress the activity of the herpes pathogen. Top three most effective:

  • Acyclovir - blocks the reproduction of the virus at the initial stage, is used externally and internally, works against strains of herpes simplex / zoster.
  • Tubosan - provokes the formation of specific antibodies, works exclusively as an immunomodulator.
  • Valacyclovir - this drug is characterized by a long-term effect and increased efficiency in comparison with Acyclovir, it helps well to prevent recurrences of genital herpes. It is recommended for people who have an active sex life, because it suppresses the transmission of the virus to partners.

Folk methods

Herpes control schemes in non-traditional medicine are less effective than in the official one: herbal preparations and decoctions, oils, etc. predominantly affect the nascent bubble. If the rash persists for several days, the result will be weak. Several treatments:

  • If herpetic eruptions affect the mucous membranes of the genital organs, they can be lubricated with fir oil up to 3 times a day.
  • On the skin, it is possible to soften the manifestations of herpes at the last stage (the appearance of scabs) with an ointment based on calendula extract.
  • As a safe antiseptic for emerging herpes vesicles, you can use tea tree essential oil (once a day).

herpes and pregnancy

The main point in the treatment of an activated virus in a woman who is in position is the use of only local medicines. With a recurrent acute form, it is possible to administer immunoglobulin intravenously, but this issue should be decided by the doctor. Among the drugs used in pregnant women are.

Herpes is a common viral infection, which is carried by over 90% of the world's population. About 20% of people have different manifestations of pathology, in the remaining patients it is asymptomatic.

What kind of disease is herpes, people know. It is manifested by bubbles on the skin and mucous membranes and is commonly called a cold. Why the disease develops, whether it is contagious and how dangerous it is for the infected person, read on.

Why does herpes appear on the body?

The symptoms of the disease are not obvious, since bubble elements form on the internal organs:

  • Larynx.
  • Trachea.
  • Lungs.
  • Liver.
  • Esophagus.
  • Bladder.
  • urethral canal.
  • The walls of the vagina.

The most common forms of internal herpes are herpes pneumonia, hepatitis and esophagitis.

Herpetic esophagitis is an inflammation of the lining of the esophagus. A person has pain when swallowing and discomfort behind the sternum. Disruption of the digestive process leads to weight loss. Instrumental examination shows erosive areas, dangerous loosening of the esophageal mucosa. In a neglected state, herpes reaches the walls of the intestinal tract.

Herpes pneumonia is manifested by symptoms such as:

  • Cough.
  • Dyspnea.
  • Hyperthermia.

The patient complains of chest pain, malaise and difficulty breathing. Herpetic pneumonia has a blurred clinical picture, because. occurs against the background of other infections of the respiratory system.

Herpetic hepatitis occurs with reduced immunity. Its symptoms are similar to those of other liver diseases.

A striking sign of herpesvirus hepatitis is jaundice. The condition is characterized by an increase in the level of bilirubin and external yellowing of the skin.

At the beginning of the development of the disease, the following symptoms are noted:

Why is the herpes virus dangerous?

If children's chickenpox passes quickly and without consequences, then in adult women, herpetic lesions of the genital organs cause persistent itching in the groin and vagina, erosion of the cervix and mucous discharge.

For expectant mothers, herpes is dangerous for early pregnancy failure - infection of the embryo leads to spontaneous abortion.

From this article you will learn:

  • herpes virus: types that cause it,
  • herpes - symptoms and causes of the disease,
  • how to treat herpes - photos, drugs.

Herpes is a viral disease in which characteristic blisters appear on the skin and mucous membranes. There is a whole family of herpeviruses, but a person most often has to deal with the herpes simplex virus (Herpes Simplex), which occurs on the skin of the face, the red border of the lips, and also on the mucous membranes. Herpes simplex is of 2 types -

  • herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) –
    causes damage to the skin of the face, red border of the lips, mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes,
  • herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) - causes the so-called genital herpes.

Herpes simplex virus is clinically manifested by the formation of a group of crowded vesicles located on an inflamed base (skin or mucous membrane). Bubbles are first filled with transparent contents, and their appearance is always preceded by itching and burning, sometimes common manifestations are malaise, chills, low-grade fever.

Herpes: photo

What does herpes look like: at the beginning of the disease, you can observe the formation of blisters, which burst with the formation of erosions after a few days. If herpes has formed on the skin or red border of the lips, then the surface of the erosions is covered with crusts. If we are talking about the mucous membrane, then in this case the surface of the erosions becomes covered with a yellowish fibrinous film over time.

Herpes: causes

Where does herpes come from?
Initially, a child is born with immunity to the herpes virus. Specific antibodies to the herpes virus, which the child received with the mother's blood, gradually disappear from the child's blood. This occurs approximately in the period from 6 months to 3 years maximum. During this time, the child becomes infected with the virus from his parents, but as long as a high titer of antibodies in the blood remains, there are no clinical manifestations of the disease.

How is herpes transmitted?

  • through kisses (touching the face to the skin of the face),
  • while eating from one dish or one spoon,
  • when you use someone else's towel for drying,
  • when using personal items that a person with herpes has come into contact with, or even just a “carrier”.

The most contagious are people who have clinical manifestations of herpes. As soon as the blisters dry up, the risk of infection from such a person decreases. However, infection is possible even from a person who does not have any clinical manifestations, but is a carrier of the virus (i.e. during contact even with apparently healthy skin of such a person).

What causes herpes to flare up?

After infection, the herpes virus enters the nerve cells and spreads along the nerve trunks, through which the virus enters the nerve ganglia, where it will persist all its life as a dormant infection.

However, when exposed to certain factors (which are described below), the virus is activated, again moves along the nerve trunks to the surface of the skin, where it causes blisters, ulcers and sores. Relapses can be repeated once a year or 2 times a year (sometimes more often), depending on the state of the immune system and the nervous system.

Factors that cause herpes recurrence –

  • contact with a person who has clinical manifestations of herpes,
  • decreased immunity against the background of influenza or SARS,
  • hypothermia,
  • decreased immunity due to HIV, hepatitis, steroids, chemotherapy,
  • physical fatigue and emotional stress,
  • cuts and scratches of the skin in this place,
  • in women, a predisposing factor is critical days,
  • prolonged exposure to the sun.

Herpes: symptoms

bright hallmark herpes is the occurrence of a group of fluid-filled blisters. Before their rash, there is always an incubation period (lasting from several hours to a day), when there are no clinical manifestations yet, but the virus has already activated. During this period, you may feel itching or burning of the affected area of ​​the skin. Further symptoms depend on the location of the rash ...

  • Herpes on the red border of the lips (Fig.7-9) –
    lips and skin around the mouth are the most common localization of herpes. The bubbles that appear on the skin and the red border of the lips burst and dry out after 2-3 days. The affected surface is covered with crusts that persist for a period of 7 to 10 days. In no case should the crusts be torn off, because. removing the crusts can also lead to a new outbreak of herpes.
  • Herpes on the face (Fig.7-9) –
    foci of herpes can appear on any part of the skin of the face, which is usually associated with a violation of the integrity of the skin (scratches, cuts, abrasions). Typical localization - herpes on the cheeks and on the nose, earlobes, chin, forehead. The skin around the eyes can also be affected, but we have identified this type of lesion in a separate column.
  • Herpes of the cornea of ​​the eye, skin around the eyes (fig.13-15) –
    The herpes simplex virus can spread to one or both eyes, and most often this happens when you bring the virus with unwashed hands that have recently touched herpes-affected skin. Most often, the virus affects the upper layer of the cornea, causing keratitis in it. The conjunctiva, iris, and retina are affected less frequently. Associated rashes may appear on the skin of the eyelids, forehead, and nose.

    Symptoms: pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light in one eye (if one eye is affected), feeling of "sand in the eyes". It must be borne in mind that eye herpes is very dangerous, and untimely or improper treatment can lead not only to dryness of the cornea and the appearance of scars on it, but also to impaired vision, constant pain, and even blindness and loss of an eye.

Common symptoms of herpes
primary herpes can occur with symptoms similar to the flu or SARS: fever, muscle pain, and even swelling of the cervical lymph nodes. But such acute symptoms are observed only in 10% of all cases.

Herpes: treatment

How to permanently get rid of herpes - currently there is no vaccine or drug that would allow you to permanently cope with herpes. Once infected, the herpes virus remains forever in the nerve trunks. However, there are special preparations, which will help reduce healing time, reduce pain, and some can even reduce the risk of recurrence.

Features of the treatment of herpes in children and adults –
herpes - treatment in adults and children of middle / older age is no different. The choice of medications will depend solely on the severity of the manifestations of herpes and the state of the immune system.

When treating young children, it should be taken into account that it is difficult for them to take tablet preparations, including the treatment of the oral mucosa with a gel. Therefore, in young children, antiviral agents are used in the form of suppositories, for example,.

1. Treatment of herpes on the skin and red border of the lips -

Treatment of herpes of the indicated localization is carried out with antiviral drugs:
→ means that are applied to the lesion (creams, gels, ointments),
→ drugs that are taken orally (tablets),
→ less often means for intravenous administration.

  • Antiviral creams, ointments and gels
    the most common drug in Russia is antiviral. Preparations based on acyclovir: Acyclovir cream 5% (Russia), Acyclovir ointment 5% (Russia), Zovirax cream (Great Britain), Acyclovir hexal cream (Germany), Acyclovir sandoz cream (Switzerland) ...

    Creams and ointments with acyclovir should be applied to the lesion 5 times a day for 7 days (there are no contraindications for age). It should be noted that the form in the form of a cream is more preferable to the ointment, because. antiviral substances from the cream penetrate the skin a little better than from the ointment. Aciclovir is predominantly effective in patients who have contracted herpes for the first time only.

    Disadvantages of drugs based on acyclovir –
    acyclovir is a fairly old drug. Despite the widespread use in pharmacies, in about 10-30% of patients this drug is ineffective due to the insensitivity of virus strains to acyclovir. In addition, the components of the drug penetrate the skin very poorly to the site of virus reproduction, and acyclovir itself has a very low affinity for the herpes virus.

    Modern antiviral creams –
    these drugs include the cream "Fenistil-pencevir" based on the antiviral component "penciclovir" (Fig. 18). The drug not only has several times greater efficiency, but also extremely low resistance of virus strains to this agent (about 0.2%). Cetomacrogol and propylene glycol contained in the composition make it as easy as possible for the penetration of active ingredients through dead skin layers and crusts.

    Above, we talked about the Fenistil-Pencivir cream based on penciclovir, which is applied topically on the skin of the face and the red border of the lips. Famciclovir-based preparations are essentially tablet analogues of penciclovir, only they are no longer applied topically in the form of a cream, but inside in tablets (Fig. 22).

Acyclovir and its modern analogues:

Important: tablet preparations, as well as for intravenous administration, should be prescribed only by a doctor. For patients with a suppressed immune system, it is desirable to use only drugs based on Famciclovir (both for the treatment and prevention of outbreaks). For patients with normal immunity, you can use tablet preparations based on Valacyclovir (both for treatment and prevention), but monitor the effectiveness of therapy.

2. Treatment of herpes of the oral mucosa -

Treatment of herpetic stomatitis can be carried out at home, but you must be sure of the correct diagnosis. Children are most often affected by this localization of a herpes infection, so parents often make a diagnosis on their own and start the wrong treatment. From experience, we can say that they often confuse the herpetic and aphthous forms of stomatitis, which are treated in completely different ways.

How to distinguish aphthous form from herpetic –
with the herpetic form of stomatitis, numerous vesicles appear, which burst after 1-2 days, and in their place multiple erosions appear large sizes. With aphthous form of stomatitis, the cause of which in most cases is an allergic reaction, only 1 erosion appears (maximum two or three), but very large (Fig. 23).

Important: if you find it difficult to make a correct diagnosis even after reading an article with photographs of various forms of stomatitis (the link to which we indicated above) - be sure to contact only your dentist. If a child gets sick, there is no point in contacting pediatricians, because. From experience, we can say that pediatricians do not even know that there are not one, but several forms of stomatitis, and that they are treated in completely different ways. Therefore, it is worth calling only a pediatric dentist from a pediatric stomatology clinic at the place of residence.

Prevention of herpes

The best prevention of herpes is to avoid physical contact with a person who has active clinical manifestations of this disease. In addition, you can not use other people's personal belongings of a sick person, such as: lipstick or lip balm, dishes, forks / spoons, towels. If someone in your family gets sick, everyone should wash their hands regularly with soap and water.

You also need to avoid such provoking factors as stress or excessive tanning. If you notice that herpes jumps up with enviable regularity after a long exposure to the sun, be sure to use sunscreen and a special lipstick with UV protection. Abrasions and cuts of the skin in the area of ​​the mouth and the red border of the lips are one of the predisposing causes of repeated outbreaks of herpes.

If you have damaged the skin or the border of the lips, treat the skin with an antiviral cream for prevention. If you often suffer from colds, contact an immunologist to correct the immune system, and also always support the body in the autumn-spring period vitamin preparations. We hope that our article: Herpes virus symptoms and treatment - turned out to be useful to you!

Sources:

1. Add. professional ,
2. Based on personal experience work as a periodontist,
3. National Library of Medicine (USA),
4. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (USA),
5. "Diseases of the mucous membrane of the mouth and lips" (K. Bork).

Back in 2012, statistics were published that the herpes simplex virus on the planet infected more than half of people under the age of fifty. What kind of virus is this, why is it so common and how dangerous is the disease of the same name? Let's talk in this article.

What is the herpes virus?

The herpes virus or herpesvirus is a large family of viruses that infect both humans and animals. The mechanism of action of this group of viruses is to damage the cells of the body, because of which, once it gets into it, the virus remains there forever.

Often a person lives with the herpes virus all his life, which does not manifest itself in any way. This fact - distinguishing feature entire family of herpesviruses.

Types of herpes virus

In total, 86 types of herpesviruses have been studied and described. Eight of them occur in humans. A characteristic feature of each of them are the diseases they cause. The typification of human herpesviruses is based on the ascending complexity of diseases. Here is the classification in the table:

type of herpes virus Name of the virus Diseases caused by a virus
Type 1 HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus type 1) Oral herpes, less commonly genital herpes
Type 2 HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus type 2) Genital herpes, vaginal herpes, rarely oral herpes
Type 3 Varicella zoster virus Chicken pox, shingles
Type 4 EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) Infectious mononucleosis, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, CNS lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma
Type 5 CMV (cytomegalovirus) infectious mononucleosis, hepatitis, retinitis
Type 6 HHV-6A, HHV-6B (roseoloviruses) Baby roseola, exanthema
Type 7 HHV-7 (roseolovirus) chronic fatigue syndrome
Type 8 KSHV (Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus) Kaposi's sarcoma

The first five types of human herpesvirus have been studied and described. The sixth, seventh and eighth types have been studied superficially. The relationship between them and diseases is not exactly established.

Herpesvirus is transmitted by skin contact with its carrier. It is not necessary for the carrier of the virus to turn into a disease. The contagiousness of the virus is high. Especially in the active form of the disease.

Speaking of herpes viruses, they often mean the first two types of viruses - herpes simplex viruses. They cause the disease of the same name, about which we will continue the conversation.
The varicella zoster virus or the third type of herpesvirus is also widespread and well studied. It causes the common chickenpox and shingles. These two diseases are the same varieties of herpes. Shingles is also called herpes zoster.

What kind of disease is herpes?

Herpes is a viral disease that is caused by herpesviruses of the first or second type. Its main symptom is a rash of vesicles on the skin or mucous membrane, grouped in small areas.

Herpes manifests itself on the lips and the skin around them, or on the external genitalia. According to the place of distribution, the disease is called oral or genital.
Oral herpes is also called "cold on the lips." This is due to the fact that the disease often manifests itself against the background of seasonal colds and seems to be their manifestation.
This is not true. Herpes is an independent disease, and colds are the cause of its development.

Causes of herpes

It was already mentioned above that the herpes virus can stay in the body for a long time without external manifestations. The development of the disease can begin due to several reasons:

  • hypothermia,
  • colds,
  • emotional exhaustion,
  • injury,
  • defective food, often with diets,
  • menstruation,
  • side diseases.

These reasons have common feature: they lead to exhaustion. The virus manifests itself as a disease when the body's resistance decreases.

Herpes symptoms

The classic symptom of herpes is one: a rash of vesicles on the skin and mucous membranes. Bubbles appear in small concentrated groups.
The disease also has warning signs: itching, burning sensation, light tingling around the mouth or genitals. But almost no one pays attention to them, although at this stage the treatment can give the maximum effect.
The classic picture of the manifestation of herpes simplex looks like this:

  • 1. In the oral or genital areas (depending on which type of herpes begins), itching and discomfort appear.
  • 2. The disease begins to manifest itself by the development of the inflammatory process. A small swelling appears, which grows quite rapidly.
  • 3. The swelling turns into blisters with clear liquid contents. They burst and liquid, in which millions of viral particles, flows out. Ulcers form at the site of the blisters.
  • 4. Ulcers dry up and turn into scabs that can bleed and hurt a lot.

There are also atypical manifestations of herpes, when the disease goes away without a classic rash. Such cases are rare. Atypical herpes occurs with symptoms-harbingers: itching, burning, swelling and redness of the mucous membranes, rarely with pulling pain in the lower abdomen.
Such symptoms indicate herpes, but require confirmation in the form of an analysis for the herpes virus.

The establishment of the same type of herpes occurs on the basis of the place of manifestation of the rash. Here there can be no confusion as to whether the patient has a genital or oral type.

Herpes virus: treatment in adults

Regardless of whether oral or genital herpes is diagnosed in a patient, treatment is carried out according to the same tactics. But before proceeding to its description, it is necessary to recall an important nuance:
It is impossible to completely cure or get rid of the herpes virus. But correctly chosen drug therapy and a corrected lifestyle give a result in which the patient will not be disturbed by the manifestations of the disease.

Treatment of herpes, regardless of where it manifests itself, is carried out in two parallel directions:

  • suppression of virus activity,
  • strengthening immunity.

They are equally important, but the last point given must come first. Herpes practically does not appear in those who do not have general health problems. Who doesn't have bad habits who eat right and lead healthy lifestyle life.

And the main thesis in the treatment and prevention of herpes: a healthy body itself copes with the herpes virus.

Suppression of the activity of the herpes virus

To reduce the frequency and severity of herpes symptoms, antiviral drugs are used during periods of exacerbation of the disease. Their effectiveness remains a rather controversial point, but with herpes they show good results. In the treatment of the disease, drugs are used that contain acyclovir, an antiviral substance, a synthetic analogue of the thymidine nucleoside. The latter is a natural component of human DNA. Acyclovir is found in pharmacies under various commercial names. Here are a few of them:

A drug Price Description
Zovirax from 193 rub. Antiviral drug based on acyclovir. Available in the form of a cream. In the standard course of the disease, it is applied to the areas of the skin affected by the rash and the areas adjacent to them five times a day.
The course of treatment is four to ten days.
Panavir from 137 rub. Complex antiviral and immunomodulatory drug. For herpes, it is prescribed as a solution for intravenous injection.
According to the instructions, in case of herpesvirus infection, the contents of the vial are injected in a jet twice with an interval of a day.
Vivorax from 101 rub. Cream with the active ingredient acyclovir. Effective in oral and genital herpes.
It is applied to the affected and adjacent areas of the skin 5-6 times a day for five to ten days. The exact period of use is determined by the doctor according to the demonstrated effect.
from 50 rub. Antiherpetic preparation of local action. The areas of the skin affected by the rash are treated with ointment five times a day, no more than ten days.

Antiviral drugs for herpes are creams and ointments for topical use. They act on the virus at the site of manifestation of the disease, which is enough for the standard course of the disease.

When herpes occurs with complications, antiviral drugs are prescribed by injection. It's over effective method, but due to the principle of sufficiency, it is rarely used.

It must be remembered that antiviral drugs for herpes do not cure the disease. They only effectively eliminate the symptoms of the disease and reduce the frequency of its manifestation and the severity of the course. Any antiviral agent is prescribed only on the recommendation of a doctor.

Strengthening immunity

The issue of strengthening immunity in herpes goes much further than a simple recommendation to lead a healthy lifestyle. The manifestation of the disease indicates that a serious failure has occurred in the work of the immune system, which must be solved by therapeutic methods.

It is believed that immunomodulators (drugs for regulating the functioning of the immune system) are necessary for herpes when the disease manifests itself more than four to five times a year. In such cases, we can say that the immune system does not cope with the protective function and needs external support.

You can meet the opinion that immunomodulators are a marketing product without proven effectiveness. But to achieve the goal, all means are good, and with herpes this statement is correct.

There are dozens of immunomodulators on the shelves of pharmacies. The choice of a specific one is the task of the doctor who has used them and knows exactly the features of each case history.
Here are the names and descriptions of popular immunomodulators:

A drug Group of immunomodulators Price Description
Ridostin Interferon inducer from 137 rub. Immunostimulating and antiviral drug, the effectiveness of which is achieved by increasing the production of interferon.
Amiksin Interferon inducer from 598 rub. A preparation based on tilorone with an antiviral and immunostimulating effect. It is a low molecular weight synthetic interferon inducer.
Neovir Interferon inducer from 574 rubles Immunostimulator with antiviral activity against DNA and RNA genomic viruses.
Promotes an increase in the production of interferon alpha.
Tamerite Immunomodulator from 492 rub. Immunostimulating drug with anti-inflammatory effect. Efficiency is based on an increase in the antibacterial activity of granulocytes and non-specific defense of the body.
Galavit Immunomodulator from 329 rub. Immunostimulating and anti-inflammatory agent. The mechanism of action is based on the effect of Galavit on the activity of phagocytic cells and the normalization of antibody formation.
Viferon Interferon inducer from 186 rub. A drug with antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. Efficiency is provided by increased activity of natural killers and increased phagocytic activity.

Whatever drug is used, it must be remembered that immunomodulators are not a panacea. They are helpers. The protective functions of the body need to be strengthened not only with medicines.

Traditional medicine recipes for herpes

With regard to herpes folk medicine there are only three proven recipes. This is due to the fact that the effectiveness of drugs in this disease is either there or it is not. Folk recipes extremely simple.

At the first manifestation of a “cold on the lips”, even before going to the pharmacy for an anti-herpes cream, it is useful to rub the rash with a cut of a clove of garlic. It is best to do this at night so that the juice remains at the site of the lesion longer.

The antiviral effect of garlic is widely known. It well suppresses activity and herpesvirus.

The symptoms of herpes are relieved by ordinary ice. By applying a piece of ice to the place of the rash, itching, pain and burning will go away quickly, but not for long. The procedure can be repeated several times until traditional medicines give the result.

With the symptoms of herpes, brewing tea helps to fight. The brewed tea bag is applied to the site of the herpes lesion and left for 15-20 minutes. Tannins, which are contained in tea leaves, have an anesthetic effect and effectively relieve pain and discomfort.

Complications after herpes

Herpes is a very dangerous disease in terms of possible complications. Their development is facilitated by:

  • weakened immunity and lack of immunostimulating therapy;
  • lack of treatment and prolonged manifestations of the disease with frequent relapses.

Complications can spread to almost all systems of human life and cause many diseases. Here is some of them:

Diseases - complications of herpes - Esophagitis, herpetic proctitis, viral stomatitis. Keratitis, iridocyclitis, corneal clouding. Herpetic encephalitis, meningitis, peripheral neuritis. Herpetic urethritis, herpetic cervicitis, erosion of the anterior urethra. Herpetic pneumonia, herpetic hepatitis.

It can be seen that many diseases that can manifest as complications of herpes, even in the name have the designation of herpes etiology. This once again confirms the versatility and danger of herpesvirus.

The danger lies in the mechanism of action of the disease. The virus integrates into the genome nerve cells and can appear anywhere they are. And they are all over the body.
Therefore, it is necessary to treat herpes urgently in order to prevent the development of complications.

Herpes during pregnancy

Infection of a woman with herpesvirus during pregnancy needs a separate explanation.

When the virus enters the human body, it is kept in a latent state by the immune system, which produces the necessary antibodies. During pregnancy, a woman's immunity is weakened and with a primary infection with herpesvirus there is a risk of its dangerous effect on the body future mother and fetus.

The absence of anti-herpes antibodies allows the virus to freely penetrate to the fetus, which provokes the development of defects and even miscarriages.

Herpes is easier in pregnant women with repeated manifestations. The defense system is already familiar with the virus and is ready to resist it. The infection does not get to the fetus and infection of the child is possible only at the time of childbirth. Statistics show that with genital herpes in the mother, the chance of infection of the child at the time of birth is more than forty percent. Every fifth child will get herpes.

Therefore, herpes in pregnant women is a dangerous disease that requires prompt therapeutic response. It is difficult for the body of the expectant mother to resist the virus even without a full-fledged drug treatment not enough.

Prevention of herpes

The prevention of the manifestation of herpes is an interesting undertaking, given that most people on the planet are carriers of the herpes virus. The main task of disease prevention is not to prevent infection, but to prevent the development of diseases that it provokes. Particularly herpes.

A strong immune system copes with this task. To keep it in this state, you need to follow a few simple rules:

  • to refuse from bad habits,
  • eat well,
  • alternate load and rest in reasonable proportions,
  • avoid stress,
  • avoid overheating and hypothermia.

Prevention of infection with herpesvirus, according to many experts, is a hopeless task. This is not to say that certain actions will avoid infection. But even with this opinion, the basic rules of hygiene cannot be neglected:

  • hand hygiene after each visit to public places;
  • use only personal hygiene products;
  • use of contraceptives during casual sexual intercourse.

Vaccination against herpesvirus

On the this moment There is no preventive vaccine against herpesviruses. There is a therapeutic vaccine that prevents the recurrence of herpes. It was created by Soviet scientists in the last century. But it did not become mass due to the fact that it can be used only according to strict indications.

Now work on the creation of a preventive vaccine against herpesvirus is being carried out in many countries. From time to time there is information about success in this work, but no one has yet been able to achieve the final result.

Scientists predict that a preventive vaccine can be created in the next decade, and then the fight against herpes will become effective both in terms of stopping the disease and preventing infection.