Herpes simplex has two forms, oral and genital, with different symptoms. The most common symptom is a rash or cold sore, which can be uncomfortable and contagious. Antiviral drugs can minimize outbreaks, but there is no cure.
The common symptoms of herpes simplex may have some variation because there are two common forms of the disease which lead to different expression of symptoms. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is called oral herpes and is typically evident with symptoms around or near the mouth. Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is also called genital herpes and most symptoms will appear on, in or near the genitals.
Either way, the most common symptoms of herpes simplex are the rash or rash, but they can look very different in oral and genital herpes. The oral herpes rash can start as a blister and develop into a single sore that can be the diameter of a pencil eraser. The sore eventually crusts over and heals, and as the virus comes back, other sores usually show up later. No form of the disease is currently curable, although some medications can minimize the number of outbreaks. A sore can be uncomfortable, it can itch, and depending on its location, it can make it difficult to speak, eat, or open your mouth. While there is an active plague, people are very contagious to others they come in contact with.
With the genital forms of the disease, the most common symptoms of herpes simplex are rashes on, in, or around the genitals. This also starts out as a blister, but the rash is usually a group of small bumps instead of a single sore. The rash also opens up and then starts to crust, but it can feel itchy and sore while it’s there. As with HSV-1, HSV-2 rashes eventually resolve, usually within about two weeks of the rash first appearing. The first symptom of the outbreak indicates contagion and is usually a tingling sensation before the rash or cold sore emerges. Getting familiar with this sign is helpful to avoid passing the virus on to others because it is theorized that most people are contagious before they form a blister, during the pins and needles phase.
While the most common symptoms of herpes simplex typically relate to the recurring rash or cold sores, which comes and goes after a person becomes infected, there are also many people who experience the onset of the initial infection in different ways that are more serious. When a first or primary infection emerges, and not all people get it, people may notice that they have a slight fever, feel low, have pain, have headaches, have swollen glands, and/or experience mild chills. With these symptoms and rashes, people should see a doctor right away for diagnosis.
Because the herpes disease lies dormant in the body, common herpes simplex symptoms include periodic flare-ups. The number of exacerbations appears to be greatest in the early years of the infection and tends to decrease over time. If not, there are antiviral drugs that can help minimize the active periods of the disease. They can also reduce the chances of people spreading the virus when there is no active infection, as it seems that some people with the condition are always contagious.
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