Herpes is a kind of viral infection, which can cause blisters around the mouth, genitals, or anus. Herpes affecting the anus is called anal herpes. It is not always the case that herpes shows the symptoms. But when and if it does, you can notice blisters around your anus.
Because the symptoms resemble syphilis or hemorrhoids, many often get confused. It is obvious to get confused for some time if it is herpes or hemorrhoids.
Below here, you will know everything about anal herpes so as not to get it confused with some other condition.
Understanding anal herpes
Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is a contagious virus that means people can contract it with only physical contact.
Genital or anal herpes is transmitted through sexual contact and that is why they are called sexually transmitted diseases. The two kinds of herpes virus are:
- Herpes simplex virus -1 (HSV 1) - affects primarily mouth
- Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV 2) - affects the genital area
Now you know what causes anal herpes.
Symptoms of herpes
The symptoms may not start to show immediately, and it is possible that the infection may go undetected for a long time. Even without the symptoms, one can transmit it to the others.
Common symptoms of genital herpes are the following:
- Persistent itching and pain around the anus
- Painful blister or red bumps
- Sores and ulcers around the anus
- Bowel habits
As you can see, the symptoms also resemble other conditions like syphilis or hemorrhoids to some extent, totally normal to get yourself thinking if it is herpes or hemorrhoids.
Diagnosis
While you may get the condition confused with the others, a doctor can identify it by just seeing or with some physical examination. You may be recommended a blood test for looking into the herpes virus.
The other way for the test is to take a swab of the affected area and run some DNA tests on it. It tells about the virus that infected you and also, it is a fast method.
Treatment
Antiviral medication is used in the treatment of herpes. It fights the activity of the virus in your system and helps in reducing or controlling symptoms.
Antiviral medication reduces the infection's duration and risk of passing the virus to others. Early treatment risks to a great extent.
If antiviral medication is used for a long time, it is known as suppressive therapy. If the anal herpes is severe, intravenous antiviral therapy is recommended by the doctor. In this method, the medication is directly injected into your system by inserting a needle into the vein.
Can herpes be treated completely?
The infection caused by the herpes simplex virus cannot be completely treated, thus, considered a lifelong condition. After the outbreak, the virus moves to your nerve cells and stays there for the rest of your life.
The virus may be inactive for a long time until triggered by external factors like illness, stress, or sun exposure.
Can herpes reoccur?
Herpes can occur again, but the medication reduces the duration of the outbreak. Over time, the outbreaks decrease.