Oral Sex and Herpes – A Triple Header

Kevin Pederson, webmaster for home remedies, such as http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com gives you natural cures to treat daily commonly faced ailments in the comfort of your home. He also writes for other health sites such as yoga, hair-n-skin care and more.

Herpes can be an extremely frustrating problem. It does not go away for good and if you or your partner has it, the other person is always going to be at some risk of getting herpes. To make matters worse, doctors have realised that there is not any difference between genital and oral herpes, and it can easily transfer from the mouth to genitalia. Whether you can see herpes sores or not, the risk is always there. To make matters worse, the risk exists with vaginal, anal or oral sex.

It all comes down to the relationship between 2 people, and how much risk you are willing to accept if you know that one of you has herpes. When practicing oral sex, think about this: It is possible to get herpes while giving oral sex, and also possible to contract it while having oral sex performed on you. If you are together for the long term, then you may decide that the risk is acceptable, but if it is not a long term relationship, then you may decide that the risks are not worth it.

The risks of transmission are the highest when the herpes sores can be seen on the skin. To complicate matters, it is possible that the virus is present on the skin surface without any visible sores. When the sores cannot be seen, the risk is definitely lower, but is still present. This phase of herpes is known as asymptomatic or viral shedding. This can happen at any time, usually just before sores appear.

Herpes can manifest itself on places that are not covered by a condom. Because of this, viral shedding happens in these places. This means that transmission can happen during anytime during sex, even if you are using protection. While shedding may happen only a few days every year, it is almost impossible to tell when this is happening. So keep this in mind when you consider the risks of herpes.

For decreasing the risk of herpes, you should use a condom during oral sex. While performing oral sex on a woman, you can use a dam, which is a thin square of latex kept over the anus or vulva. Alternatively, you can use a non-lubricated condom. Another option is to use simple plastic wrap. The non-microwavable type is better as its less porous.

If you or your partner suffers from herpes, it may also be a good idea to take suppressive therapy. This is in the form of herpes medication which reduces the appearance of sores, and also decreases the shedding days. Speak to your doctor find out about this treatment.

At the end of the day (no pun intended), it all comes down to an open, honest relationship with your partner. Both of you need to be honest, and discuss your fears and needs. It is a situation that does not have an easy way out, and the risk of transmission will always be present, but you will eventually figure out a way to enjoy a happy sexual life!

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