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Oral Herpes Symptoms HSV Type 1

• Incubation period: For oral herpes, the amount of time between contact with the virus and the appearance of symptoms, the incubation period, is 2-12 days. Most people average about 4 days.
  
• Duration of illness: Signs and symptoms will last 2-3 weeks. Fever, tiredness, muscle aches, and irritability may occur.
  
  • Pain, burning, tingling, or itching occurs at the infection site before the sores appear. Then clusters of blisters erupt. These blisters break down rapidly and, when seen, appear as tiny, shallow, gray ulcers on a red base. A few days later, they become crusted or scabbed and appear drier and more yellow
    
  • Oral sores: The most intense pain caused by these sores occurs at the onset and make eating and drinking difficult.
    • The sores may occur on the lips, the gums, the front of the tongue, the inside of the cheeks, the throat, and the roof of the mouth.
      
    • They may also extend down the chin and neck.
      
    • The gums may become mildly swollen and red and may bleed.
      
    • Neck lymph nodes often swell and become painful.
      
    • In people in their teens and 20s, herpes may cause a painful throat with shallow ulcers and a grayish coating on the tonsils.

When Will the Symptoms of Herpes Appear? Once you have been exposed to the virus through direct skin-to-skin contact, it can take anywhere from two to 20 days before your first episode of symptoms of genital herpes will occur. While the first outbreak of herpes is usually the worst one you will experience, as much as 60% of those infected with the virus will fail to notice any symptoms because the outbreak is so mild. Even if you do not have any symptoms, though, you can still pass on the virus to your sexual partners.

On average, the first herpes outbreak in men lasts about two weeks while in women the average is three weeks. Additionally, because women frequently experience their herpes sores in the vagina, many may mistake the few herpes symptoms they have for some other type of infection. You may confuse herpes with an outbreak of boils. Boils are larger and more painful, but a variety of boil treatments are available. It is not uncommon for a woman infected with the herpes virus to be misdiagnosed with a yeast infection, pelvic inflammatory disease or an inflamed cervix (cervicitis). While women frequently develop vaginal herpes, it is also possible to develop lesions on the vulva, cervix, urethra, anus, thighs and buttocks. If you have unusual vaginal discharge or persistent vaginal discomfort, it is a good idea to be tested for herpes.

Genital Herpes Symptoms HSV Type 2

The most common sign of herpes is red, sensitive skin that develops sores or blisters (often referred to as herpes bumps). These 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
• Lower back pain

In women, herpes symptoms can also include vaginal discharge and pain or a burning sensation when urinating. About 25% of women will develop meningitis as a complication of their first herpes outbreak while another 10% to 15% will have troubles urinating because of their herpes.

Herpes Treatment
Although there is no herpes cure, there are various herpes medications available that can ease the discomfort of your symptoms and shorten the length of the herpes outbreak.