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Genital Herpes – Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Genital herpes is a highly contagious, sexually transmitted infection, caused by the HSV, i.e. Herpes Simplex Virus. Spread through sexual contact, the virus gets dormant after the initial infection, but it may reactivate several times in a year.

The condition results in pain, blisters, and intense itching in the genital area. There is no cure for genital herpes but taking certain medications can ease the symptoms. You can consult your doctor along with your genital herpes photos to help him understand the stage of the problem.

The following are two types of herpes simplex virus infections that cause genital herpes.

  • HSV-1: This type of virus is most commonly associated with ulcers and blisters around the mouth. These blisters are known as cold sores.
  • HSV-2: This type of virus causes painful blisters in the genital areas which are exposed during a sexual contact.

Common symptoms of genital herpes
A lot of times people do not realize they are suffering from genital herpes because the symptoms do not show or they are not severe.

When present, the most common symptoms of genital herpes include the following.

  • Pain and itching: Till the time the infection persists, you may experience tenderness or intense itching in the genital area.
  • Small white blisters or red bumps: Such blisters may appear 2 to 12 days after the infection.
  • Ulcers: Ulcers usually form after the blisters rupture and weep out blood. These ulcers cause intense pain and even difficulty in urination.
  • Scabs: The skin becomes crusty and scabs are formed as the ulcers begin to heal.

Apart from this, some people also experience a headache, fever, and muscle aches. You can check out genital herpes photos online to understand what the infection looks like.

Treatment for genital herpes
There is no way to eliminate the herpes virus from the body; however, taking antiviral medications can help to decrease the duration, frequency, and severity of the symptoms. Also, you must click some genital herpes photos of yourself as it will help your doctor significantly in deciding the treatment.

When to see a doctor?
Immediate doctor consultation is strongly advised in such cases. Certain prescribed medications by your doctor can be a head start toward providing you an immediate relief from the pain. An open and free talk with your doctor will help him to decide the proper line of treatment for you. Carrying the genital herpes photos will help your doctor in understanding your symptoms better.