That Awkward Herpes Discussion With Your Partner
Partners share STDs, but when to discuss this fact is, well, stressful and confusing, but yes, tell your partner if you have been diagnosed with a herpes infection.
Let us help with this discussion! Your gyno can help guide you to facts. You are the partner, you aren’t the health care manager, and for facts we suggest coming in together to discuss when you perhaps have info to share.
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is one of those infections that the recommendation by experts is to share that information with current or future partners if you have the infection and may transmit it.
STD’s can actually be prevented by the right strategies. So, before you get that alone time with your partner and get out a large magnifying glass to examine your…ah….. relationship and where it is going, there should be a frank discussion about sexual histories and sexual health. Although you want to trust the person that you are spending time with, you need to consider the fact that many people aren’t completely open and honest about their sex lives. And, when it comes to STDs, you or your partner may both appear to be symptom free and believe yourselves to be symptom free.
Knowledge, as with other aspects of life, is power. Here are some heartwarming statistics straight from the CDC: only 1 out of 10 Genital Herpes carriers know they are infected and only 25% of all Chlamydia carriers have any symptoms at all. STDs aren’t always caught with just one act. How many exposures it takes to get a particular STD is a subject of great debate, but the current figures seem to indicate that the mean number of times a person had sex before coming down with herpes was about 40! And Most new diagnoses are in people with new partners. Unless you both get tested, you may never know if one of you has an STD.The rate of STDs is climbing; in the U.S. alone, there are 40 million Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infections and over 1 million Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) is a sexually transmitted infection that can appear in the genital tissues whether you have been infected by HSV-1 or HAV-2. It is acquired through skin or mucous membrane contact and results in small blisters on the surface where it entered. The virus has an affinity for sensory nerves, and it can live under the skin in these nerves. it typically is most catching when you have open blisters that are shedding virus, but actually shedding can occur when there are no lesions at all. It is important for everyone to take control of their sexual health. It is always a good idea to test before any sexual contact or as soon as possible after you start having sex. You may also need to retest at a later time because you won’t test positive the morning after; that is a project for a couple of weeks later. For HIV, you might need a test a few weeks later just to be sure. So, instead of lunch and a movie, maybe think about one day to do lunch and a screening…for STDs.
Whether you are in a new or established relationship, everyone knows that communication, honesty, and trust are as key to keeping a relationship going as that perfect chili recipe or love of Taylor Swift. What better way to show your commitment than for you and your partner to talk about sex, talk about your future sex, talk about known STDs, and be screened according to your gynos recommendation!
For information regarding new clients, services, testing, or consultations for second opinions, contact Women’s Health Practice
