What happens if genital herpes is not treated

An estimated 1 in 6 people ages in the U. There is no cure for herpes, but prescription medication can ease symptoms and lower the chances of passing the virus to others.

Herpes can be painful, but usually does not lead to serious health problems. Enter ZIP Code. Herpes can be passed even if the penis or tongue does not go all the way in the vagina, anus, or mouth. Herpes is most easily transmitted when sores are open and wet, because fluid from herpes blisters easily spreads the virus.

Most people get herpes from someone who does not have any sores. When used consistently and correctly, condoms help protect against herpes and many other STDs. The most common symptom of genital herpes is outbreaks of itchy, painful blisters or sores on the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, butt, anus, or inside of the thighs. The first outbreak usually starts about 2 to 20 days after exposure to herpes, but sometimes it takes years for the first outbreak to happen.

It usually lasts about 2 to 4 weeks. Even though the blisters go away, the virus stays in the body and can cause sores again.

They'll often get test results quicker than GP practices and you do not have to pay a prescription fee for treatment. Find a sexual health clinic. Symptoms might not appear for weeks or even years after you're infected with the herpes virus.

If you have genital herpes, your previous sexual partners should get tested. The doctor or nurse at the clinic can discuss this with you and help you tell your partners without letting them know it's you who has the virus. There's no cure. Symptoms clear up by themselves, but the blisters can come back an outbreak or recurrence.

If you have had symptoms for more than 5 days before you go to a sexual health clinic, you can still get tested to find out the cause. Go to a GP or sexual health clinic if you have been diagnosed with genital herpes and need treatment for an outbreak. Antiviral medicine may help shorten an outbreak by 1 or 2 days if you start taking it as soon as symptoms appear. But outbreaks usually settle by themselves, so you may not need treatment. Recurrent outbreaks are usually milder than the first episode of genital herpes.

Show references Genital herpes: CDC detailed fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Jan. Klausner JD, et al. Genital herpes. New York, N. Albrecht MA. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of genital herpes simplex virus infection.

Longo DL, et al. Herpes simplex virus infections. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Frequently asked questions. Gynecologic problems FAQ American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Depending on that new infection, symptoms might include fever, weight loss, or a dry cough, Tosh notes.

Treatment: Antiretroviral therapy. What they are: Sexually transmitted infections STIs caused by bacteria — Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, respectively — and spread by vaginal, anal, or oral sex. The CDC recommends annual screening for both. Initial symptoms: Most commonly urethritis, an inflammation of the urethra, which can result in a painful, burning feeling when you pee.

But both can also be asymptomatic, Tosh notes. If left untreated: If they progress, these STIs can also lead to more serious infections around the testes. In rare cases, gonorrhea can also spread throughout the body where it can infect the joints, causing damage and pain within weeks of infection.

You can also pass the infections onto a sexual partner. And in women, both untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can progress into pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection in the female reproductive organs, and can lead to infertility.