Genital Herpes

• One in five people will not present with any symptoms
• Three in five people will only suffer mild symptoms and are unlikely to be diagnosed
• Only one in every five people will present with obvious symptoms and will require a diagnosis

The symptoms of genital herpes can include:

Painful red blisters. These blisters can burst to leave open sores around the genitals and surrounding area.

For women, blisters and ulcers can appear on the cervix and they can experience a discharge from the vagina.

Pain when passing urine.

A high temperature or fever with associated aches and pains and a general feelings of being unwell.

These symptoms can last up to twenty days with the sores eventually scabbing over and healing. After the initial breakout has cleared up, the HSV virus will remain dormant in the body. This virus can reactivate periodically, causing future outbreaks. The symptoms of a recurrent outbreak of genital herpes will typically include:

Tingling, burning or itching sensation around the genitals. This sensation will occur before the appearance of blisters.

Painful red blisters that are prone to bursting, leaving open sores around the genitals, rectum, thighs and buttocks.

For women, ulcers and blisters can appear in the lower part of the womb (cervix).

Recurrent bouts of genital herpes are typically less severe and clear up faster. This is due to the antibodies produced after the initial infection. These protective proteins are now able to identify and combat HSV more efficiently.

You should always have the primary (first) infection of genital herpes diagnosed by a healthcare professional. If you develop any symptoms of genital herpes it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is because the infection is much easier to diagnose when it’s still active. If the HSV has reverted to a dormant state then the laboratory analysis may come back as negative, meaning a conclusive diagnosis will not be possible until you suffer a recurrent outbreak.

Your doctor or sexual health specialist may ask:

• If this is the first time you have experienced these symptoms
• If you have ever suffered from cold sores (also caused by the herpes virus)
• If you have ever had a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• About your history of sexual partners

For a conclusive diagnosis, a swab will be used to collect a sample of fluid from one of the blisters. This sample will then be sent to a laboratory for analysis. The laboratory will be able to identify the presence of the herpes simplex virus.

Recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes can then be self-diagnosed and treated as long as the symptoms remain the same and the outbreaks do not get worse.

between an initial outbreak (primary infection) and a recurrent attack. If you are suffering from a primary infection of genital herpes then it is likely you will be prescribed an antiviral medication, for example, Aciclovir 400mg tablets.

Aciclovir works by preventing the herpes simplex virus from multiplying. Aciclovir, and other antivirals, are unable to completely eradicate the infection from the body. The dose of Aciclovir when treating genital herpes is typically one 400mg tablet, five times a day after your initial outbreak. You will need to take Aciclovir for at least five days or longer depending on whether new blisters are still forming when you start treatment. For subsequent outbreaks of genital herpes, you only need to take one Aciclovir 400mg tablet, three times a day for five days. Other antiviral medications used to treat genital herpes include Valaciclovir, which works in a similar way to Aciclovir.

Lidocaine 5% ointment is an anaesthetic ointment used to know the area of genital herpes to relieve the pain and irritation of blistering during the outbreak. It does not treat the infection itself, however, it helps to relieve the symptoms whilst the outbreak clears on its own.

Recurrent outbreaks may require a course of Aciclovir however, if your symptoms are mild, you may wish to use some self-help techniques to ease the symptoms. These can include:

Using salt water to clean the affected area can help prevent blisters and ulcers from becoming infected as well as encouraging them to heal more rapidly
Drinking plenty of fluid. This will help dilute the urine, making it less painful to pass
Avoid wearing clothing that is tight fitting as this may irritate the ulcers and blisters
Use an ice pack wrapped in a flannel to help soothe the pain and speed up the healing process
Apply petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to any blisters or ulcers to help reduce the pain when passing urine