Once you have the herpes virus, it stays in your body for the rest of your life. After the initial outbreak, the virus remains in an inactive form in nerves at the base of the spine, until it flares up again to cause another outbreak. This is called a 'recurrence'. Most people who experience symptoms of genital herpes will have more than one outbreak, and the sores usually reappear at or near the same place on the body. In most cases, these repeat outbreaks are not as severe or long-lasting as the initial outbreak. Preventing recurrences Certain warning symptoms may occur in some people just before the blisters appear. This period is called the "prodrome". Watch out for these warning symptoms that an outbreak may be coming: Itching, burning or tingling in the affected area Headache Fatigue Flu-like symptoms: aches and pains, feeling generally unwell. It is important to take your antiviral medication when the first warning signs of another outbreak appear, because the earlier the drugs are used the more effective they are. Early treatment of a recurrence may even increase the chance that painful blisters will not develop. See Also - Treatment      Treatment About a third of people will suffer from more severe or frequent recurrences, or find recurrences particularly bothersome. These individuals may be treated with suppressive (preventative) therapy - that is, continuous daily treatment with a low dose of antiviral medication. Suppressive therapy can prevent 80-90 per cent of recurrences. Trigger factors Certain trigger factors can set off a repeat attack of herpes. People who experience repeat outbreaks have reported that the following factors can trigger another outbreak: Stress Other illness, injury or surgery Hormonal changes such as menstruation Skin irritation (including friction from sexual intercourse) You can take some control over your condition by keeping yourself in general good health. Proper diet, adequate sleep, good hygiene and relaxation should make you less susceptible to recurrent attacks. See Also - Living with genital herpes      Recognising what triggers an outbreak