Genital herpes, or herpes simplex II is among the most prevalent sexually transmitted diseases today. When an infection is causing an active outbreak symptoms can be painful and unsightly but the majority of carriers show no symptoms.
Genital herpes can be passed even if an outbreak isn't occuring when infected cells cross from a carrier to a newly infected individual. The virus enters the blood stream and can remain dormant until it flares up, causing a group of open sores to appear on the skin. The open sores will eventually blister and heal over within a few weeks. Other symptoms include:
fever
head ache
shaking
fatigue
swollen lymph nodes
raw skin around the genitals
itching on the genitals
tingling on the genitals
back pain
Once infected with genital herpes you may have an outbreak in your first few weeks after exposure or it may take years to cause an outbreak. It is common for genital herpes patients to have 5-6 outbreaks a year, although management with various treatments can bring that number down.
Over time the human body is able to adapt to the infection and the number of outbreaks, as well as their severity, will decrease.
Genital herpes shares many symptoms in common with a variety of infections. Other infections with flu-like symptoms and overlapping symptoms are a vaginal yeast infection, bacterial infections and bladder infections.
The herpes virus often lays dormant until it gets triggered by one of the following:
surgery
sex
fatigue
trauma
high stress levels
menstruation
Herpes can cause a variety of psychological sypmtoms on top of its physical ailments. Herpes patients often report higher levels anxiety and lower levels of self-esteem. Genital herpes can cause individuals to withdraw from relationships and sexual intimacy which can negatively affect your psychological health. Get tested for genital herpes if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above.
STDAware offers the quickest, easiest and most accessible testing options in the industry. With over 4,000 lab locations, nationwide, getting tested has never been more convenient. No appointments. No waiting. Results delivered in 1-2 working days.
American Academy of Dermatology. Herpes Simplex. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/contagious-skin-diseases/herpes-simplex
World Health Organization. Herplex Simplex Virus.(1/1/2017). http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs400/en/
American Sexual Health Association. Oral Herpes. http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/herpes/oral-herpes/
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