Just because your signs and symptoms may appear to be herpes doesn’t mean that you have herpes. You have to have certain medical testing performed before the physician can definitively diagnose you with herpes and begin a treatment regimen for you.

Testing for Herpes Starts at the Doctors Office

Genital herpes is normally suspected if a patient presents to the doctor’s office with multiple lesions or blisters on and around the genital area. The physician will also take into account the patients full medical history, a physical exam and if the doctor suspects genital herpes, the doctor will order testing for herpes.

Common Methods for Testing for Herpes

There are several different methods of testing for herpes. The most accurate testing for herpes is to get a sample from one of the blisters or lesions.  The doctor will drain some of the fluid from one of the blisters and the fluid will then be sent to the lab for tests.

Getting a herpes blood test involves the standard needle stick and blood being drawn into a test tube. The doctor will send the herpes blood test to the lab to check for antibodies for the virus. The M.D. generally runs the lab tests as a backup for the culture of the herpes blister fluid.

Getting a Herpes Blood Test

Blood tests for herpes are notorious for giving false positive or false negatives; so getting a herpes blood test isn’t the end all to be all and will not be used alone to diagnose or rule out herpes. It often takes weeks or more from the time of exposure to the herpes virus before antibodies can be detected in the blood.

Many doctors do not rely on getting a herpes blood test to diagnose or rule out HSV because there are so many variables that it is almost a waste of time to do the tests because generally getting a herpes blood test will only give you a 50/50 chance of the results being accurate.

Advanced Methods of Testing for Herpes

Some medical offices will do genetic testing to detect genital herpes. One such test is called the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction). This test is used to classify the material of the herpes virus.

The Direct Fluorescent Antibody Test is a rather “evolved method” of testing for genital herpes and most clinics will not have access to this type of testing. However, it deserves mentioning. The DFA test consists of a mixture of some herpes simplex virus antibodies as well as a fluorescent dye combined in the sample.

The antibodies are actually proteins made by the patient’s immune system reaction to an illness or infection. A positive identification of herpes simplex virus will be determined by the lab if the antibodies stick to the virus material and glow when being looked at through a special microscope.

The Future of Testing for Herpes

In the future there will be other methods of testing for genital herpes and all sorts of other viruses, diseases, etc.  Currently, scientists, medical professionals, and the like are working on various methods of testing genital herpes with saliva or urine.

As these types of tests still require extensive testing and are  not on the market yet.

Signs of genital herpes, whether those signs are around the female or the male genitalia, include lesions, the blisters, the scabs, and the red inflammation of the genitalia.

The outward genital herpes symptoms in men are pretty noticeable by him and whoever else sees it. We all know that we shouldn’t be having lesions or blisters or sores on our private parts.

Getting Your Genital Herpes Symptoms Checked Out by the Doctor

Even if you never had a day of sexually transmitted disease education, you will still be able to look down and KNOW “this isn’t good.” If you do look down and see this, you should make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible.

If the doctor can get a sample of fluid from one of the blisters he will be able to give you the most accurate diagnosis. Blood tests for herpes now only give you a 50/50 shot at getting it right. You could get a false positive or a false negative. Doctors would rather get a smear of the fluid in one of the blisters and have it sent to the lab for testing.

If you are unsure if what is going on down there is herpes or not, let me give you a rundown of some of the common genital herpes symptoms in men.

Basic Genital Herpes Symptoms

Genital herpes symptoms vary from person to person. Sometimes you may get the lesions right at the beginning of the outbreak, but that is not always true.

In some cases you could experience flu-like symptoms, fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, etc.  Because herpes IS a virus, it often mimics other viral illnesses for the overall body.

Basic Genital Herpes Symptoms in Men

The genital herpes symptoms in men include red inflamed skin of the penis and scrotum as well as possibly around the rectal area. You will feel some discomfort, possibly a constant burning or itching sensation in the crotch area as well.

If it is genital herpes you will also start to notices some lesions coming up on the skin, soon these lesions will transform into fluid filled blisters. This is one of the more painful parts of a herpes outbreak. When the herpes blisters ulcerate a scab will be formed over the herpes sore and you will maintain these scabs for a month or for several months.

Treating the Symptoms of Genital Herpes

The severity of the genital herpes symptoms in men may vary from male to male or even from one outbreak to the next. If you experience severe genital herpes symptoms then you will probably be treated with IV antiviral medications; this is especially true if you already have an immune deficiency such as HIV.

Once you know the male genital herpes symptoms you will either A. become very educated and be more cautious by always using a condom when being sexual or B. you will learn that you are not the only one with herpes. Almost a half a billion people live with it in the United States, so know that you aren’t the only one.

Being diagnosed with the sexually transmitted disease, genital herpes (herpes simplex virus type-2) can be very emotional.

Living with herpes does mean an enforced lifestyle change and maybe frequent or maybe not too frequent of disruptions in your life due to an outbreak of herpes.

You Are Not Alone

If you have newly been diagnosed with genital herpes you need to know that genital herpes is one of the most common STD; especially among men. Surely you have heard a dozen or more times that you should always use a condom.

But, sometimes we don’t follow those rules and we base the thought of the sexual partner having an STD by the way he looks and takes care of him or herself. But, the facts are the facts and that beautiful clean woman or that hunky guy may have a secret in their undies called herpes.

It isn’t uncommon, about a half a billion people in the US alone have been diagnosed with herpes and there is no telling how many have it but have never went to get diagnosed with it. One study shows that for every 4 people, at least 1 of them has genital herpes.

Living with Herpes Means Learning a New Lifestyle

Well, now that you know that you aren’t alone with living with herpes, let’s look at some lifestyle changes you should probably make. First of all, you need to be treated for the symptoms. There is no cure for herpes virus, but you can treat the symptoms with antiviral and pain relief medications. Speak to your doctor and find out what herpes treatment is best for you.

During an outbreak it is very important for you to wash your hands frequently and by all means try to avoid touching the lesions or blisters. During an outbreak do not share clothes with others. You can wash your clothes normally in the washer because regular laundry detergent will wash away any strains of the virus left on your clothes.

Learning to be Sex Free During an Outbreak

It would seem that telling you to refrain from sex during an outbreak would be just wasted words. But, some people, even with the pain and the sores will have sex. You are the most contagious when you are having an outbreak than at any other time. Speaking of which, you are contagious even when you aren’t visibly having an outbreak.

You can still transmit the virus to your sexual partner. That is why it is extremely important to use a latex condom any time you have sex. If you or your partner is allergic to latex, talk to the pharmacist about an acceptable substitute for latex condoms for those with herpes.

Living with Herpes and Having a Sex Life

Once the scabs are gone and the skin on and around your genitalia is cleared up, you can consider yourself in remission. Even when you don’t have the signs and symptoms of genital herpes, you are still living with herpes because the virus remains in your body.

The symptoms of herpes outbreaks may lay dormant for weeks, months or even years before you have another outbreak. Or, on the other hand, you may suffer from outbreaks a half dozen times a year. In this case, you will be living with herpes by taking an antiviral medication daily.

This is called the suppression therapy method. It helps to keep you from having an outbreak as well as helps you heal faster when you do have an outbreak.

Living with Herpes While Trying to Avoid Outbreaks

You will learn while you are living with herpes for a while what seems to trigger an outbreak for you. Some people with herpes believe an outbreak is brought on by an illness, others think psychological stress can trigger an outbreak. Keep a diary of the things you had recently been doing before you had an outbreak.

The next time you have an outbreak, look back at what you had written from the last outbreak you had. If you find a similarity, you may figure out what triggers a herpes outbreak for you and you will naturally try to figure out ways of avoiding that trigger and make living with herpes easier on you.

Sexually transmitted diseases or STDs, can be easily transmitted to and from men or women.  STDs are not gender specific and usually causes similar symptoms in both sexes.

STDs in men and women can be transmitted through kissing, oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex, touching and more.

Common Symptoms of STDs in Men

Generally if there are any abnormalities on your body, especially around your genital region, it is a good idea to seek some medical attention. Common STD symptoms include inflammation of the penis and scrotum, possibly with redness as well.

Discharge from the penis; especially if it has color to it, any sores or lesions on or around the genitalia area, and itching, burning, and pain around the crotch area.

All of the above are symptoms of a possible STD in men and need to be checked out by the doctor as soon as possible. If the STD is caught in time, it can be treated and the symptoms will begin to fade along with the pain and the signs of the STD.

Most STD in men are curable. Most STD in men just require some heavy duty antibiotics or antiviral medication and a good lesson learned to start using condoms during sex. But, not all sexually transmitted diseases can be cured. Some STDs are for life, such as herpes.

Male Genital Herpes

Genital herpes, also referred to as HSV-2 or Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2, is very painful for men and is actually the most common STDs in men. If a man has sexual relations with an infected person, there really isn’t much protection from contracting the virus yourself; especially if you don’t like to use condoms.

If you are allergic to latex condoms, don’t rely on the natural membrane condoms because they are very porous and the virus can still infect you. Once you are exposed to genital herpes that causes you to become infected and have an outbreak, then you have herpes for life.

Symptoms of Male Genital Herpes

Let’s break down some of the symptoms one-by-one. Keep in mind that symptoms vary from one person to the other, but generally everybody gets the majority of the common symptoms and some fortunate people have genital herpes, but never show any signs or symptoms. They may be fortunate, but the sexual partners they have aren’t. You can have herpes and not know it and pass it on to someone who in a few weeks will KNOW they have genital herpes.

Below are just some of the common male genital herpes symptoms:

• The herpes lesions and blisters are generally a dead giveaway, but for some, the lesions and blisters come “after” the other symptoms
• Fever and flu like symptoms (genital herpes is a virus, so you can expect the same virus types of symptoms to go along with your herpes outbreak
• Muscle aches and tiredness
• Pain with urination
• Red, inflamed penis and scrotum
• Pain around the rectal area

About a month after you have been sexually exposed to an infected person, you may begin to start having the above symptoms. You can also expect to start getting lesions around and on your genital area. These lesions will eventually turn into fluid filled blisters and are painful. Soon the blisters will ulcerate and scab over the herpes sores.

It is imperative that once you notice the signs and symptoms of a possible herpes outbreak that you see a doctor. If the doctor sees you while you have the fluid filled blisters, he can take a sample of that fluid, send it to the lab, and give you a definitive diagnosis of herpes or not herpes. Herpes blood tests are not very accurate, in fact, usually they only have a 50/50 chance of accuracy.

Herpes is the Most Common STD in Men

This common STD in men is one not to ignore. Studies show that one out of every four people in the United States has genital herpes. So, if you are a male with genital herpes, you are not alone and should not feel embarrassed, considering half a billion people in the US have genital herpes.

You do, however, need to refrain from sexual intercourse or sexual activity until you are in the remission stages of a herpes outbreak. When you are able to have sex again, you must tell your sexual partner that you have herpes and you must use a latex condom or an acceptable substitute so that she or he does not get infected.

Genital Herpes, or Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2), is an incurable sexually transmitted disease that involves viral like symptoms during an outbreak.  You may get symptoms such as a fever, lethargy, muscle ache, pain and more if you are going through, or about to have, a viral infection.

The difference between a regular viral infection and the herpes virus is that the herpes virus comes with lesions around the genital area followed by blisters that ulcerate and cause pain. Eventually over time the pain and the ulcerated blisters will scab over and the healing will begin; but not without the proper treatment.

Using Antiviral Medication for Genital Herpes Treatment

If you had a herpes outbreak you would probably want to get rid of it as soon as you could and some treatment of herpes actually aid in lessening the time period of having the outbreak. Antiviral medications are given to those with genital herpes but the medication only treats the symptoms, it does not cure the virus. Herpes has no cure and is easily transmitted to others.

The antiviral medication given as a genital herpes treatment can decrease some of the pain from the blistered areas, promote healing of the herpes and speed up the process of getting rid of the signs and symptoms of herpes by forcing the virus to go into remission.

Popular Treatment for Herpes

There are 3 prescription medications used in the genital herpes treatment. Each one has a solid record of aiding in the healing process of an outbreak. The three types of oral antiviral medications for the treatment of herpes are: Zovirax, Famvir, and Valtrex.

Severe cases of herpes outbreaks or for those with compromised immunes systems, such as those with HIV, require intravenous treatment of genital herpes outbreaks with Zovirax. Zovirax has been on the market longer than the other two and has a great reputation of not producing any real significant side effects from using it for treatment of herpes.

Genital Herpes Treatment Options

People with diagnosed herpes that have 6 or more herpes outbreaks a year are generally advised by their doctor to use the Suppression Therapy treatment for herpes. The Suppression Therapy involves the infected person to take an antiviral medication daily. This method of genital herpes treatment works to help suppress the frequency of the outbreaks.

Others who can stay in remission for months or even years at a time are given a prescription of an antiviral medication with refills. This treatment of herpes method is called the intermittent therapy.

If this is the herpes treatment you and your doctor have chose, you will fill the prescription at the first sign of an outbreak. The sooner you can medicate yourself with the antiviral the more likely you will decrease the length of time it takes to heal and may even slow the progression all together.

Treatment for Herpes on a Low Income

Those who do obtain treatment for herpes due to embarrassment of financial issues are in danger of allowing this virus to take over the body and severely compromise your immune system.
There are many health department and medical clinics that will see patients for free or base the treatment for herpes on an income based scale. Genital herpes treatment needs not to be ignored.

Contact your doctor or free clinic as soon as you begin to have an outbreak. The sooner you start treatment for herpes the quicker you will start the healing process of the pain associated with genital herpes.

What is an STD, how do you get an STD, how do you know it is an STD and how do you get rid of it? All of these questions are generally taught in Health classes of Sexual Education in high school, but not all schools approve of teaching children anything but abstinence and some teens and adults don’t even know the symptoms of most STDs.

Whether you were taught and have forgotten or you need to learn about STD symptoms and all things STD related, this article will touch base with those burning questions and leave you more informed about the symptoms of STDs.

An STD or sexually transmitted disease, is a disease transmitted during a sexual act.  Knowing some of the common symptoms of STDs will help to to identify if you have an STD and act as a red flag for you to get checked with your doctor for sexually transmitted diseases.

Signs and Symptoms of STDs

In this article we will talk about two of the most common STDs: herpes and chlamydia.

Herpes

Herpes, or herpes simplex virus (HSV), has no cure.  The signs of genitals herpes include red inflamed skin in the genital area that will progress to lesions around the genitalia and will eventually turn into blisters, ulcerate and scab over. The scab over the herpes sores work to help heal the virus.

It may take months before all of the signs of herpes are gone. Once your body heals and you have no irregular sores on your body, you are considered as having herpes in remission.

Some people go months between remissions to another outbreak, others can go years. It is unknown clearly why the signs of herpes outbreaks reoccur. Some say the virus lays dormant until the person becomes ill or undergoes some type of psychological stress.

Chlamydia

The sexually transmitted disease, Chlamydia, is known as the “silent STD”. It too is one of the most common STDs in the US; some people never exhibit the symptoms of the STD and continue to transmit the disease to others without knowing it.

The common symptoms of STD Chlamydia include vaginal or penile discharge, abdominal discomfort and possible painful inflammation of the genitalia and difficult urinating without pain. Fortunately, if this STD is caught soon enough, it can be treated and cured.

Since the symptoms of STDs like Chlamydia can be more easily ignored, the disease itself is often ignored.  Unfortunately, if left untreated long enough, the STD can become severe enough to damage the reproductive system and thus cause the person to have issues with fertility later on in life.

This is another reason why it is important to have regular checkups with your doctor and get STD screening if you are sexually active.

If You Notice Symptoms of STDs

The signs of herpes are usually hard to miss, some people never have a visible outbreak, the outbreak can occur inside the vaginal canal, so even herpes, like Chlamydia can be overlooked.

The symptoms of STDs of any type can easily be researched. If you have anything unusual happening around your genital area, including your inner thighs and rectal area; it could be an STD.  Anything such as sores, discharge, pain, redness, inflammation, etc. in or around your genital area should be checked out by a doctor as soon as possible so that treatment can begin.

Keep in mind that some sexually transmitted diseases you cannot be gotten rid of, such as herpes, and is for life.  But there are medications to treat the symptoms.

Considering that there are an around 50 million people in the United States with diagnosed herpes, and unknown but respectfully believe millions more who have not been diagnosed, and the ratio that 1 of every 4 Americans has herpes; isn’t it likely that even famous people with herpes are all over the silver screen.

Herpes is one of the most commonly sexually transmitted disease because 1. It has no cure, 2. It can be transmitted even if the infected person is not having an outbreak and 3. Those people with herpes are not always educated about what herpes is and therefore may not know that what they have and keep getting outbreaks of is in fact the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV).

Attention People with Herpes – You Are Not Alone!

Although herpes affects so many people, those who have it are not screaming it from the rooftops and friends and family aren’t sending “hope your herpes heal soon” cards either. Even though it is a common STD and studies have shown that half a billion people are currently being treated for it in the US alone, it still remains a taboo and anyone who has it wants to keep it a secret.

The problem with people with herpes keeping mum about this STD with their sexual partner(s) is why the STD keeps getting transmitted from one person to the next. In some states you can even sue a person if they transmit genital herpes to you if they didn’t first inform you that they had the incurable and always contagious STD.

Famous People with Herpes

Liza Minnelli learned this lesson when her now ex, David Gest, sued her for not telling him she had genital herpes until after they were married and had consummated their marriage.
In the mid-80’s an ex-girlfriend of funny man Robin William sued him for giving her herpes. She “claimed” he gave her genital herpes. It is unknown whether she won or lost that case. Famous people with herpes and famous people without herpes are targets for sue happy people.

Once it is known that you can sue someone you have had sex with and that person is famous AND wealthy, of course some may point their finger and put out their other hand for a wad of cash. This isn’t to say that Robin Williams or any other famous people with herpes or without honestly have transmitted the STD knowingly to someone else. But, for some people, they will make up anything for 15 minutes worth of their own fame and possible small fortune.

Michael Vick, the NFL football player who was involved in pitbull fighting, was also sued by a former partner who claimed that she got genital herpes from Vick. This trial never made its way to court because Vick settled out of court with the ex.

Minnelli, Williams, David Hasslehoff and even singer Tony Bennet have something in common, each of them have been sued by exes who claimed the famous people with herpes consciously transmitted the STD and each of these celeb’s are now thought of to have herpes whether they really do have herpes or not. Once it’s out in the media, the rumor stands.

One famous lady didn’t wait to be outted about her STD. Anne Heche, actress and former girlfriend of Ellen DeGeneres, claimed she has had genital herpes since childhood when she was molested by a person with herpes.

Billy Idol is another name to add to the Famous People with Herpes list; Billy Idol was quoted in Rolling Stone magazine that he had genital herpes. He was very candid with announcing his STD. Whether he meant to be so open or he was under the influence, either way, Rolling Stone magazine was sure to print his extremely blunt proclamation that he had the STD.

Famous people with herpes and infamous people with herpes should be responsible and honest with their sexual partner. Not only is there a possibility of getting sued, there is also the possibility of that person spreading the virus to their next lover, and so the number of people with herpes continues to grow.

STD is an anagram for “sexually transmitted disease”.  Some STDs symptoms often go unnoticed, and when left untreated, the STD can be transmitted to various sexual partners who in turn may pass on the STD to others that they are sexually active with.

Unfortunately, not everyone you sleep with is going to disclose to you beforehand what STDs that have.  An you cannot always recognize STD symptoms in your partners.  So it is extremely important that you use protection when having sexual intercourse with someone, because just as you were taught in sex ed class, you are really having sex with every person your new sexual partner has slept with.

To go even deeper, look at it from this point of view.  The person that you are sleeping with, and all the people that hey have slept with, along with all the people that they have slept with are in bed with you.  So having sex with one person could very much be like having sex with 100 people!

It sounds silly breaking it down that way, but in actuality it is closer to the truth than you think.

Your Sexual Partner May Not Even Know They Have an STD

Whatever STD your partner may have picked up from his/her previous sexual partners could be passed on to you. If the sexual partner you are with says they don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases and are showing no STD symptoms, it is still better to be safe than sorry.

Use a latex condom every time you have sex.

If you are allergic to latex, speak with a pharmacist who can refer an acceptable substitute for latex. Natural membrane condoms are porous and will not protect you from all STD’s, including genital herpes.

Common STDs and STD Symptoms

Some common sexually transmitted disease and STD symptoms are summarized below:

• Genital Herpes Symptoms include fever and flu like symptoms followed by lesion and blisters on and around your genitalia and anus. This STD is incurable and doctors can only treat the STD symptoms.
• Symptoms of Chlamydia can go unnoticed and is referred to as the “silent STD” because either there are no symptoms or the symptoms mimic that of non-STD related conditions. The STD symptoms begin a few weeks after the exposure to an infected sexual partner and can be discharge from the vagina or penis, abdominal discomfort, lower back pain and a garden variety of symptoms that even a well educated person may overlook. If left untreated in women, the STD can cause damage to the reproductive system and cause infertility.
• Symptoms of Genital Warts include one or more painless bumps of the flesh and during the incubation period the genital wart can remain for nine months before disappearing. Genital wart symptoms generally occur a month or so after sexual contact with a genital wart infected person. Some people have the warts removed surgically or frozen of, but the lingering disease left can still infect others.

Go See The Doctor

If you begin to have discharge that you have never had before, if you notice bumps on your genitalia, if you experience pain or burning when urinating, pain during intercourse, or notice lesions or blisters you should automatically assume that it  “may be” an STD and go to the doctor to have it checked out as soon as possible.

The sooner you get treatment, the more likely you are to get rid of the STD and the embarrassing or painful STD symptoms. Unfortunately genital herpes symptoms are treatable but the herpes virus has no cure.

If you have recently been diagnosed with genital herpes or suspect you may have contracted herpes from a sexual partner, you need to begin thinking about the types of treatment for herpes.

Prior to the most common effect of herpes-lesions and blisters, you may experience the other signs such as fever, flu like symptoms, muscle aches, and itching, burning or just a general discomfort in your genital area.

The symptoms of herpes generally begin within two to four weeks after being sexually exposed to an infected person. If you notice you are having these symptoms, and even if the lesions have not appeared, it would be wise to see your doctor for diagnosis and if needed, genital herpes treatment.

Genital Herpes is a Virus

Genital herpes, known as HSV or Herpes Simplex Virus, is a virus and thus mimics some of the same symptoms you would have with any other viral infection.

If you know or believe that your last sexual partner has the virus, whether the person was having an outbreak or not, you should tell your doctor everything.  The more your doctor knows and the sooner he can start treatment for herpes and the quicker you can go into genital herpes remission.

Genital Herpes Treatment

Currently there is no cure for genital herpes, but the genital herpes treatments can greatly reduce the length of time it takes to heal and treats the symptoms. The Top 3 most common types of antiviral medication prescribed for the treatment for herpes are:

• Zovirax
• Famvir
• Valtrex

Topical treatments have repeatedly shown to not be effective with the treatment for herpes and therefore are rarely prescribed. If the genital herpes outbreak is severe enough, the common genital herpes treatment will include intravenous therapy of Zovarax.

Choosing a Treatment for Herpes

Treatment for herpes includes having the genital herpes patient submit to either an intermittent herpes suppression therapy or a suppression herpes therapy. You and your doctor will discuss which option is best for you.

In general, if you are prone to have 6 or more outbreaks per year, your physician will most likely prescribe the herpes suppression therapy as your genital herpes treatment. This therapy involves taking an antiviral medication daily.

If you stay in remission for long periods of time, the doctor will likely suggest a treatment for herpes that allows you the option of intermittent herpes therapy. This type of genital herpes treatment of outbreaks involves the infected person to have antiviral medication on hand or refills left so he or she can be begin taking the antiviral medication at the first sign or symptom of a herpes outbreak.

Side Effects of the Treatment for Herpes

The most common antiviral medications uses for genital herpes treatment are Zovirax, Famvir, and Valtrex. Zovirax has been on the market as a top treatment for herpes longer than the other two and none of these genital herpes treatment has exposed any significant side effects.

The treatment for herpes can lessen the period of time the outbreak lasts as well as help decrease the frequency of herpes outbreaks for some people. It is highly advisable to avoid sexual activities during an outbreak of herpes, even when taking genital herpes treatment; you can still spread the virus to your partner.

Herpes Can Still be Transmittable While on a Genital Herpes Treatment

When you are in the remission stages of herpes or on the suppression herpes treatment and are showing no sign of an outbreak, you can STILL pass the virus to your partner if you do not use a latex condom.

Membrane condoms, commonly used for those allergic to latex, are too porous and the virus can be transmitted. If you or your partner is allergic to latex, speak with the pharmacist for an equal latex substitute.

Whether you have chosen the treatment for herpes to be the intermittent herpes therapy method or the genital herpes treatment of suppressive herpes therapy, it is important to take the medication as directed by your physician.

The symptoms of herpes can vary from person to person. Some people infected with the virus may never know they have herpes simplex virus (HSV) and will pass it to other sexual partners.

It is rare to have atypical symptoms of herpes, but studies have shown that even people who have never had herpes symptoms or outbreaks can transmit herpes to others.

Herpes Symptoms in Men and Women

The herpes symptoms in men are very much the same as the symptoms of herpes in women. The main distinction of herpes in males and females is the different genital anatomy.

The herpes symptoms in men are the same as women but the herpes lesions will appear on the penis, possible inner thighs, and around the rectal area.

Women with symptoms of herpes will show lesions on the inner and outer labia, and other than the disparity of the actual genitalia, the common herpes symptoms are no different than herpes symptoms in men.

Common Herpes Symptoms for Newly Infected Individuals

The initial symptoms of herpes will begin with an outbreak within 2 to 4 weeks after being intimate with an infected person. The most commonly known herpes symptoms are lesions and ulcers.  It is also important to know what signs and symptoms of herpes may arise before a lesion appears.

The common signs and symptoms of an herpes outbreak in men and women include, but are not limited to:

• Fever
• Flu like symptoms
• Genital burning, itching, or genital discomfort
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Muscle aches
• Pain with urination
• Pain or burning sensation in the genital area
• Pain around the rectum, buttocks, and inner things

Remember, genital herpes is a virus, and therefore many of the signs and symptoms of an oncoming herpes outbreak can mimic the signs and symptoms of a virus; such as the fever, flu like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle aches.

If you have these symptoms and know that you recently were sexual with a person with herpes, you should seek medical attention immediately. The physician can do some simple blood work to detect if there is a chance these symptoms are being caused by the herpes virus.

Seeking Medical Treatment for Symptoms of Herpes

If you are experiencing a herpes outbreak with lesions and herpes blisters, go see the doctor as soon as possible.  If the physician can obtain a fluid cell sample in the early stages of the outbreak, he can make a confirmed diagnosis of HSV and write you a prescription for anti-viral medication.

Herpes cannot be cured, but certain antiviral mediations can speed up the healing process. You will discuss with your physician whether you should try a suppression antiviral medication therapy or an intermittent antiviral medication therapy.

The suppression herpes therapy includes taking an antiviral medication daily, during an outbreak or when not having an outbreak. This therapy method is often used for those who have numerous outbreaks.

The intermittent herpes therapy allows you to keep a prescription for the prescribed antiviral medication on hand. This way you can begin taking the medication at the first sign of the symptoms of herpes outbreak. By doing this, you may be able to decrease the length of time the outbreak lasts.

What to Expect After the First Outbreak

After you experience your first symptoms of herpes outbreak, it is likely that you will experience many more in the first year after contracting the virus. However, over time, many people with herpes share that the symptoms of herpes during an outbreak become less severe and remission will occur sooner.

Many people with herpes also say that the first outbreak is the worst and the longer you have had herpes the less severe the symptoms of herpes become during an outbreak.