Herpes Symptoms

How herpes affects men and women

Written by Alice Johnson

Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease that affects nearly a fifth of the U.S. population. Recognizing the symptoms of this illness, which are usually obvious, but can sometimes go unnoticed, is important to preventing its spread and treating and improving the quality of life for those who are impacted by it. Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex 1 and herpes simplex 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) viruses, with the HSV-2 variant usually being the more severe form of the virus. While the symptoms of herpes can be quite severe, in most cases they're not and many people infected with the virus have no idea that they've contracted it because of the mildness of their symptoms, and because it's easy to confuse them with other ailments. Also, male and female herpes symptoms can be somewhat different, adding to the confusion. Recognizing herpes symptoms is vital to preventing the spread of this illness, which can make one more susceptible to other, more serious STDs such as HIV, and because of the threat it can pose to unborn children. Herpes in men When most infected people contract herpes, they experience an outbreak in the genital area. Depending on the severity of the outbreak, it's easy to mistake herpes for a rash or other skin condition. Herpes symptoms in men usually initially present with an uncomfortable tingling or itching in the genital or anal area. The infected area may also become swollen and produce red bumps on the buttocks, anus or penis. These bumps will eventually turn into blisters and then become open sores. The healing process from this outbreak begins when the sores eventually start to scab over. The initial outbreak of herpes is usually the most severe, but some patients may have severe outbreaks after as many as 40 years after their initial outbreak. There are a variety of other herpes symptoms in men. Burning during urination is one symptom of herpes that can be quite common among men. This occurs if the sores caused by the herpes outbreak become ulcers. Swollen lymph nodes, headache, fever and fatigue can also be other symptoms of herpes. Herpes in women In women, herpes symptoms are somewhat different. Women are much more likely than men to develop herpes symptoms other than the initial outbreak of blisters in the genital area. When women have a herpes outbreak, symptoms include blisters in various parts of the genital area, including the vulva, inside the vagina, the urethra and the cervix. Outbreaks in women tend to last longer than those in men, and also tend to be more infectious. Like men, women can also experience blisters from herpes in the area of the anus and buttocks. As mentioned before, women tend to suffer more from the other symptoms of herpes than men. In fact, about 40 percent of men and 70 percent of women experience symptoms of herpes other than blisters and lesions. A flu-like illness that accompanies the initial outbreak of herpes is among these other symptoms. Also women are more likely to experience burning during urination than men. Also, like men, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fever and fatigue can also be other symptoms of herpes. Although women often have more severe herpes symptoms than men, their symptoms can be easily confused with other problems such as yeast infection, cervicitis or pelvic inflammatory disease. Also, herpes lesions on the urethra may be mistaken for a bladder dysfunction or urinary tract infection. Because herpes symptoms usually go away after a few days or weeks, many women may not go to a health care provider for testing, and as a result, never find out that they have herpes. People who think that they may have herpes should visit a health care provider as soon as possible. A simple blood test can determine whether the patient is infected with herpes. While a diagnosis of herpes can be very upsetting to patients, the illness is very treatable and with the appropriate care, people infected with herpes can lead healthy and satisfying lives. Suppressive therapy can minimize outbreaks and mitigate their severity, and other home care options such as avoiding heat, wearing loose fitting clothes and avoiding the use of scented soaps can help with herpes symptoms. The rate of herpes infection among Americans has decreased in recent years thanks to increased awareness and testing and the use of suppressive therapy. Understanding the symptoms of herpes can help infected persons take action to prevent spreading the illness to non-infected persons and help non-infected persons avoid having unprotected sex with people who have herpes.

 

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