What is Herpes and Symptoms?

Herpes explained: causes, symptoms, and treatments for global patients. Trust GetWellGo for accurate info and care tailored to your international needs.

What is Herpes and Symptoms?

  • Category

    Urology

  • Published By

    GetWellGo Team

  • Updated on

    23-May-2025

What is Herpes?

Herpes is a viral infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two main types:

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1)

  • Generally leads to oral herpes which then causes cold sores or fever blisters to appear around the mouth and lips.
  • Spreading genital herpes by contact between the mouth and genitals is also possible.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV – 2)

  • Spreads genital herpes which causes uncomfortable blisters or sores mainly around the genitals and anus.

Methods of spreading this disease:

  • Contact of any skin directly with another, particularly when kissing, doing oral sex or having vaginal or anal sex.
  • Even when no sores appear on the skin, the virus can be passed to other people.
  • In situations from mother to baby during childbirth (even though it is rare, it can be serious).

Herpes Symptoms

Depending on if you have HSV-1 or HSV-2, the area where the infection occurs and whether it is your first outbreak, the symptoms may change. There are those who never have any symptoms, but some people experience very painful outbreaks.

Herpes Simplex Virus Symptoms:

First Herpes Outbreak Symptoms

  • Sometimes appears 2–12 days after exposure and is likely to be as severe or more than future infections.
  • Burning or tender blisters or sores that appear on the skin or mucous membranes (in the mouth, genitals or anus)
  • Before sores, tingling, itching or a burning sensation appears.
  • It may result in swollen body tissues and redness.

Flu-like symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Swollen Lymph Nodes
  • Pain when peeing is a possible sign of genital herpes.

Oral Herpes (HSV-1) symptoms

  • Cold sores or fever blisters near the lips
  • Feeling tingles or itches around the mouth
  • Tenderness during or after eating food (mainly if pain is due to sores inside the mouth)
  • May result in both a sore throat and swollen gums during the first time it appears

Genital Herpes Symptoms

  • Small bumps, blisters or an open sore anywhere in your genital or anal area
  • There is discomfort from itching or burning in the genitals.
  • Painful urination
  • Discharge coming from the vagina or the urethra
  • Women can get sores inside their vaginas, cervixes or on their external genitalia.
  • In men: places that can become sores are the penis, the scrotum and the areas around the anus

Symptoms of Herpes in Females

HSV-2 which causes genital herpes is the main cause of herpes infection in females, but HSV-1 (oral herpes germs that can attack the genitals) is also possible. Because symptoms may not be clear or can be attributed to yeast or razor burn.

Herpes Symptoms Women:

  • Sores or blisters those are painful on:
  • Vulva
  • Both the internal and external structure of the vagina
  • Cervix
  • Buttocks
  • You should wash the area around your anus or inside your thighs.
  • Feeling an itch or tingle at the genital area a few days before you notice sores
  • A burning feeling can happen when urinating when a urinary tract infection affects the urethra.
  • Vaginal discharge
  • Swollen lymph nodes in the groin
  • Having a fever, feeling chills and feeling aches throughout the body (similar to the flu)
  • Pain during sex.

Herpes Symptoms Men  

Often, men have light or no symptoms that could be confused with ingrown hairs, jock itch or razor burn.

Genital Herpes Symptoms in men:

Burning blisters or sores on the following genitals:

  • Shaft or head is another term for penis.
  • Scrotum
  • Anus or buttocks
  • Inner thighs

After feeling a tingling, itching or burning around your genitals, blisters begin to show up.

Pain or burning when you pee (if ulcers are close to the urethra)

Puffiness in the lymph nodes found in the groin

Flu-like symptoms:

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Body aches
  • Fatigue

Herpes Causes and Symptoms

What can cause herpes?

HSV-1 (Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1)

  • Normally results in: Cold sores around the mouth, known as oral herpes

Transmission:

  • Sharing lip balm, drinking cups or even kissing
  • Genital herpes (can result from oral sex.

HSV-2 (Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2)

  • Common reasons for transmitting genital herpes.

Transmission:

  • Sexual contact which takes place inside the vagina, through the anus or by mouth
  • Touching an individual during an outbreak or when they don’t have symptoms

Signs That You May Have Herpes

  • The infection may feel tingly, itchy or painful around the wound
  • Red skin or skin that is swollen
  • The affected spot may be painful.

Difference between HSV-1 and HSV-2

HSV – 1

  • HSV-1 comes in the form of cold sores or fever blisters found near the mouth and lips. 
  • Most of the time, HSV-1 spreads from touching the virus-infected skin of another person while kissing or sharing drinks, utensils or lip balm. 
  • HSV-1 usually leads to less frequent outbreaks after someone is first infected. 
  • Children who get HSV-1 at a young age often have only mild symptoms. Cold sores usually cause mild problems and may be hard to notice.

HSV – 2

  • Genital herpes which means painful sores around the sexual organs is most commonly caused by the HSV-2 virus. 
  • The virus is usually spread when people have vaginal, anal or oral sex. 
  • Most often, it is linked to infections of the genitals and is known as a sexually transmitted infection (STI). 
  • The genitals are where HSV-2 typically leads to more and worse recurrences. 
  • There are usually more than one episode (outbreak) a year for people who have HSV-2, mostly in the first few years after infection. 
  • When HSV-2 first attacks, people usually feel severe pain from swollen blisters, have flu-like symptoms and often have problems urinating.

How is herpes diagnosed?

Healthcare providers use a physical exam, lab tests and details from the patient to diagnose herpes. This is the standard process for doctors to find out if your herpes is caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2 in the mouth or genitals.

Physical Examination

A doctor looks for signs of herpes that can be seen as:

  • Blisters
  • Ulcers
  • Presence of redness or swelling in your mouth, genitals or anus
  • The method can help if you already have an outbreak.

Swab Test (Testing Includes Viral Culture or PCR)

  • Cotton swabs are used to obtain a sample from a sore.

Polymerase Chain Reaction test:

  • Can find herpes DNA.
  • You can usually tell which type it is: HSV-1 or HSV-2
  • Can be the most accurate test, also for less serious or healing ulcers

Viral culture:

  • Uses a laboratory to multiply the virus
  • PCR is more sensitive than this method, but only if the sore is healing.

Blood Analysis: Antibody Test

  • Blood is tested to look for the presence of antibodies you create if you have HSV.
  • Can discover if you’ve had the virus, even if you never showed any signs.    
  • Can recognize which of the two – HSV-1 or HSV-2 – is responsible for a herpes infection.

Tzanck Smear (Rarely Used Today) 

  • A microscope is used to check for infected cells in a scraping of the sore.
  • Faster to do, though not as accurate as PCR and outdated—PCR and testing for antibodies are now used in most clinics.

Herpes Itching Symptoms

For many people, itching is among the earliest and most common symptoms when the herpes infection first starts or just before it returns. This condition can happen in either your mouth or genitals.

How Does Herpes Become an Itching Problem?

  • Having herpes means the virus impacts the nerves just under the skin.
  • As a result, the area starts to feel tingly, itchy or burn before even single sore crops up.
  • An outbreak may be on the way if you notice itching in the prodrome phase.

Itching in Genital herpes caused by HSV-2 or HSV-1

The skin could become itchy:

  • Among the body areas affected are usually the penis, vulva, vagina, anus or inner thighs
  • At any point before, in the middle of or after an outbreak

Sometimes, itching is connected to other conditions:

  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Skint that feels soft or hard
  • Tiny bumps or little blisters

Trying to scratch the affected area can often worsen the rash and open the skin up to infection.

Itching in oral herpes (commonly HSV-1)

  • People experience itching or tingling near their lips or mouth.
  • Usually occurs 1–2 days ahead of when cold sores appear.
  • It can cause the skin to feel tender or a bit like its being burned.
     

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