Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection caused by contracting the herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). One of the most common ways of contracting herpes is through engaging in sexual activities with a partner that carries the HSV. The virus has a long incubation period and can stay dormant in your body for months or even years.
Genital herpes, if not treated, develops into a sexually transmitted disease after its incubation period and starts presenting symptoms. Take a look at the symptoms of herpes so that you know if you have an STD or not.
Symptoms of Genital Herpes
When in the infection stage, genital herpes doesn’t present any symptoms. When it develops into a disease, it can cause:
- Itching and pain in the genital area
- Small bumps on the skin that turn red near the genital area
- Small, white-colored blisters near the genital area.
- Ulcers form after the blisters burst or bleed. Ulcers may cause severe pain while urinating or passing stool if the infection has spread.
- Scabs that cover the ulcers after they burst or bleed
At the start of the disease, a person may experience symptoms of the typical flu, like headaches, slight fever, swollen lymph nodes in the genital area, muscle aches, etc.
Location of Symptoms
There are different locations in the body where the symptoms can appear. If you touch a sore or a blister that’s bleeding and scratch another part of the body without washing your hands, you can also spread the infection to that part.
Women usually develop symptoms of genital herpes on their inner thighs, buttocks, mouth, cervix, vaginal area, anus, and urethra. Men often develop these symptoms on their penis, scrotum, inner thighs, and buttocks.
Different Symptoms for Everyone
There’s no certainty when it comes to symptoms of genital herpes. A person may experience symptoms after a week of contracting the virus; another person might not experience it even after a year of contracting it. Some people may not develop sores that burn or blisters that bleed, and some may not develop rashes or itch in their genital area.
Some people may also have recurring symptoms; for example, their sores and blisters might heal for some time and appear after a while.
Genital herpes doesn’t go away on its own and if not treated in time, can progress to serious disease and even some sort of cancer. Consult a virtual doctor today to discuss your condition if you have experienced any of the symptoms listed above or if you’ve been exposed to someone that has the virus.
FastDocNow is a telehealth service that provides virtual consultations for STIs and STDs.Our panel of virtual doctors offers consultation for genital herpes, as well as chlamydia treatment, gonorrhea treatment, syphilis treatment, and more. We also provide in-home lab testing services. Get in touch with us now for more information.