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HERPES OUTBREAK

Herpes is a painful and debilitating condition that can be transmitted by way of close contact with an infected person. While herpes includes a number a painful symptoms many people infected with herpes simplex virus don’t experience the symptoms. In those individuals who develop the symptoms associated with this condition the first outbreak of the genital herpes is much worse than any recurrences. The first herpes outbreak also results in some general symptoms besides rash. Women are prone to developing the herpes infection that does not result in normal symptoms.

Previously herpes outbreak was caused because of herpes simplex virus type 2. However new infections are seen to result equally because of herpes simplex virus type 1 along with the type 2 virus. A large proportion of people who get the primary outbreak get it between 3 days till 2 weeks after an exposure.

Herpes rash can be seen in the form of a vesicles cluster that has a red base. Herpes causes ulcerations rather than blisters particularly in moist areas such as the vagina. Among women the first herpes outbreak is seen to occur in the areas of vulva, vagina, anus, buttocks, thighs and the cervix. Among men the outbreak is visible on the penis tip along with the shaft. Those men who have sex with other men may get blisters around the anus. Among men the rash may be quite mild consisting of around 6 to 10 blisters.

The blisters experienced by both women and men are rather painful and may contain large amount of viral particles and so it is completely contagious. The first herpes outbreak is observed in the form of general symptoms in around 79% of individuals and this initial outbreak normally gets resolved in a week. The symptoms associated with this include headache, fever up to 102 degrees, fatigue, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.

The HSV-2 is likely to affect women more than men and women tend to experience the severity of the disease more along with greater complications in the first infection as compared to men. Women who get the outbreak in regions of vagina or cervix may develop pelvic pain, burning sensation during urination and vaginal discharge. In the first outbreak women may also get ulcers or blisters during the second week.

The initial herpes outbreak lasts for around 2 to 3 weeks and the skin pain may be observed from 1 to around 6 weeks. Eventually the blisters dry up and also crust over. After the crust falls off the site does not remain contagious anymore. In cases where people don’t have an outbreak it is an indication that the virus is in dormant stage within the system.

In some cases of herpes outbreak the virus may be active with little or even no symptoms. The patients may not have any large lesions or sores and so they might not realize that the virus is active. In some cases the blisters from HSV-1 are seen on the inside portion of the mouth and lips and these form ulcers. The gums of the patients may become swollen and red and the tongue may have a white coating. Some other symptoms may include problems in eating, ill feeling, muscle aches and irritability.

Along with HSV-1 the initial herpes outbreak is followed by the HSV-2 remaining dormant in the region near the nerves and this may become active later. The virus may act in different ways in different cases and some people tend to have frequent outbreaks as compared to others. Likewise in some cases the outbreaks tend to be severe.