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Main > Specialty Areas > Venereology and STDs >
Herpes Symptoms
Symptoms of genital herpes develop within 1 to 3 weeks after infection and are characterized by clusters of small, painful vesicles on or around the genitals. Soon after their initial appearance, they pop, leaving small sores and lesions. In men, the vesicles usually occur on the penis, sometimes in the urethra or colon. In women, the affected areas are usually the vaginal lips, sometimes the cervix or the anus area. The affected areas usually itch or burn.
After a while, these symptoms largely disappear, which leads many people to falsely conclude that they are cured. In reality, the virus lies dormant in the nervous system and another outbreak is pretty much guaranteed. Outbreaks occur with different frequency in different people. Some experience them once a month; others may not see one for a couple of years. Sometimes, an outbreak is accompanied by flu-like symptoms, such as muscle ache, headache or fever. An outbreak can be provoked by another disease, stress or even overheating.
An infected person in the midst of an outbreak is especially contagious: an uninfected partner has a 75% chance of contracting the disease during sexual contact. A person who has no symptoms may still be actively shedding the virus and, although the probability of infection is smaller, it is still possible.
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| Random Useful Tip: |
Epinephrine shot If you are known to have a severe anaphylactic reaction, carry an epinephrine (adrenaline) shot with you at all times. Pay attention to expiration date and replace it regularly: upon expiration, it loses its effectiveness. |
| Random Drug Info: |
Levothyroxine Levothyroxine is a pure synthetic form of T4 hormone that is made in a laboratory to be an exact replacement for the T4 that the human thyroid gland normally secretes. It comes in multiple strengths, which means that an appropriate dosage can almost always be found for each patient. |
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