Symptoms of Herpes

Learn to Recognize the Symptoms of Herpes

The Herpes Virus is very common, though some people don’t even recognize the symptoms of herpes. It is estimated that almost every person in the world has been exposed to some strain of the herpes virus by the time they reach adulthood. Still, symptoms of herpes are often misdiagnosed or overlooked.

Symptoms of herpes

The most common symptoms of herpes are sores. The four most widespread types of herpes each have some particular symptoms, but also have the commonality of sores as the major symptom of herpes of that type.

For example, most people over the age of 40 can remember having chickenpox as a child. Today there’s a vaccine that prevents children from contracting the disease, but a couple of decades ago most children had the chickenpox. Chickenpox, a form of herpes, showed itself in the formation of small, clear blisters that became larger and eventually scabbed over. These are very common symptoms of herpes and similar symptoms of herpes are seen in the other strains of the virus.

Consider the major symptoms of the Herpes Simplex virus that causes Oral Herpes, also known as Fever Blisters or cold sores. In this case, symptoms of herpes start with a burning and itching and quickly progress to a small blister. The area often swells and within a few days, the sore will scab over. Similar lesions are commonly known as symptoms of herpes in the genital form as well. Shingles, the fourth of the more widespread versions of the herpes virus, also manifests in sores, abrasions and lesions.

When it comes to treatment, the symptoms of herpes often drive the treatment. Because there is no cure for the virus, the most common means of treatment is to treat the symptoms of herpes. In the case of chicken pox, the itching was usually the symptom that demanded the most attention. Carbonated petroleum jelly sometimes kept the scabs more supple so that they didn’t break open easily and helped soothe the itch. There was little else to do for the symptoms of herpes in this case and children merely endured until the symptoms passed – usually less than two weeks.

Treating the symptoms of herpes in the case of cold sores is very similar. Most medications for cold sores address the pain and itch while keeping the scab moist to avoid cracking and breaking. There are some recent breakthroughs for those with genital herpes and those symptoms of herpes can sometimes be significantly diminished with the use of medication.