Herpes Symptom Evaluation
Want to share info about your herpes symptoms? What type of herpes symptoms do you have? How many outbreaks have you had in the past year? Please go to our Herpes Survey Page, and then view others' answers about herpes symptoms and more on the Survey Results Page.
What happens when you first get herpes?
Symptoms of herpes usually develop within 2 to 20 days after contact with the virus, although it could take longer. These symptoms may last up to several weeks, varying from one person to the next. In many people, the first infection is so mild that it goes unnoticed. It is possible that a person becomes aware of the “first episode” years after the infection is acquired. Many people infected with HSV are not aware of their infection.
If symptoms occur during the first outbreak, they can be quite pronounced. In others, the first attack causes visible sores. Even so, subsequent recurrences of the disease may cause lesions. When the sores are completely healed, the active phase of infection is over. Healing of the skin usually leaves no scars. In either case, the virus retreats into the nervous system and lies dormant. Asymptomatic shedding can still occur when no sores are present.
Typical Symptoms
The virus starts to multiply when it gets into the skin cells. The skin becomes red and sensitive, and soon afterward, one or more blisters or bumps appear. The blisters first open, and then heal as new skin tissue forms. During a first outbreak, the area is usually painful and may itch, burn or tingle. Flu-like symptoms are also common. These include swollen glands, headache, muscle ache or fever. Herpes may also infect the urethra, and urinating may cause a burning sensation.
People diagnosed with herpes can expect to have several, typically four or five, outbreaks within a year. As time passes, these recurrences usually decrease in frequency.
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