How do you know if you have genital herpes?

Answer 1

The most common sign of herpes is red, sensitive skin that develops sores or blisters (often referred to as herpes outbreaks). Those lesions usually show up in and around the genital area, although female symptoms of herpes may cause these blisters to develop inside the vagina. Other signs and symptoms of genital herpes include: swollen lymph glands in the groin, headaches, muscle aches, fever, and lower Back pain. In women, herpes symptoms can also include vaginal discharge and pain or a burning sensation when urinating. The only way to know conclusively is to do clinical testing from a blood collection or a culture from a sore.

If you don't have the outbreaks - the visual and physical signs and symptoms - it's possible you are asymptomatic, and you would need to be tested to know if you are infected with the virus. Even those who are asymptomatic are able to transmit the infection to others. So, you will have to be tested to know for sure.

Most people get symptoms like itching, burning and or tingling symptoms occuring around their genitals. Some people get burning pain when they urinate, if it's an initial break out you may also feel like you are getting a fever and muscle pains. Usually ulcers or blisters occur on the genitals.

Symptoms usually occur with in 2-30 days of contracting herpes. But some people can contract herpes and have mild or no symptoms at all.

If you have a break out then a doctor can take a swab sample of a sore or blister. If you don't have a break out then you can talk to your doctor about getting a blood test for herpes.