Herpes Simplex Virus 2 or HSV-2 is commonly known as genital herpes. Initial genital herpes symptoms can cause genital aches, pain, burning, tingling, sciatica (ache down one leg), and flu-like symptoms. You'll find natural remedy suggestions for colds, flu, and COVID-19 under Overlapping Conditions.
Symptoms may also include headache, fever, body ache, and feeling tired and irritable, which leads to a small cluster of blisters forming on the vagina, penis, or between the cheeks of the buttocks, and, if female, possible vaginal discharge. Not all outbreaks are the same.
Some individuals suffer only one outbreak, while others
suffer repeated outbreaks and even back-to-back infections. Some individuals experience few or only 1-3 small blisters that cause minimal trouble. Others may have several large, oozing sores that cause more fear, pain, and grief than you can imagine. Well, maybe you can.
You may have heard outbreaks are highest in the first year, becoming less frequent and less severe over time. Consecutive outbreaks tend to appear in the same general area of the body as the first one. However, this pattern doesn't hold for everyone. Ongoing stress can make herpes an absolute nightmare.
Genital herpes may also appear higher up on the hip, upper buttock, and lower back, and can sometimes be mistaken for Shingles, but it is known as Sacral Herpes. It can be extremely itchy and painful, similar to Shingles. Lesions may ooze. Outbreaks can last 2 to 3 weeks.
Some people experience map-like areas of redness or small, rash-like bumps that appear on other areas of the body and wax and wane without blistering. There may be a rash or itch that feels like spider webs dragging across the skin or fleas biting, which can be an allergic reaction called Pruritus, which can occur all over the body, including the head, face, arms, legs, and trunk. Prescribed antiviral medications can be a direct cause of Pruritus.
Herpes blisters usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. It can take up to 3 days for blisters to form and erupt during the prodromal phase. The prodromal phase is characterized by viral shedding and the emergence of initial signs of an outbreak, including tingling, itching, and aching.
Symptoms usually last 7-10 days for cold sores and one to two weeks for genital herpes (HSV-2). Cold sores can last up to 6 weeks. Healing can take longer in individuals with compromised immune systems.
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