An estimated 67 per cent of the world’s population are infected with the herpes virus, reports the World Health Organization. That equates to approximately 3.7 billion people.
With so many people affected by herpes, dozens of unfounded myths and dangerous ideas are floating out there about the herpes virus. For your own health, wellness and happiness, avoid being infected by these myths and rumors. By focusing on the facts, you can keep yourself safe and diminish some of the stigma that comes with the herpes virus.
1. You’ll Always Have an Itchy Rash
Sometimes you might break out in irritated rashes and itchy sores, but these outbreaks come and go. In fact, some people never experience any symptoms of herpes. Don’t depend on symptoms to tell you if you, or someone you know, has herpes.
2. Herpes is a Sign of Infidelity
Sometimes, your partner will all of a sudden “catch” herpes, and you might be wondering if he or she is cheating on you. But as we noted above, sometimes people can live with herpes without showing any signs of the virus. A sudden outbreak could just mean the virus was lying hidden in plain sight.
3. Herpes Can Affect Your Sex Life and Fertility
Many people are worried that if they catch genital herpes, they can never have sex again and the virus could make them infertile. However, herpes shouldn’t affect your love life, at least not permanently. Always wear protection, and keep in mind that the virus can be shared through oral lovemaking too.
Also, there’s no need to worry about infertility. Herpes, contrary to popular myths, will not make you sterile. However, other STDs can, so it’s always important to wear protection to protect yourself.
As you can see, some of the most prevalent ideas about herpes are plain wrong and could actually be dangerous to your physical and mental health. Educate yourself on this very, very common virus and dispel some of the long-held notions about herpes today!
