Signs of Genital herpes
Signs and Symptoms of Genital herpes:
Most people are not aware initially of a genital herpes infection. The first "outbreak" or episode of symptoms usually occurs within two weeks of exposure to a herpes simplex virus that causes genital herpes. The severity and types of symptoms of genital herpes vary from person to person. During a first outbreak of genital herpes, symptoms can involve the whole body as well as the genital area. Typical symptoms of a first episode include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and decreased appetite, in addition to blisters that erupt on the genitalia and anus. These blisters can also develop on the inner thighs and on a woman's cervix. The blisters eventually break open leaving sores (ulcers) that may take several weeks to heal. A herpes simplex virus can remain in the body indefinitely for long periods without symptoms. Symptoms can, however, reappear at any time. Fatigue, mechanical irritation to the genitalia, menstruation, and/or stress can trigger an episode of symptoms.
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of or have been exposed to genital herpes, it is important to visit a primary care provider so that your symptoms can be assessed within the context of a full medical evaluation. A variety of assessments and possibly tests are generally done to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as pilonydal cysts, skin boils that develop in the crease of the buttocks....more...»
Symptoms of Genital herpes
The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources
for Genital herpes may include:
List of 27
Genital herpes Symptoms
Note that Genital herpes symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient,
but the phrase Genital herpes signs may often refer to those signs
that are only noticable by a doctor.
Signs or Symptoms of Genital herpes:
Genital Herpes: DSTD (Excerpt)
HSV-2 usually produces
only mild symptoms or signs or no symptoms at all. However, HSV-2 can
cause recurrent painful genital sores in many adults, and HSV-2 infection
can be severe in people with suppressed immune systems. Regardless of
severity of symptoms, genital herpes frequently causes psychological
distress in people who know they are infected. (Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes: DSTD)
Genital Herpes: DSTD (Excerpt)
Most people infected with
HSV-2 are not aware of their infection. However, if signs and symptoms
occur during the first episode, they can be quite pronounced. The first
episode usually occurs within two weeks after the virus is transmitted,
and the sores typically heal within two to four weeks. Other signs and
symptoms during the primary episode may include a second crop of sores, or
flu-like symptoms, including fever and swollen glands. However, most
individuals with HSV-2 infection may never have sores, or they may have
very mild signs that they don't even notice or that they mistake for
insect bites or a rash.
Most people diagnosed
with a first episode of genital herpes can expect to have several
symptomatic recurrences a year (typically four or five). These recurrences
usually are most noticeable within the first year following the first
episode. (Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes: DSTD)
Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
Both HSV 1 and 2 can produce
sores (also called lesions) in and around the vaginal area, on the
penis, around the anal opening, and on the buttocks or thighs.
Occasionally, sores also appear on other parts of the body where the
virus has entered through broken skin. (Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
Unfortunately, most people who have
genital herpes don’t know it because they never have any symptoms,
or they do not recognize any symptoms they might have. When there
are symptoms, they can be different in each person. Most often, when
a person becomes infected with herpes for the first time, the
symptoms will appear within two to 10 days. These first episodes of
symptoms usually last two to three weeks.
Early symptoms of
a genital herpes outbreak include:
- itching or burning feeling in the genital or anal area.
- pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area.
- discharge of fluid from the vagina.
- feeling of pressure in the abdomen.
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 without leaving a scar. Some 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.
(Source: excerpt from
Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
If you have been infected
by HSV 1 and/or 2, you will probably have symptoms or outbreaks from
time to time. After the virus has finished being active, it then
travels to the nerves at the end of the spine where it stays for a
while. Even after the sores are gone, the virus stays inside the
nerve cells in a still and hidden state, which means that it’s
inactive.
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 it becomes active again, it travels
along the nerves to the skin, where it busies itself by making more
viruses near the site of the very first infection. That is where new
sores usually will appear.
Sometimes, the virus can become
active but not cause any sores that can be seen. At these times,
small amounts of the virus may be shed at or near places of the
first infection, in fluids from the mouth, penis, or vagina, or from
barely noticeable sores. You may not notice this shedding because it
often does not cause any pain or feel uncomfortable. Even though you
might not be aware of the shedding, you still can infect a sex
partner during this time.
After the first outbreak, any
future outbreaks are usually mild and last only about a week. An
infected person may know that an outbreak is about to happen by
feeling a tingling feeling or itching in the genital area, or pain
in the buttocks or down the leg. For some people, these early
symptoms can be the most painful and annoying part of an episode.
Sometimes, only the tingling and itching are present and no visible
sores develop. At other times, blisters appear that may be very
small and barely noticeable, or they may break into open sores that
crust over and then disappear.
The frequency and severity of
the 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 for a person. Scientists do not know what causes the virus to
become active again. Although some people with herpes report that
their outbreaks are brought on by another illness, stress, or having
a menstrual period, outbreaks often are not predictable. In some
cases, outbreaks may be connected to exposure to sunlight.
(Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID (Excerpt)
The major symptoms of herpes infection are painful
blisters or open sores in the genital area. These may be preceded by
a tingling or burning sensation in the legs, buttocks, or genital
region. The herpes sores usually disappear within two to three
weeks, but the virus remains in the body for life and the lesions
may recur from time to time. (Source: excerpt from Sexually Transmitted Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
Genital Herpes: NWHIC (Excerpt)
The symptoms of genital herpes vary widely from person to person. When
symptoms of a first episode of genital herpes occur, they usually appear
within 2 to 10 days of exposure to the virus and last an average of 2 to 3
weeks. The early symptoms can include an itching or burning sensation;
pain in the legs, buttocks, or genital area; vaginal discharge; or a
feeling of pressure in the abdominal region.
Within a few days, sores (also called lesions) appear at the site of
infection. Lesions can also occur on the cervix in women or in the urinary
passage in men. These small red bumps may develop into blisters or painful
open sores. Over a period of days, the sores become crusted and then heal
without scarring. Other symptoms that may accompany a primary episode of
genital herpes can include fever, headache, muscle aches, painful or
difficult urination, vaginal discharge, and swollen glands in the groin
area.
(Source: excerpt from Genital Herpes: NWHIC)
More Symptoms of Genital herpes:
More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Genital herpes article.
In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture
of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition
and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions,
it may be necessary to examine symptoms
that may be
caused by:
Medical articles on signs and symptoms:
These general reference articles may be related
to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
What are the signs of Genital herpes?
The phrase "signs of Genital herpes" should, strictly speaking,
refer only to those signs and symptoms of Genital herpes that are not readily apparent to the patient.
The word "symptoms of Genital herpes" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Genital herpes.
The signs and symptom information on this page
attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Genital herpes.
This medical information about signs and symptoms for Genital herpes has been gathered
from various sources,
may not be fully accurate,
and may not be the full list of Genital herpes signs or Genital herpes symptoms.
Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Genital herpes may vary on an individual basis for each patient.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they
are indeed Genital herpes symptoms.
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