Genital herpes is a natural, sexually transmitted infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The primary way the virus spreads is through sexual contact. The virus remains dormant in your body after the initial infection and can reactivate many times a year.

Genital herpes, in your genital region, can cause discomfort, scratching and sores. But you do not have any signs of genital herpes. If infected, you can become infectious even if you do not have visible sores.

Genital herpes can't be healed, but medications can relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of infecting others. Condoms can also help prevent the spread of infection with genital herpes.Here in this article we are discussing the Genital herpes and its symptoms, causes and treatment process.

Genital Herpes Symptoms in Men and Women

Most people with HSV do not know they have it because they have no signs or symptoms or because their symptoms and signs are so mild. 

Symptoms may start, if present, about two to 12 days after exposure to the virus. If you experience genital herpes symptoms that can include:

Down or scratch:  Until the infection clears, you can feel pain and tenderness in your genital region.

Tiny red bumps or tiny white blisters: After infection, these can appear a few days to a few weeks. 

Ulcers: This can develop when ruptured blisters and ooze or bleed. Ulcers can make urinating painful.

Scab: As ulcers heal, skin can crust over and form scabs.

You may have flu-like signs and symptoms during an initial outbreak, such as swollen lymph nodes in your groin, headache, muscle aches and fever.

Differences in symptom location

Sores appear in the body where the infection has reached. By touching a sore and then rubbing or scratching another part of your body including your eyes you can spread the infection.

Men and women can develop sores on the:

Buttocks and thighs

Anus

Mouth

Urethra (the tube that allows urine to drain from the bladder to the outside)

Females may also develop sores in or on:

Vaginal area

Outer genitals

Cervix

Males may also develop sores in or on the:

Penis

Scrotum

Causes of Genital Herpes

Two types of infections the herpes simplex virus can cause genital herpes

#1. HSV-1:

It is the form commonly causing cold sores or fever blisters around your mouth. HSV-1 is often spread by skin-to-skin contact although it can spread during oral sex to your genital region. Recurrences are slightly less common than with HSV-2 infection.

#2. HSV-2:

This is the type which is the sort usually causes genital herpes. The virus spreads by skin-to-skin contact and sexual contact. HSV-2 is very popular and highly infectious, whether you're getting open sore or not.

Since the virus dies rapidly outside the body, it is almost impossible to get the infection from contact with toilets, towels or other items that an infected person uses.

Treatment and Prevention Tips of Genital Herpes

Treatment for genital warts depends on the type of warts you have and where they are located. You do not need treatment if there are no visible warts.

There are two main types of treatment for genital warts:

1. Applying a cream, lotion or chemical to the warts (topical treatment)

2. Destroying the tissue of the warts by freezing, heating or removing them (physical ablation)

Most topical treatments tend to work better on softer warts, and physical ablation tends to work better on harder and rougher-feeling warts. Sometimes, a combination of topical treatments is recommended.

For some people, treatment can take several months to remove the warts, so it is important to persevere.

You may be advised to avoid perfumed soap, bath bubbles or lotions while you are having treatment for warts as these can sometimes irritate the skin.

Prevention Tips

Recommendations for avoiding genital herpes are the same as recommendations for avoiding other sexually transmitted infections: Abstaining from sexual intercourse or limit sexual contact to only one person who is safe from infection. Short of that, you can:

Use a latex condom for any sexual activity with your partner

Avoid sex if either partner has herpes outbreak in the genital region or elsewhere

Pregnancy Precautions during genital herpes

Tell your doctor that if you are pregnant and know you have genital herpes. If you think you might have genital herpes, ask to get it checked. 

Your doctor may suggest you start taking herpes antiviral medicines late in your pregnancy to try to avoid an outbreak around delivery time. If you are having an outbreak when you go into labor, the doctor would possibly prescribe a cesarean operation to minimize the risk of transmitting the infection to your infant.