Herpes Symptoms
Unfortunately, most people who have genital herpes don't know it.
Many people with herpes either have no symptoms at all, or don't recognize their symptoms as being related to genital herpes. Symptoms, can be different in each person. Most often, when a person becomes infected with herpes for the first time, the symptoms will appear within 2 to 10 days. These first episodes of symptoms usually last 2 to 3 weeks.
Typical symptoms
Early symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak include
- A rash, small red bump(s), blisters, cuts, or sores in or around the genital area (vagina, vulva, anus, penis, or scrotum)
- Irritation, itching, burning, tingling, or swelling in or around the genital area
- Aches or pains in or around the genital area
- Discharge from the penis or vagina
- Burning and/or pain when urinating
- Flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, and swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the groin
A few days later...
Within a few days, sores appear near where the virus has entered the body, such as on the mouth, penis, or vagina. They also can occur inside the vagina and on the cervix in women, or in the urinary passage of women and men. Small red bumps appear first, develop into blisters, and then become painful open sores. Over several days, the sores become crusty and then heal, usually without leaving a scar.
Other symptoms that may go with the first episode of genital herpes are fever, headache, muscle aches, painful or difficult urination, vaginal discharge, and swollen glands in the groin area.
Can outbreaks recur?
If you have been infected by HSV 1 and/or 2, you will probably have symptoms or outbreaks from time to time. After an outbreak subsides, the virus travels to the nerves at the end of the spine. Even after the lesions are gone, the virus stays inside the nerve cells in an inactive and hidden state.
In most people, the virus can become active several times a year. This is called a "recurrence." But scientists do not yet know why this happens. When the virus becomes active again, it travels along the nerves to the skin, where it multiplies near the site of the very first infection. That is usually where new sores will usually appear.
After the first outbreak, any future outbreaks are often mild and last only about a week on average. An infected person normally comes to recognize the early signs of an impending herpes attack. These include a tingling feeling or itching in the genital area, and may also involve pain in the buttocks or down the leg, in the area of the sciatic nerve. For some people, these early symptoms can be the most painful and annoying part of an episode.
Frequency of outbreaks
The frequency and severity of recurrent episodes vary greatly. While some people have only one or two outbreaks in a lifetime, others may have several outbreaks a year. The number and pattern of repeat outbreaks often change over time, depending on the individual.
