Herpes / Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

Genital herpes is caused by two types of viruses, herpes simplex (HSV) type 1 and type 2, which create cold sores.

Woman having a discussion with two colleagues

Genital herpes

HSV-1 often causes oral herpes, which presents as cold sores or fever blisters on or around the mouth. Most people with oral herpes do not have any symptoms and get it during childhood or young adulthood from non-sexual contact with saliva. However, oral herpes caused by HSV-1 can spread from the mouth to the genitals through oral sex, which is why some cases of genital herpes are due to HSV-1.

The CDC reports over 500,000 new cases of herpes each year in the USA because the virus spreads quickly, usually due to sexual activity with another person who has the infection. It is not spread from contact with towels, pools, toilet seats, or other objects but only from person to person.

Symptoms of genital herpes

The symptoms of genital herpes can be mild or severe, characterized by a blister or sore developing around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving a sore, which could take a week or two to heal. If you have had sexual contact with a person with herpes, you may have the infection, whether you have symptoms or not. A blood test will reveal if you are infected.

Treatments for herpes

While there is no cure, we can successfully treat herpes with medications. Antiviral medications can:

Prevent outbreaks
Shorten outbreak duration
Reduce the chances that the virus will spread to a sexual partner

Medical science continues to evolve, with newer, more effective medications becoming available.

Post-herpetic neuralgia

Post-herpetic neuralgia is a complication that can develop after the blisters and sores of genital herpes have healed. Women with vulvar pain and the herpes virus may have an undiagnosed case of post-herpetic neuralgia. Cases of shingles, or “herpes zoster,” can occur on the vulva, damaging the nerves in the area and resulting in chronic vulvar pain. This condition most commonly develops in adults over 50.

Symptoms of post-herpetic neuralgia

In addition to chronic vulvar pain, you may experience the following:

Allodynia

Pain experienced from a stimulus that won’t ordinarily provoke pain. This condition causes a pain response from sitting or contact with clothing or a bike seat.

Hyperalgesia

Increased sensitivity and extreme response to pain. The nerve pain receptors react more often than usual and cause more intense pain.

Treatments for post-herpetic neuralgia

If you suffer from any symptoms of post-herpetic neuralgia, you may have seen several doctors and rely on painkillers to try to make it through the day, with little hope of resolving the condition. Dr. Sonia Bahlani at Pelvic Pain Doc in NYC offers groundbreaking treatments that allow you to control the pain rather than having it control you. For example, BOTOX injections have proven to be among the most effective ways to treat ongoing pain from nerve damage caused by outbreaks of genital herpes.

BOTOX injections for chronic pelvic pain

This treatment is performed in-office with minimal anesthesia and is 90 to 95% effective. A second round of BOTOX injections is performed four weeks later. If you suffer from post-herpetic neuralgia, you need treatment from a surgeon who can perform BOTOX injections in her sleep – Dr. Bahlani.

She brings the clinical acumen to properly diagnose patients but, more importantly, the surgical skills to achieve arguably the best results. She is fellowship trained in sexual and pelvic health and has focused her practice on these issues, with advanced training beyond what many doctors have.

Why choose Pelvic Pain Doc in New York City?

Patients come to Dr. Bahlani from NYC and other cities, states, and countries due to her focused expertise in resolving pelvic pain. She is the author of “Dr. Sonia’s Guide to Navigating Pelvic Pain” and a regular guest on various media outlets and podcasts. She has established a boutique concierge urology and gynecology practice where patients can finally control pain. She takes a holistic approach to lifestyle changes and works closely with her patients to help them achieve their goals for the quality of life they want and deserve. For 5-star care from a thought leader and expert in resolving pelvic pain, contact Pelvic Pain Doc.