It is difficult to paint a single picture of what herpes infection is like. The symptoms depend not only on the severity of infection but also on its site. For the most part, herpes simplex prefers mucous membranes, where the skin is thin. These include areas like the lips of the mouth (oral herpes, HSV1) and the labia (lips) of the vagina (genital herpes, HSV2). However, any area of the body may be fair territory for herpes.
When genital sores erupt, they usually do so at the site where the virus took hold, which is usually on the external genitals. Sores generally look like a cluster of small blisters filled with clear or whitish fluid. The classical herpes sore is just this: a group of small blisters (vesicles) on a red base of inflamed skin
In many cases, these blisters are never seen, and the first signs of infection are small erosions of the skin called ulcers. Ulcers also tend to come in clusters or groups. They may feel like chafing of the skin or some other irritation. Genital herpes may never be more severe than one very small sore on the labia or foreskin, around the anus, or on the thigh. It may be the size of a pencil eraser or as small as the sharpened lead point. The sore or chafing may never be painful at all and may not even itch.
Showing posts with label herpes symptoms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label herpes symptoms. Show all posts
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Saturday, November 1, 2014
What are the symptoms of herpes? Part II - HSV2
The symptoms of herpes simplex type 2 (HSV2) disease, or in other words, genital herpes, do not differ much from the symptoms of oral herpes. The only difference is the location of the sores and blisters on the body of the infected person. Instead of the mouth, they appear in the genital area and around the anus, or sometimes on the thigh, both in men and women. These sores and blisters look very similar with those which we may observe in the case of oral herpes. They are filled with clear liquid, too, and they cause unpleasant itching as well. In more severe cases, they can form clusters and make the skin around them swell. And they normally start to dry out and get covered with scabs in several days after the beginning of the outbreak. Then they disappear, as the virus returns to its dormant state.
When the herpes virus is dormant (inactive), the infected person shows no signs of its presence in the system. Unfortunately, the absence of any symptoms of herpes in a person cannot mean that the person is not infected, or has been cured. The herpes infection is incurable, no matter what type of the herpes virus we discuss. Once the virus gets into the body, it never leaves it, no symtoms periods alternating with occasional outbreaks of the disease.
When the herpes virus is dormant (inactive), the infected person shows no signs of its presence in the system. Unfortunately, the absence of any symptoms of herpes in a person cannot mean that the person is not infected, or has been cured. The herpes infection is incurable, no matter what type of the herpes virus we discuss. Once the virus gets into the body, it never leaves it, no symtoms periods alternating with occasional outbreaks of the disease.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
What are the symptoms of herpes? Part I - HSV1
We go on discussing oral herpes, still leaving genital herpes issues until later.
So, what are the symptoms of herpes? How can one know that he or she is infected?
Most of the time, the herpes virus shows no signs of its presence in the human body, although after it gets in, it never leaves the system. When the virus is inactive, or dormant, you may observe no symptoms of the disease (all the more, you observe no such symptoms if you are not infected!). But then, all of a sudden, you may feel some itching in the areas where the skin is particularly thin and delicate, especially close to mucous membranes, or right on mucous membranes. In case of oral herpes, these areas are placed mainly on the lips and around or inside the mouth. Very soon, the itching grows stronger until you feel some hardening of tissue under the skin, like tiny lumps. During several hours, these lumps spring out onto the surface, forming sores surrounded by inflamed skin. The sores are filled with clear or whitish liquid which tends to ooze as soon as the sore is damaged. The more severe infection you get, the more sores may appear. They may even come in clusters, making the skin around them swell a bit.
After a day or two days, the sores begin to dry out a little, getting covered with scabs. They are still filled with clear liquid, although the liquid can contain some traces of blood as the capillaries are damaged in the adjoining areas of skin. However, drying of the tips of the sores can be considered the first sign of the beginning of the process of healing which normally takes from 3 to 14 days.
So, what are the symptoms of herpes? How can one know that he or she is infected?
Most of the time, the herpes virus shows no signs of its presence in the human body, although after it gets in, it never leaves the system. When the virus is inactive, or dormant, you may observe no symptoms of the disease (all the more, you observe no such symptoms if you are not infected!). But then, all of a sudden, you may feel some itching in the areas where the skin is particularly thin and delicate, especially close to mucous membranes, or right on mucous membranes. In case of oral herpes, these areas are placed mainly on the lips and around or inside the mouth. Very soon, the itching grows stronger until you feel some hardening of tissue under the skin, like tiny lumps. During several hours, these lumps spring out onto the surface, forming sores surrounded by inflamed skin. The sores are filled with clear or whitish liquid which tends to ooze as soon as the sore is damaged. The more severe infection you get, the more sores may appear. They may even come in clusters, making the skin around them swell a bit.
After a day or two days, the sores begin to dry out a little, getting covered with scabs. They are still filled with clear liquid, although the liquid can contain some traces of blood as the capillaries are damaged in the adjoining areas of skin. However, drying of the tips of the sores can be considered the first sign of the beginning of the process of healing which normally takes from 3 to 14 days.
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