Herpes, also known as Herpes Simplex Virus or HSV, is a viral infection. The virus can cause oral and genital herpes. While many people live with asymptomatic herpes, others are often affected by an outbreak. A herpes outbreak refers to an active episode of herpes. Typically, an outbreak lasts up to 1 to 2 weeks. However, studies reveal that the first outbreak is often longer than the subsequent ones.
In most cases, the symptoms might disappear without treatment, whereas in severe cases, the outbreak may continue to occur although at low intensity for several days.
Types of Herpes
Oral herpes is caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and is known as cold sores, while genital herpes is caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 2 and is known as genital sores. In both cases, herpes can be either asymptomatic or symptomatic. HSV-2 sores can also occur in other parts of the body.
In males, the sores can appear on the penis, scrotum, groin, thighs, buttocks, and around the anus (1). In females, it affects the labia, inside the vagina, thighs, groin, on the buttocks, and around the anus. In the case of oral herpes, the virus affects the mouth, throat, tongue, and around the lips.
In between episodes, you may not know that the virus has infected you as it remains in one’s nervous system and reactivates now and then, flashing symptoms (2).
Symptoms of a Herpes Outbreak
An infected person showing symptoms of herpes might complain of the following:
- Tingling
- Itching
- Burning around the affected area
- Blisters or lesions
- Ulcers
- Decreased appetite
- Fever
- Headache
- Swollen
- Muscle aches
- Other Flu-like symptoms
- Shooting pain in legs, hips, or butt
Who is at Risk of Developing Herpes?
Anyone can contract herpes regardless of their age. It is pretty common and is asymptomatic in most cases. There are a few risk factors that make you more vulnerable to contracting the disease:
- Having a sexual partner living with HSV
- People who are immunocompromised
Pregnant females are likely to transmit the infection to the baby if they had caught it during the third trimester of pregnancy. Herpes can also cause severe complications in pregnancy, such as premature delivery. However, the risk is lesser if a herpes outbreak occurs during the initial phases of pregnancy.
Other Aspects that Trigger a Herpes Outbreak
Besides the stipulated causes, a herpes outbreak can also be triggered by psychological stress. It could include emotional upheaval. People undergoing physical stress could also suffer from herpes which includes hormonal changes associated with menstruation or friction from tight clothes. It is best to speak to a qualified healthcare provider to seek the appropriate treatment and shorten the spells of the outbreak.
Duration of Herpes Outbreak
In oral herpes, the symptoms could involve fever, swollen lymph nodes, swollen gums, and sores in the throat, mouth, and tongue. Although an initial herpes outbreak can last for 14 days, sometimes it can take up to 6 weeks for sores to completely heal.
The herpes virus stays in the body and parks itself in your nerves. In most cases, a healthy immune system tries to keep them dormant. However, if you catch flu or any other illness or experience extreme stress, the virus can break free and cause a cold sore. You may feel a tingling or a burning sensation that appears before an outbreak. In case there are recurrent outbreaks, they are less likely to be severe and may last for a shorter duration.
Asymptomatic people are completely capable of transmitting the herpes virus to others. The first outbreak of oral herpes usually develops within 1 to 3 weeks after the infection. The incubation period of genital herpes is between 2-20 days, and the initial outbreak may last up to 3 weeks.
There are different stages through which the first outbreak of oral or genital herpes may show symptoms post-infection. The warning signs could show between 12-24 hours before an outbreak. You might experience itching, burning, or tingling sensations around the cold sores in this stage. On the day of the outbreak, you might see blisters forming. During this phase, you will experience fluid-filled red bumps that may continue to leak for a long time. On days 4-5 of the outbreak, the sores start crusting and sometimes may bleed as the sores begin to heal. By day 6 or 7, you might experience healing of the scab. (3)
The frequency of herpes outbreaks may become less frequent with antiviral medication. For instance, you might find that the sores last only for a week and feel less pain in the recurrent outbreaks than they do during the first outbreak.
How to Manage Herpes Symptoms?
Herpes can be painful and cause discomfort to both children and adults. However, while you must visit a doctor for appropriate advice, a few things can be done at home to ease the symptoms.
- Keep the affected area clean and dry to reduce any further change or infection
- Use cold or hot compression as required on the affected area
- Avoid tight clothing to prevent further genital sores
- Avoid popping the blisters, and don’t pick scabs that form over the herpes sores
- Ask your doctor to recommend a reliable painkiller medicine or ointment along with the necessary antiviral treatment
When to See the Doctor?
An outbreak can be quite demanding on your health, and proper care can assist in faster healing of the sores. Remember that you are contagious when you experience an outbreak, so it's best to avoid intimate contact with anyone until your sores heal. Herpes is treatable, although there is no complete cure for it.
People with frequent outbreaks can consult the healthcare provider to seek the right treatment. If unsure, you can always take a blood test to confirm the prevalence of the herpes virus in your body. It will also indicate if that is the cause of the frequent outbreaks.
In case you are concerned that you may have the herpes virus, but there are no symptoms, your doctor might be able to order a blood test to check for the virus in your blood.
A herpes treatment involves the prescription of antiviral medicine known as suppressive therapy. These include antiviral topicals, which can be applied to the affected area of the skin to provide relief from burning, itching, and tingling associated with herpes sores. From intravenous medication to oral pills, the right treatment can shorten the duration of symptoms and make the outbreak less severe. Also, it can reduce the risk of transmission to others.
To get rid of a herpes outbreak, you can get yourself tested, consult a doctor and use the medication prescribed for treating the viral infection. Also, you may avoid scented soaps and keep the sores clean using cotton wool or plain saline water during the period.
Currently, there is no vaccination available for HSV infection. With high chances of infection, preventive measures need to be taken to keep the disease at bay and lower the risks of passing genital herpes to your partner (4).
It is best to consult your doctor at the earliest if you start showing symptoms to prevent it from getting aggravated.