Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that's usually caused by the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), although it also can be caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), which normally causes cold sores around the mouth.
In some cases, genital herpes causes blisters and pain in the genital area, but in others, it doesn't cause any symptoms, so someone who is infected could unknowingly pass it on to others. Sometimes people who have genital herpes only have one outbreak. Others have many outbreaks, which are less painful and shorter than the first episode.
There's no cure for herpes. Once someone has been infected with the herpes virus, it stays in the body. Medications can alleviate the discomfort of outbreaks and limit or sometimes prevent them. But it's better to prevent a herpes infection altogether. Anyone having sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) should take precautions against STDs and get screened for them regularly.
Symptoms
Symptoms of herpes outbreaks typically begin with pain, tenderness, or itching in the genital area and also might include fever and headache. Bumps and blisters may appear on the vagina, penis, scrotum, anus, thigh, or buttocks. Blisters soon open to form painful sores that can last up to 3 weeks.
Other symptoms may include: pain or a burning sensation during urination; muscle aches; and tender, swollen glands in the groin area. After the first herpes infection, the virus can lie dormant without causing any symptoms. But the virus might reactivate later, leading to sores that usually don't last as long as those during the first outbreak. The virus tends to reactivate following some type of stress, like a cold, an infection, hormone changes, menstrual periods, or even before a big test at school.
After the herpes blisters disappear, a person may think the virus has gone away — but it's actually hiding in the body. Both HSV1 and HSV2 can stay hidden away in the body until the next herpes outbreak, when the virus reactivates itself and the sores return.