HSV-1 is predominantly passed on orally, and results in cold sores.

HSV-2 is passed on by unprotected sexual contact and affects the genitals.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 16.2 percent of people 14 to 49 years of age have genital HSV-2 infection. That’s one in six people nationwide carrying this STD. Part of the problem is that in many cases, the infection is asymptomatic.

Herpes Symptoms

As already mentioned, many cases of HDV-2 are asymptomatic, which is why the infection is so prevalent. People simply don’t know they have it.

Those who do display symptoms often see any of the following:

• Itching in the genital or anal region
• Small fluid-filled blisters that burst leaving painful sores
• Pain when passing urine over the open sores
• Persistent headaches
• Persistent backache
• Flu-like symptoms

As you can see, with the exception of visible blisters and sores, the symptoms of HSV-2 are shared with many other conditions, including other STDs.

Transmission and Treatment

Genital herpes, HSV-2 is transmitted through unprotected sex. Skin contact with an infected person is usually enough to pass it on, which is another reason why it’s so prevalent. HSV-1 can be transmitted through oral sex or kissing.

If symptoms appear, it’s important to seek medical help and refrain from physical contact with other people until it has been checked. There are simple tests that are quick and painless.

They include:

• A clinical examination of the genital area.
• A sample from any visible sores.
• Women may be given an internal pelvic examination
• A sample of urine
• Blood test

A blood test is only usually taken is there are no symptoms. It is only effective once the individual has had the infection for 3 months. As with the HIV virus, the herpes test works by searching for antibodies that the immune system produces to fight the virus. It can take the body up to 3 months to produce those antibodies.

There is no cure for herpes. An outbreak of either kind will generally clear up by itself, but doctors may prescribe a course of antiviral drugs to reduce any outbreak. These drugs prevent the bacteria from multiplying, giving the immune system a chance to fight it.

Complications

Recurrences of genital herpes vary from person to person. Some will never experience an outbreak of this STD again, whilst others may have milder recurrences at various intervals. Because these recurrent infections are milder, they often do not require treatment.

Once the initial outbreak is over, the virus hides away in the nerve fibers near the infection site. Here it remains dormant, until triggered by something. If this happens, it travels back down the nerve to the skin surface and causes another outbreak.

It is possible to transmit herpes in-between outbreaks, so care should be taken to protect both people in the situation. During an outbreak, the sufferer is very infectious and should restrict their activities accordingly.

If humans are at all worried, it is about sex; if they worry a lot, most of it is about sex. No wonder humans found the T. Terrestris as a worthwhile remedy to erectile dysfunction.

The western world is now turned towards something the Indian Ayurveda discovered long ago. Its power to increase sex drive was first noticed in the west by Eastern Europe and America. The secret lies in the herb’s capability to optimally regulate androgens through a recharged and balanced limbic system, reactivate a drowsy lymphatic system, remove urinogenital infections and bring a diuretic effect. All of these are something bodybuilders are always in search for, so first was introduced the pure Tribulus and then, a wide multitude of concoctions in forms of pills, capsules, powders and syrups. The percentage of real Tribulus has since then been diminishing in the formulations except for in a few widely popular brands; however, even for them, it’s the minimum quantity required; the rest are components like amino acids like L-Arginine (a bitter tasting amino acid found in proteins and necessary for a good sexual health; its absence from the diet leads to a reduced production of spermatozoa) et al. Do they work?

Ideally, Tribulus is meant for consumption as a pure extract or powdered form within an hour of a large meal, contrary to other libido-stimulating herbs (e.g. Abelmoschus moschatus, Withania somnifera, Mucuna pruriens, Shilajeet etc.) providing optimal results only in combination. A mix may also contain particles that often prove detrimental to health if it’s from a lesser-known manufacturer. To see the other way round, amino acids are to be consumed on an empty stomach, without anything additional. So both ways, these deliver only half the effects. And of course, if someone is trying to ward off an anabolic steroid cycle complication, it is the pure extract that is needed and not the commercial Tribulus-inclusive supplements. For that, you need to depend on organically grown culinary herb gardens catering to custom choices.

How Tribulus works

Tribulus Terrestris stimulates the androgen receptors in the brain. Administering the extract of Tribulus produces a statistically significant increase in the testosterone levels besides elevating dihydrotestosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone. These induce aphrodisiacal effects and earn the herb its popularity.

The secret behind all that is Protodioscin, a cousin to DHEA, bringing better results than the pharmacological testosterone cypionate. Protodioscin helps release nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosa (the expanding outer chambers of the penis) from its nerve endings. The mechanism of action also involves stimulating the pituitary to produce LH or luteinizing hormone to facilitate a naturally increased production of testosterone, sperm count and sperm-motility levels. The process also involves the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Estradiol, which form the bridge between the LH and the increased productions.

Unsheathing: Tribulus

The three groups (dioscin, protodioscin and diosgenin) of active phytochemicals have been found to regulate male sexual energy and stamina levels and inhibit pregnenolone, estrogen and progesterone. The result is restoring a balance to hormonal levels, which are now also being used by women to treat premenstrual and menopausal syndromes.

Additionally, Tribulus also comprises sterols (e.g. beta-sitosterols) that have anti-inflammatory effects on the prostate; the presence of steroidal saponins in Tribulus also protects the prostate from cancer and retunes the immune system. The anti-bacterial/viral effects are particularly useful when it comes to treating herpes, influenza and even, common cold. Also a rich source of calcium; but this is where trouble begins.

Tribulus: The Dark Side

Though rare, still, Tribulus is a pain in the wrong place if consumed more than 750 mg a day.

• A diuretic, it may make the body retain less water than it’s essential.

• The high percentage of calcium may interfere with the Pancreas and inhibit insulin, giving rise to hypoglycemia or lowered blood sugar levels, apart from acidity or upset stomach.

• Gynaecomastia; though have affected one in a million people, it proves the androgenic-anabolic effect of Tribulus.

Clearing the basics:

There’s no need to cure erectile dysfunction if you can prevent its occurrence. Often it is distress and anxiety that eat into the cravings for sex and conditions like erectile dysfunction become imminent. However, there are ways to prevent the causal factors and lifestyle alterations – in this regard – are paramount. It is because erectile dysfunction is primarily psychological by nature (unless caused by any physical accident resulting in physical trauma and deformation); it is the psychological problems that lead to an imbalance of various factors that control our libido. Positive habits mend the mind and restore the proper functioning of the physical factors, so off with anxiety, stress and depression to maintain the high.

Explaining things further

All right, now we know that stress, anxiety and depression are responsible for ED but how could thoughts influence the muscles? The different organs (and the systems they make up, collectively) act as the bridges here; psychological problems, being imbalances in the neurotransmitters and neurohormones, influence primarily the rest of the endocrine system, which, in turn, affect the functioning of other systems. This is when we start getting the symptoms, often misinterpreted as diseases.

Correctional measures

So it makes sense nipping the psychological causes in the bud and preventing erectile dysfunction from being triggered; for that, you must stop carrying your work into the bedroom or turning your office to one. This will restore back the communication you are missing and will drive away the monotony in sex. Monotonous sex is one of the biggest factors behind erectile dysfunction, so this is also the first therapy for them who are already suffering. It will help in dealing with stress too.

Often, it is a fear of premature ejaculation that gives rise to ED; what people fail to understand is one or two instances of PE is a natural phenomenon. It is not always possible to score six-sigma in sex every time, so the fear of losing must not let you lose the battle itself.

An erection achieved watching porn or during masturbation but not during sex indicates an ED to be psychological and because of a hormonal imbalance or problem with vasodilatation. However, push-ups and squats before sex takes care of all the three factors; that way, you increase the level of free testosterone in the blood, enhance circulation and their combined effect is euphoric. These effects can be boosted if a person curbs on his nicotine and alcohol intake; the body has to spend more calories in warding off the effects of both and leave the tanks empty. Saving this energy is boosting your sexual prowess; besides, smoking causes vasoconstriction and doesn’t allow the blood vessels in the corpus cavernosum or the erectile tissue to expand and accommodate more blood, thus preventing an erection.

Vasoconstriction, however, is not caused by smoking alone; low-density lipoprotein or the bad cholesterol also stays a factor, which hardens the blood vessels and make them lose their elasticity. So, in plain words: “Watch your weight” if you want to keep safe from erectile dysfunction and a lot other disorders that worsen it. Diabetes is just one.

If humans are at all worried, it is about sex; if they worry a lot, most of it is about sex. No wonder humans found the T. Terrestris as a worthwhile remedy to erectile dysfunction.

The western world is now turned towards something the Indian Ayurveda discovered long ago. Its power to increase sex drive was first noticed in the west by Eastern Europe and America. The secret lies in the herb’s capability to optimally regulate androgens through a recharged and balanced limbic system, reactivate a drowsy lymphatic system, remove urinogenital infections and bring a diuretic effect. All of these are something bodybuilders are always in search for, so first was introduced the pure Tribulus and then, a wide multitude of concoctions in forms of pills, capsules, powders and syrups. The percentage of real Tribulus has since then been diminishing in the formulations except for in a few widely popular brands; however, even for them, it’s the minimum quantity required; the rest are components like amino acids like L-Arginine (a bitter tasting amino acid found in proteins and necessary for a good sexual health; its absence from the diet leads to a reduced production of spermatozoa) et al. Do they work?

Ideally, Tribulus is meant for consumption as a pure extract or powdered form within an hour of a large meal, contrary to other libido-stimulating herbs (e.g. Abelmoschus moschatus, Withania somnifera, Mucuna pruriens, Shilajeet etc.) providing optimal results only in combination. A mix may also contain particles that often prove detrimental to health if it’s from a lesser-known manufacturer. To see the other way round, amino acids are to be consumed on an empty stomach, without anything additional. So both ways, these deliver only half the effects. And of course, if someone is trying to ward off an anabolic steroid cycle complication, it is the pure extract that is needed and not the commercial Tribulus-inclusive supplements. For that, you need to depend on organically grown culinary herb gardens catering to custom choices.

How Tribulus works

Tribulus Terrestris stimulates the androgen receptors in the brain. Administering the extract of Tribulus produces a statistically significant increase in the testosterone levels besides elevating dihydrotestosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone. These induce aphrodisiacal effects and earn the herb its popularity.

The secret behind all that is Protodioscin, a cousin to DHEA, bringing better results than the pharmacological testosterone cypionate. Protodioscin helps release nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosa (the expanding outer chambers of the penis) from its nerve endings. The mechanism of action also involves stimulating the pituitary to produce LH or luteinizing hormone to facilitate a naturally increased production of testosterone, sperm count and sperm-motility levels. The process also involves the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Estradiol, which form the bridge between the LH and the increased productions.

Unsheathing: Tribulus

The three groups (dioscin, protodioscin and diosgenin) of active phytochemicals have been found to regulate male sexual energy and stamina levels and inhibit pregnenolone, estrogen and progesterone. The result is restoring a balance to hormonal levels, which are now also being used by women to treat premenstrual and menopausal syndromes.

Additionally, Tribulus also comprises sterols (e.g. beta-sitosterols) that have anti-inflammatory effects on the prostate; the presence of steroidal saponins in Tribulus also protects the prostate from cancer and retunes the immune system. The anti-bacterial/viral effects are particularly useful when it comes to treating herpes, influenza and even, common cold. Also a rich source of calcium; but this is where trouble begins.

Tribulus: The Dark Side

Though rare, still, Tribulus is a pain in the wrong place if consumed more than 750 mg a day.

• A diuretic, it may make the body retain less water than it’s essential.
• The high percentage of calcium may interfere with the Pancreas and inhibit insulin, giving rise to hypoglycemia or lowered blood sugar levels, apart from acidity or upset stomach.
• Gynaecomastia; though have affected one in a million people, it proves the androgenic-anabolic effect of Tribulus.

ED or erectile dysfunction is one affair that doesn’t leave too many grounds to be discussed and the myths on masculinity are perhaps the biggest reasons behind. None wants being marked a lesser man and this is the biggest mistake people commit. But just like a simple cold may grow to something as complex as chronic pulmonary disorders over time if left untreated, erectile dysfunction – the initial symptom of an underlying greater cause – may develop into more complex disorders like azoospermia and permanent impotency. So one needs to understand first that ED is – at its basic level – the body’s response to low energy and/or hormonal levels or problems with vasodilatation, which again may have numerous causes behind and just popping pills (chiefly, the aphrodisiacs) may worsen the situation (aneurysm, for example) rather than showing any significant cure.

ED is as psychological as the physical disorders abovementioned; it is the failure-related psychological setbacks that often turn people fearful of future inabilities to get and maintain an erection. Whether you have noticed it or not, being tensed disrupts our normal breathing cycles. Instead of long and deep breaths, it’s the short bursts that take over, resulting in only a partially operating circulatory system with less power to force blood to the terminal body regions. However, to understand that fully, you must know the components that make the penis and the mechanism of erection.

The human penis houses three columns of tissue; two are corpora cavernosa placed dorsally and next to each other and the corpus spongiosum placed ventrally between the other two. The corpus cavernosum is a pair of spongy regions comprised of erectile tissue and traps most of the blood for initiating an erection. The corpus spongiosum is also a cluster of expandable erectile tissues positioned along the penile length and functions the way the other two does. That leaves little to imagination; these tissues have a rich collection of blood vessels which fill up during an erection. The outward pressure is what that makes an organ stand; unless the pressure is sufficient, an erection is going to stay a far-off story.

Now, to the second part that involves a nitric oxide release to relax the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum muscles, followed by the filling of the spongy tissue with blood. If there is no or little release of NO, muscle relaxation is inhibited and erectile dysfunction is noted as much as when it is induced by high deposits of LDL inside the arterial walls. The LDL (a lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood; composed of moderate amount of protein and a large amount of cholesterol; high levels are thought to be associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis) prevents sufficient amount of blood from flowing into the spongy tissues; hence, find out first what’s stopping the muscles from relaxing and sufficient quantities of blood from flowing in and treat the cause, your problems with ED will disappear faster than a premature ejaculation.

If you’ve suffered serious side effects from taking a drug for erectile dysfunction (like Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra), you mayhave a product liability claim.

If you have suffered injuries or serious side effects caused by a drug you are taking for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), you may have a defective product liability claim.  (To learn more about drug related product liability claims in general, read Nolo’s article Product Liability Claims Involving Pharmaceutical Drugs.

The three most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of erectile dysfunction are:

• Cialis
• Levitra, and
• Viagra.

In recent years, there have been numerous reports of serious side effects experienced by men who have taken these erectile dysfunction drugs. Plaintiffs have filed several lawsuits against drug manufacturers in connection with these side effects. The focus of these lawsuits is typically a products liability claim.

In this type of products liability lawsuit, the plaintiff seeks compensation for injuries caused by the pharmaceutical drug. The most common claims are that:

• the drug caused unreasonably dangerous side effects, and
• the manufacturer, the doctor, or the pharmacy (among others) failed to provide adequate warnings or instructions regarding the use of the drug.

Reported Side Effects of Erectile Dysfunction Drugs

In recent years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned of a possible link between the use of erectile dysfunction drugs and:

• sudden loss of vision in one eye, impaired color perception, or blurred vision
• sudden loss of hearing, tinnitus, or dizziness
• erections that last for excessive periods of time (“priapism”), and
• a sudden drop in blood pressure, which can lead to fainting, heart attack, or stroke.

Men may be at greater risk of suffering side effects from erectile dysfunction drugs if they are over the age of 50; have heart conditions, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol; or are taking certain other medications.

Evaluating Your Potential Injury Claim

If you think you have been injured as a result of a drug you took for erectile dysfunction, in order to win your lawsuit you will have to prove that:

• you were injured
• the erectile dysfunction drug you took causes unreasonably dangerous side effects, or the manufacturer, pharmacy, doctor, or others didn’t sufficiently want you regarding the side effects, and
• the erectile dysfunction drug was the cause of your injury.

In products liability claims involving pharmaceutical drugs, the outcome of the case often comes down to the second and third issues listed above. The drug manufacturer and any other defendants are likely to fight you on both.

Keep in mind that many drugs are known to carry serious risks; if you are properly advised of those risks and you and your doctors decide the risks are worth taking in view of your condition, you won’t be able to sue if you then suffer the side effects. (To learn more about evaluating and proving a drug related product liability claim, read Nolo’s article Proving a Defective Product Liability Claim.)

You may also have a medical malpractice claim or other legal claims depending on the details of your particular case. (To learn more about medical malpractice, read Nolo’s article  Medical Malpractice Basics.)

How Long Do I Have To File My Lawsuit?

ED Drugs

The answer to this important question may vary depending on the law of the state that applies to your claim.  Every state sets certain time limits, called the “statute of limitations,” on bringing product liability claims. (To learn more about these time limits, read Nolo’s article Time Limits for Filing a Defective Product Liability Claim. For the time limit to bring injury lawsuits in your state, see Chart: Statutes of Limitations in All 50 States.)

As with any personal injury lawsuit, you should file your lawsuit as soon as possible, or at a minimum, make sure you know the deadline.

Class Action Lawsuits

You may be only one of a large number of people who have suffered similar side effects from taking the same erectile dysfunction drug you took. In such cases, you may be able to join together and file a class action lawsuit.

There have been some efforts in recent years to build a class action lawsuit in connection with the side effects from taking erectile dysfunction drugs. Depending on the ongoing success of such efforts, you may have the option of joining an already existing class action lawsuit. (To learn about the pros and cons of joining a class action, read Nolo’s article Product Liability Claims Involving Pharmaceutical Drugs.

Getting Help

Generally it is not advisable to represent yourself in a defective product cases involving erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs. The legal and medical issues in these cases are often complex and sophisticated. Depending on your case, you may wish to retain the services of a lawyer who specializes in products liability (and perhaps even one who specializes in drug cases).

You may also want to consult with a lawyer to find out if there is an already existing class action based on the erectile dysfunction drug that you took, and if so, whether it is advisable for you to join that class action. (If there is an already existing class action, consider contacting the lawyers for the class directly; they will probably be interested in having you join the lawsuit.) Such initial consultations are usually free of charge.

For help in choosing a good personal injury attorney, read Nolo’s article Finding a Personal Injury Lawyer. Or, go to Nolo’s Lawyer Directory for a list of personal injury attorneys in your geographical area (click on the “Types of Cases” and “Work History” tabs to find out about the lawyer’s experience, if any, with pharmaceutical drug cases).