Acne Treatments Guide - Articles

Have you noticed strange lesions in your genital area? Or sores around your mouth? You just might be suffering from the signs of herpes. Herpes occurs in two forms: Herpes Simplex Type 1, oral herpes (cold sores); and Herpes Simplex Type 2, genital herpes. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease, although it can be transmitted to the mouth during oral sexual contact, too.

So, how do you know if the sores you're experiencing are due to herpes or something else? Often, especially in women, genital herpes is misdiagnosed as a yeast infection, boils, or pelvic inflammatory disease, so it's a good idea to read up on the disease if you're unsure of your diagnosis. If you visit your doctor, he or she can positively identify what you're suffering from. But let's get down to the details on the signs of herpes.

The most common symptom of the disease is red bumps or blisters. They can show up in all sorts of places in or near the genital areas, such as thighs, buttons, anus, and near the urethra. What's worse, women can develop blisters inside their vaginas. They might experience vaginal discharge, and urinating could be painful.

A first outbreak in women might last about three weeks, on average, and in men the average is two weeks. Women need to be aware that they could develop meningitis, a direct result of the first herpes outbreak. But there are other symptoms of genital herpes outbreaks. That includes headaches, fever, lower back pain, muscle aches, and swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin. Consult your doctor if you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, such as sores in your genital area.

After a first outbreak of herpes, about four in five people will suffer recurrent herpes outbreaks. Most people will have warning signs, however, most noticeably pain in the area where they tend to develop sores. The signs of herpes are a warning. Please keep in mind that you're very contagious during this stage, even if you don't have any sores to show for it!