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Medically-verified ways to spot the signs & symptoms of genital herpes (and how to keep them at bay)
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Maybe you’ve noticed a strange blister pop up where it shouldn’t be, or you’re just feeling a bit under the weather. Could herpes be the culprit? Officially known as the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), this common ailment affects over 3.5 billion people worldwide. [1] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source HSV doesn’t always have symptoms, though, so it’s always best to get officially tested and diagnosed by a doctor—but there’s still plenty that you can do to recognize and manage this illness on your own! Read on to learn the facts about HSV, so you can figure out if you have it or not (and how you can live a normal, everyday life with a herpes diagnosis).
Things You Should Know
- Cold sores, genital sores, fever, and fatigue are all sign of herpes, though some people don’t have any noticeable symptoms.
- The Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) has two major strains: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is often linked with cold sores, and HSV-2 is often linked with genital herpes.
- Visit your doctor to get tested if you suspect that you might have herpes.
- Take antiviral medications prescribed by your doctor to help manage your herpes symptoms.
Steps
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Cold sores are the most common symptom of oral herpes. Also known as fever blisters, cold sores resemble blisters (or a group of blisters) inside or outside of your mouth. They often feel itchy or uncomfortable, and hang around for a week to 10 days. [2] X Research source
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Genital blisters are a common sign of genital herpes. People with genital herpes often notice single (or multiple) sores near their genitals and butt. Unlike cold sores, genital blisters often hang around for 2-4 weeks, where they open up, drain, crust over, and heal. [3] X Trustworthy Source American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Professional association of OB/GYNs focused on education and public outreat initiatives Go to sourceAdvertisement
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Genital herpes can sometimes cause fever and fatigue during your first outbreak. Herpes typically makes itself known with “outbreaks,” or flare-ups of noticeable symptoms (like blisters). During your very first outbreak of genital herpes, you might feel feverish, achey all over, nauseous, and extra tired. [4] X Trustworthy Source American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Professional association of OB/GYNs focused on education and public outreat initiatives Go to source Painful urination, swollen lymph nodes, and a tingling sensation are other common signs of a herpes outbreak. [5] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Herpes breakouts often flare up again and agin, but the signs and symptoms are slightly different. During future breakouts, you might experience back pain, knee pain, buttocks pain, and upper leg pain, and you might notice an uncomfortable tingling sensation around where the herpes originated. Thankfully, repeated herpes outbreaks only hang around for a week or less. [6] X Trustworthy Source American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Professional association of OB/GYNs focused on education and public outreat initiatives Go to source
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Certain people don’t notice any genital herpes symptoms. HSV can be completely dormant in the body without creating any noticeable flare-ups, like blisters, fever, aches, or painful urination. In some cases, people can even misdiagnose herpes as a different skin issue. [7] X Trustworthy Source FamilyDoctor.org Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors Go to source
- Genital herpes can sometimes be confused for an ingrown hair or zit. If you notice any symptoms similar to this, see your doctor right away. [8] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
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Herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). HSV is classified in 2 categories: HSV-1 (oral herpes) and HSV-2 (genital herpes). HSV-1 typically leads to cold sores, while HSV-2 usually leads to genital blisters. [9] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source HSV-1 is especially common—according to one study, over 60% of Americans have it. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
- Genital herpes can also be caused by HSV-1, although it’s less common. [11] X Research source
- HSV typically takes at least 2 days to show obvious symptoms. In some cases, it takes up to 10 days for symptoms to appear. [12] X Trustworthy Source American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Professional association of OB/GYNs focused on education and public outreat initiatives Go to source
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Herpes gets spread by direct contact with someone who has the virus. Skin and saliva are both fair game—HSV-1 in particular spreads quickly through activities like sharing a drink or snack, using someone’s lip balm, kissing, or borrowing a person’s razor. HSV-2 tends to be spread through all kinds of sexual intimacy, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex. [13] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Using a contaminated sex toy can also spread HSV-2.
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Herpes outbreaks stick around for anywhere from 1-4 weeks. Cold sores (caused by HSV-1) only stick around for 7-10 days, while an initial genital herpes outbreak can stick around from 2-4 weeks. Future genital herpes flare-ups don’t last as long, and go away within 3-7 days. [14] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Medical treatments can help you manage your symptoms, but herpes will ultimately clear up and temporarily go away on its own. [15] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
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The herpes virus never goes away but it often stays dormant. HSV always exists in your nerve cells, even if it isn’t creating any symptoms. In today’s society, herpes diagnoses are painted in a far worse light than they actually are. While the virus never leaves your body, it isn’t life-threatening or dangerous. People with herpes can live just as full and fulfilling lives as people who don’t have it! [16] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Different health issues and life events can cause herpes to flare up again, like a menstrual cycle, fever, or stressful experience.
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Get tested by your doctor to confirm if you have herpes. During the appointment, your doctor takes either a blood sample or a sample from your blister for testing. Through this testing, your doctor can let you know if you have herpes or not, and what your treatment options are. [17] X Research source
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Take an antiviral medication prescribed by your doctor to manage your herpes. No medicine out there can totally cure herpes, but antiviral medications help make your symptoms less severe. These medications can also help keep your flare-ups to a minimum, and prevent the chance of spreading herpes to other people. [18] X Trustworthy Source American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Professional association of OB/GYNs focused on education and public outreat initiatives Go to source
- Valacyclovir (Valtrex), acyclovir (Zovirax and Sitavig), and famciclovir (Famvir) are common medications used to treat herpes . [19] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source These are only available via prescription, though, so talk to your doctor about your options. [20] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
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Ease your symptoms with at-home remedies. Treat cold sores with topical OTC creams like docosanol (Abreva) or benzocaine (Orajel)—if they’re especially painful, place a towel-wrapped ice pack over the blister for a few minutes at a time. To treat genital herpes, using an ice pack can also be helpful, as well as applying a 1-2% lidocaine cream to the sores or taking a warm bath. [21] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Take NSAIDs like ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen if you’re dealing with a lot of pain.
- Some people have found success treating their herpes with natural remedies . Always talk with your doctor before trying any of these, though.
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Practice safe sex to prevent catching herpes or giving it to someone else . While abstinence is the only way to completely protect yourself from herpes, using a condom or dental dam can definitely reduce your risk of catching it. Always talk to your partner about using protection before you get intimate so you both can stay as safe and healthy as possible. [22] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
- Keep in mind that herpes can be spread through skin contact. Even if you or your partner wears a condom, you can still potentially pick up herpes from other parts of your skin making contact.
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Avoid getting intimate if you or your partner is having an outbreak. Herpes outbreaks usually make themselves known with body aches and sores. If you or your partner have herpes and/or notice any of these symptoms, wait to get intimate until you both feel healthy again. [23] X Trustworthy Source American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Professional association of OB/GYNs focused on education and public outreat initiatives Go to source
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Avoid sharing snacks, drinks, and other personal items. HSV-1 is easily spread through saliva—especially if you’re sharing with someone who has an active cold sore. For the sake of your own health, keep your food, beverages, and personal items to yourself. [24] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- At the very least, wait for the person’s cold sore to completely heal before up before you share food and other personal items with them. They’re much less likely to spread HSV at this point.
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Discuss your sexual health and history with any new partners. Herpes is nothing to be ashamed of—tons of people have caught it at some point, so you’re definitely not alone. [25] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source What matters most is being transparent with your partner so you can plan to be intimate in a safe and responsible way. [26] X Research source
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References
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
- ↑ https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/july/cold-sores-and-canker-sores
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/genital-herpes
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/genital-herpes
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/genital-herpes
- ↑ https://familydoctor.org/condition/herpes/#symptoms
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/herpes/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK47447/
- ↑ https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/media/8252/herpes-the-facts-2017.pdf
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/genital-herpes
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/genital-herpes/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-herpes.html
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/genital-herpes
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex#management-and-treatment
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex#management-and-treatment
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/genitalherpes.html
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/genital-herpes
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22855-herpes-simplex#management-and-treatment
- ↑ https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/std-herpes.html
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To recognize herpes, look for itchy lesions near your mouth, genitals, buttocks, thighs, or vulva. If your lesions change to blistering, oozing sores, you probably have herpes. Pay attention to any accompanying symptoms, like headaches, fatigue, and fever, which are common with herpes. If you think you’re having a herpes outbreak, visit your doctor, who will prescribe you medication in the form of pills or a topical cream to help reduce your symptoms. For more tips from our Medical co-author, including how to help ease your herpes symptoms with home remedies, read on!
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