Genital Health Dictionary

See HERPES GENITALIS.... genital herpes

The external organs of reproduction. The term is usually applied to the external parts of the reproductive system: the VULVA in females and PENIS and SCROTUM in males. Rarely the sex of an individual may not be apparent from the genitalia. Genitals develop from a common embryonic structure, and disturbances in the hormone controls of the developing genitalia may produce an individual whose external genitalia are ambiguous. The condition is known as intersex. The individual may be HERMAPHRODITE or PSEUDOHERMAPHRODITE.... genitalia

 Venereal disease. Caused by Herpes simplex virus, type 2, (HSV2) which infects the skin and mucosa of the genital organs and anus. The strain is more virulent than HSV1 which attacks face and lips. Contagious. STD. Blisters appear 4-7 days after coitus. May be transmitted by mother to baby at delivery. The condition is often misdiagnosed as thrush. To dispel doubts, refer to urological department of nearest hospital. Evidence exists between genital herpes and cancer of the cervix. Clinical diagnosis should be confirmed by virus culture. Attacks are recurrent and self-infective.

Symptoms: redness, soreness, itching followed by blisters on the penis or vulva. Blisters ulcerate before crusting over. Lesions on anus of homosexual men.

Treatment by general medical practitioner or hospital specialist.

Alternatives. Sarsaparilla, Echinacea, Chaparral and St John’s Wort often give dramatic relief to itching rash. See entry: ECHINACEA.

Tea. Formula. Equal parts: Clivers, Gotu Kola, Valerian. One heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. Dose: 1 cup thrice daily.

Decoction. Combine: Echinacea 2; Valerian 1; Jamaican Dogwood 1. One heaped teaspoon to each cup water gently simmered 20 minutes. Half-1 cup thrice daily.

Tablets/capsules. Poke root. Valerian. Passion flower. St John’s Wort. Echinacea. Chaparral. Pulsatilla. Red Clover.

Powders. Formula. Echinacea 2; Valerian 1; Jamaica Dogwood 1. Dose: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one- third teaspoon) thrice daily.

Tinctures. Formula. Echinacea 2; Sarsaparilla 1; Thuja quarter; Liquorice quarter. Dose: 1-2 teaspoons thrice daily.

Topical. Apply any of the following 3, 4 or more times daily. Pulp or gel of Aloe Vera, Houseleek, Echinacea lotion. Garlic – apply slice of fresh corm as an antihistamine. Yoghurt compresses (improved by pinch of Goldenseal powder). Zinc and Castor oil (impressive record). Apply direct or on tampons. Diet. Porridge oats, or muesli oats.

Supplementation: same as for Shingles.

Prevention. Women should be advised to submit for an annual cytosmear. Information. Herpes Association, 41 North Road, London N7 9DP, UK. Send SAE. ... herpes, genital

See CIRCUMCISION.... female genital mutilation (fgm)

An infection of the genitals (see GENITALIA) of either sex, caused by HERPES SIMPLEX virus type

2. It is mostly acquired as a result of sexual activity; some cases are caused by simplex type

1. After initial infection the virus lies latent in the dorsal nerve root ganglion (of the spinal cord) which enervates the affected area of the skin. Latent virus is never cured and reactivation results in either a recurrence of symptoms or in asymptomatic shedding of the virus which then infects a sexual partner. Around 30,000 cases of genital herpes are reported annually from clinics dealing with SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDS) in England, but there are also many unrecognised (by either patient or doctor) infections. Patients may have a history of painful attacks of ulceration of the genitals for many years before seeking medical advice. All patients with a ?rst episode of the infection should be given oral antiviral treatment, and those who suffer more than six attacks a year should be considered for suppressive antiviral treatment. ACICLOVIR, valaciclovir and famciclovir are all e?ective antiviral drugs. If a woman in the ?nal three months of her pregnancy contracts herpes genitalis, this can have serious consequences for the baby as he or she will be at risk of herpes encephalitis after delivery.... herpes genitalis

A group of conditions in which the external sex organs are not clearly male or female, or in which they appear to be those of the opposite chromosomal sex.

This may result from an abnormality of the sex chromosomes or a hormonal disorder (see hermaphroditism; sex determination; adrenal hyperplasia, congenital).... genitalia, ambiguous

An eroded area of skin on the genitalia.

The most common cause is a sexually transmitted infection, particularly syphilis and genital herpes (see herpes, genital).

Chancroid and granuloma inguinale are tropical bacterial infections that cause genital ulcers.

Lymphogranuloma venereum is a viral infection producing genital blisters.

Behçet’s syndrome is a rare condition that causes tender, recurrent ulcers in the mouth and on the genitals.

Cancer of the penis or vulva may first appear as a painless ulcer with raised edges.... genital ulcer

See warts, genital.... genital warts

Fleshy, painless, usually soft lumps that grow in and around the entrance of the vagina, around the anus, and on the penis. Genital warts are transmitted by sexual contact and are caused by a papillomavirus. There may be an interval of from a few weeks up to 18 months between time of infection and the appearance of the warts.

Genital warts have been linked with the development of cervical cancer (see cervix, cancer of).

They may be removed by cryosurgery or by the application of the drug podophyllin, but there is a tendency for them to recur.... warts, genital

(FGCS) surgery to alter the size or shape of the *vulva and/or vagina when these are a cause of significant distress or sexual dysfunction. FGCS includes labioplasty (reduction or alteration of the labia), clitoral hood reduction (excision of excess skin in the fold surrounding the clitoris), and hymenoplasty (partial or complete reconstruction of the hymen).... female genital cosmetic surgery

(female circumcision) removal of the clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora for cultural reasons. The extent of excision varies between countries and ethnic groups. The anatomically least damaging form is clitoridectomy (removal of the clitoris); the next form entails excision of the prepuce, clitoris, and all or part of the labia minora. The most extensive form, infibulation, involves excision of clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora. The vulval lips are sutured together and a piece of wood or reed is inserted to preserve a small passage for urine and menstrual fluid. In the majority of women who are circumcised, *episiotomy, often extensive, is required to allow delivery of a child. FGM removes most of the possibility of sexual pleasure for a woman, is unethical, and in children is a form of *child abuse: it is prohibited under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.... female genital mutilation