Herpes is the common name for the disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. Depending on the site of the infection, herpes can affect men and women differently. For most women, recognition of the early symptoms of herpes followed by prompt treatment with prescription antiviral medication can significantly reduce the duration and severity of an outbreak.
Prodrome
According to a 2008 report in the "Archives of Internal Medicine," more than 60 percent of people with herpes report a prodrome, or set of premonitory symptoms, that foreshadow an outbreak. The prodrome, which is the same for men and women, consists of symptoms such as tingling, itching, burning, stinging, soreness and/or hypersensitivity in the areas where lesions subsequently arise. The prodrome may last as little as two hours or as long as two days and ends with the appearance of lesions.
Flu-like Illness
In many people with herpes, an outbreak is accompanied by a flu-like illness. Symptoms usually begin shortly before or at the same time that lesions appear. Common complaints include low-grade fever, fatigue, lethargy, headache, muscle pain and poor appetite. Fever, according to Dr. Lawrence Corey in "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," lasts three to seven days. Other symptoms last longer---up to two weeks in some cases.
Lesions
The most recognizable symptom of herpes is a bump or swelling that develops in the course of a few hours into a painful, 1- to 2mm-blister filled with clear or cloudy yellow fluid. In people with oral herpes, these lesions may appear anywhere on or inside the mouth. In women with genital herpes, these lesions may appear anywhere on the vulva---the female external genitalia---or inside the vagina or urethra. These internal lesions initially present as clear, mucousy discharge and can cause discomfort during urination and/or sexual intercourse.
References
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th edition": Herpes Simplex Viruses; L. Corey; A.S. Fauci, E. Braunwald, D.L. Kasper, S.L. Hauser, D.L. Longer, J.L. Jameson, and J. Loscalzo; 2008
- Archives of Internal Medicine; "The Treatment of Herpes Simples: An Evidence-Based Review"; C. Cernik, K. Gallina, and R.T. Brodell; June 2008
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Genital Herpes
