Genital Herpes Symptoms In Women

Herpes is a disease that shares symptoms with a few other diseases, so it’s important for all sexually active persons to know what the specific signs and symptoms of herpes may be. There are 3 reasons for this:

• Once you recognize the signs and symptoms, you will know to seek treatment right away so that you don’t infect your partner.
• You will also go in with an educated perspective – you can have a more productive discussion with the doctor about life with herpes.
• You will reduce the psychological shock that you may receive on suddenly being told at the doctor’s office that you have herpes.

There are several types of herpes virus, but some seem to be more common that others. Some, like ocular herpes or herpes simplex encephalitis are rarely seen. The most common is genital herpes or herpes zoster. It affects the genital area. It can lie in the body dormant for years before you get an eruption. It is usually transmitted through sexual or oral intercourse. It has symptoms that are hard to ignore because they will be painful and will usually cause more than just mild discomfort.

To know whether of not you have herpes, look out for the following:

• If you get a continuous tingling or itching sensation around your genitals that doesn’t go away even after you scratch, it may be that you have herpes. If you notice that the itchy area gets worse after you scratch and becomes a sore itch, it is a very likely pointer towards genital herpes.
• If after you itch and scratch you start to develop little blisters that have fluid inside, this is a sign of herpes. This will especially happen in the areas of your genitals that hardly get any air or where there is skin to skin contact. Check around your rectum and your vaginal area and the tip of the penis. These sores may travel all the way to your nipples.
• Eventually, these sores break open and release the fluid. They will close up after 2 or 3 weeks and then form a hard crust. During the period they are open, they will cause continuous discomfort and even taking a shower can be a painful activity.
• You feel time each pain you urinate. It’s a burning sensation that lasts as long as you urinate. It’s different from the pain you would get urinating with a UTI, which comes typically at the end of urination. With herpes, it burns more and throughout as you urinate. You get the sensation that your urine is acidic.
• Your lymph nodes are getting overworked trying to fight the sores and will resultantly swell especially in the groin and underarm areas. They may or may not hurt.
• After the sores heal, you will be back to normal but you will have a recurrence. It may take as little as 2-3 weeks or years but there will be a recurrence – this is the nature of herpes.

You may wonder how long it takes to get the first symptoms if you get infected. Because of the variation in viral strains, it can be 2 or 3 days or it can be up to 3 weeks before you get the first signs that you have herpes. The most marked will be the itching and the lesions.  See your doctor right away.

Herpes may not have a cure but it can be controlled to a large extent through a change in lifestyle and also strictly taking the medications that are issued. It can also be psychologically painful because it’s a disease that’s frowned upon. But if you contract herpes, remember that many people have contracted and lived with herpes and they continue to live normal happy lives. Acceptance is key – it will help you do the best you can for yourself to be able to live with the disease.