Contracting herpes from a partner is not the end of life. However, the fact that it is a virus means that the disease will be present in your body from the time you get the disease for the rest of your life. That means you will likely have to go through the symptoms of outbreaks such as painful sores multiple times from when you obtain this ailment. These outbreaks, coupled with regular medication, make herpes not an all too attractive disease to acquire. To aid you to avoid contracting this disease, we have gathered useful tips that could go a long way in helping you stay herpes-free.
1. Always Use a Condom When Engaging in Sexual Activity
This point cannot be overemphasized. Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease, meaning you contract it through sexual contact. The use of a condom prevents direct contact between you and your partner’s sexual organs. This decreases the chances of you acquiring the virus during penetration and from body fluids. Keep condoms with you whenever you go for dates or in the house or car to assist you in remembering to use them.
2. Ask Your Partner About their Herpes Status
It might come off as too direct, but it will be worth it. Politely inquire about your spouse’s status before you engage in sexual activity. If your partner has herpes, you might want to delve deeper and enquire whether they have had any recent outbreaks. Avoid sexual activity if he or she has had a recent herpes outbreak. If she or he has not had any recent outbreak, keep your guard up all the same and practice safe sex. Remember that symptoms of herpes could show up much later. As such, a partner might tell you that they are uninfected thinking this is the case when they are actually in their herpes’ incubation phase. It is, therefore, necessary to take necessary precaution all the same.
3. Request Your Partner for Herpes Testing
Sometimes, you might do the right thing and ask upfront if your partner has herpes. As humans, they might fail to tell you the truth concerning your status, or you might have suspicion concerning the truthfulness of their statements. Requesting your partner to have a herpes test done clears all doubt on your partner’s status. To avoid having them feel pressured, take the test with them and make it seem like you both want to know your conditions even if you are already aware of yours.
4. Have Fewer Sexual Partners
Engaging in sexual activity with more people or hooking up frequently exposes you to a higher likelihood to contract herpes. This is because you might not be acutely aware of the sexual activity the other partners are engaging in. Having many partners makes it harder to consistently keep track of their herpes statuses as well as any other people they might be having sex with. As such, they could contract herpes in between your sexual meetings and could spread it to you. Reducing your number of sexual partners helps you keep tabs on their sexual activity easier and it is likely you would pay more attention to detail, such as the development of sores which is a key symptom associated with herpes infection.
5. Do not have sex while Drunk
Alcohol impairs your judgment and makes you likely to make lesser logical decisions. These would include failure to use a condom or even having sex with someone who has sores in their genital area. Being sober during sexual activity helps you with your observation and practicing safe sex. As such, it reduces the likelihood you will contract herpes.
Applying these tips would significantly reduce your chances of contracting herpes to between slim and none. Ensure you practice these precautions on every sexual encounter and even when you switch partners. Remember, prevention is better than cure.
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