Genital Herpes Symptoms

Genital Herpes Symptoms vary in intensity for different people.

The common indications of this Sexually Transmitted Disease are sores on the penis, around the vagina,  or around  the anus and perineum. Sometimes genital herpes sores appear on the scrotum, buttocks, or thighs.

The herpes simplex virus can be transmitted by close personal contacts such as  the contact or of exchange of saliva, semen, cervical fluid, or the serum from vesicles. The virus is not capable of infecting the dead, keratinized cells in the skin epidermis. It must come in contact with broken skin or mucosal cells to infect an individual.

Some people experience very mild Genital Herpes Symptoms  or none at all, these people don’t even know that they are infected. The first outbreak of genital herpes is generally more painful and lasts longer than the recurrent genital herpes outbreaks, whether in men or women. However, women tend to have more severe symptoms and higher rates of complications during the first genital herpes outbreak than most men experience.

The incubation of HSV-2 virus is about three to seven days from the day of infection. The time period and severity of the symptoms vary depending on the victim’s body types and types of infection. During this period the infected individuals experience fever like symptoms.

First outbreak of genital herpes

Red Patches With Vesicles, Genital Herpes

The first outbreak of genital herpes is usually the most painful and symptoms last longer than later outbreaks. The symptoms may last for two to four weeks. The symptoms include fever, head ache, loss of appetite, thirst and body/muscle ache. The inflammation is associated with high colored urine, pain or burning in the urethra in both the sexes. The lymph nodes in the groin area swell and become tender. There is a lot of lassitude and the patient feels debilitated. In case of women, vaginal discharges can be an additional observation of Genital Herpes Symptoms.

In the second week of the attack, painful bumpy red patches appear on the skin around sexual organs and in a day or two hence, the blisters appear on those patches. These blisters are approximately 2 to 3 millimeters in diameter and   erupt as crops. Soon they join together to form bigger crops and break open. Usually the blisters form first and then soon open to form ulcers.

Blisters Open and Scabs Forming, Genital Herpes

These blisters then open up, invariably causing severe pain. Then these sores will scab over and heal. The first outbreak of genital herpes usually lasts up to four weeks until the healing is complete.

Later outbreaks of genital herpes

When there is a second attack of the disease, outbreaks generally have much less severe symptoms.

Many people with recurrent disease develop pain or a tingling sensation on the skin long before any blisters or ulcers can be seen. This is due to irritation and inflammation of the nerves leading to the infected area of skin. These are signs that a relapse is about to begin. The condition is particularly contagious during this period, even though the skin has no vesicles present.

Genital Herpes Symptoms  in women are sometimes misdiagnosed as a yeast infection, cervicitis (an inflammation of the cervix), or pelvic inflammatory disease. 

The treatment available can be either anti-viral or natural.


New cases, just after detection,  generally rally behind the physicians and start with the anti-viral medication. As time passes and they get disillusioned with the efficacy of this method, they search for alternate methods. Here, most switch over natural herpes treatment.


You may like to know natural treatments for genital herpes. 

What is Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a common yet highly infectious disease caused by a virus called  herpes simplex virus type 2 or HSV-2.

HSV-1 is the main cause of oral herpes lesions, often called fever blisters or cold sores. It is a less frequent cause of genital herpes, but it is becoming more common.

HSV-1

 It is a  severe illness including the typical skin lesions. It falls under the category of  Sexually Transmitted Dieases (STD) that is relatively common worldwide. At least more than 50 million Americans as on date are infected with the genital herpes virus, with an infection rate of approximately one million each year.

Genital herpes is extremely widespread, largely because it is extremely contagious. Carriers without having any visible symptoms of an active infection can also transmit the disease. It is spread by direct contact with an infected person. Sexual intercourse, like vaginal, anal  or  oral sex  are the most common methods of spreading it. Any type of skin-to-skin contact  is also capable of spreading the diseases.

Male Genital Herpes

 The more number of sexual partners a person has, the greater the risk of catching a genital herpes infection, be they heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual men and women. It is prevalent in men as well as women, but women get it more often than men do.

It can also be passed from an infected mother to the baby if  the delivery is through vagina. This is very dangerous and can lead to death of the baby as the newborn's immune system takes time to develop fully. 

People with impaired or compromised immune systems, like  people with HIV/AIDS or those who have undergone chemotherapy are very prone to this infection.

All people with genital herpes have an increased risk of contracting HIV. 

Genital Herpes Female

Herpes simplex viruses are remarkably complex microbes capable of causing a wide variety of infections, including genital herpes, a common and chronic sexually transmitted disease. 

Our understanding of the biology of these viruses has increased enormously over the past three decades. The availability of new antiviral drugs, used in combination with counseling, now allows for the successful management of most herpes infections.  Ongoing research holds promise for the development of vaccines to prevent genital herpes.

The present medical system thinks herpes as incurable and focuses on managing the frequent outbreaks. The only hope for those who are suffering, rests on alternate or herbal medines, which claim to have cured many cases. So natural herpes treatment seems a viable alternative in the present scenario. Many naturopaths  claim that with natural remedies genital herpes can be treated very effectively.

The common man not trained to understand medical jargons is confused about the truth. There is always a doubt : can genital herpes be cured?

You may like to check natural treatments for genital herpes.