| |
Female Symptoms Herpes
Your Questions Answered by Someone Who’s Been There
The female symptoms herpes can be slightly different than men’s genital herpes symptoms - this article will explain the difference. In both men and women the herpes symptoms appear two to twenty days after exposure to the virus. The symptoms of genital herpes in women can last up to a week longer than they do for men.
Blisters and Sores
Female Symptoms Herpes
One symptom of herpes is blisters that burst quite easily and become open sores. Sometimes women may think that the herpes looks like a pimple or herpes rash. The small blisters can form in a group and burst and crust over to look like a cold sore you would see on someone’s face. The sores can be present in the vagina, on the cervix, on the labia, around the anus, or on the buttock and thighs.
Internal versus External
Female Symptoms Herpes
Men can generally see any herpes sores they may have but genital herpes in women may not present external female symptoms. In Women, herpes symptoms can be entirely internal. With vaginal herpes, the sores can be inside the vagina up to and including the cervix. This can make genital herpes in women more difficult to diagnose. External sores can be identified through pictures so you can have an idea before you see your doctor. Internal vaginal pain can be caused by a number of ailments and it’s very important to see your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Women with genital herpes may also develop an unusual vaginal discharge during an outbreak. The discharge is white, off-white, or clear and is a response mechanism in the female body to try and eliminate an infection. The discharge is similar among a number of sexually transmitted diseases and can sometimes be mistaken (even by doctors prior to testing) as a yeast infection.
Other Symptoms
Other female symptoms of herpes are very similar to men’s symptoms and include:
• Sores on the external genitals
• Sores near or inside the anus
• Sores on the thighs or buttocks
• Painful swelling of the glands in the groin
• Flu-like symptoms including fever, muscle aches, and swollen glands
Painful Urination
Female Symptoms Herpes
Women are more likely than men to experience a burning sensation when urinating. This is most often caused because of the acidic urine coming into contact with the open sores. Painful urination in this case can be alleviated by urinating in a sitz bath.
If you’ve given birth you’ll most likely know what a sitz bath is but if not … a sitz bath is a bath where your genital and buttocks region is covered in a warm tub of water. While it may sound very odd to you the warm water can dilute the acidity of your urine so that it doesn’t burn. Using a sitz bath can also prevent you from developing a urinary tract infection caused by infrequent urination. You can either use a shallow dish or purchase a sitz bath at a drug store.
I hope this answered your questions about the female symptoms of herpes. If you would like more information on genital herpes symptoms please click on the
herpes symptoms link.
Don’t forget! Herpes sypmtoms are entirely manageable!
For information on herpes treatment please check out this article.
To return from the female symptoms herpes article to the herpes-treatment-help homepage please click here.
|
