Symptoms of oral and genital herpes

Genital herpes symptoms

Herpes sores usually form around the genital area a few days after you are exposed to the virus. The sores usually start as tiny, clear blisters. When they break open, they form pink or red sores. These sores usually crust over and heal within two to 12 days. The blisters are usually in clusters, but you might have just one blister. You might have a fever, muscle aches, and sore lymph nodes in the groin area for up to 10 to 14 days. Herpes sores can cause vaginal discharge in women. You also might have trouble urinating. If you think you might have herpes, you should see your doctor. He or she can do tests to see if you are infected.

Oral herpes symptoms

A primary infection with HSV is often asymptomatic. However, when symptoms do occur, young children often present with herpetic stomatitis, characterized by fever and the formation of small blisters and ulcers in the front of and around the mouth, on the tongue, and on the lips. Adults often present with sore throat and lymph node swelling.

Symptoms of initial infection can also include chills, fatigue, and muscle aches last 10 to 14 days. Relapses are characterized by burning skin rash on the lips and around the mouth (papules, vesicles, and crusts). In about 25% of relapse cases the infection heals before any blisters can form.

Redness of the skin become vesicles within hours and subsequently progress through ulcerated, crusted, and healing stages within 72 to 96 hours. Before skin lesions appear, 60% of patients experience the prodromes tingling, itching, and burning.

• Fever, may precede appearance of blisters and ulcers by 1 or 2 days
• Irritability
• Blisters in the mouth, often on the tongue or cheeks
• Ulcers in the mouth, often on the tongue or cheeks -- these form after the blisters pop
• Swollen gums
• Pain in mouth
• Drooling
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)