Genital herpes is a lifelong disease that causes painful outbreaks of blisters in the genital area. Herpes simplex virus can infect men and women equally, but the pattern of infection is different.
Herpes symptoms in men can vary greatly from one individual to another, with some men exhibiting obvious signs of infection, while others' symptoms are so mild that they go unnoticed. Not surprisingly, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) estimates that, although one out of every nine American men between the ages of 14 and 49 is infected, nearly 80% of those with genital herpes (or HSV-2) are unaware that they carry the virus.
You’re not alone. First thing you have to understand is that the Herpes virus is very very common. Even the ancient Greeks knew about how often the herpes virus got around.
It is estimated that 56% of the male adult population have Oral Herpes (cold sores) otherwise known as HSV-1. However many of these men don’t even know they have Herpes or have very few herpes symptoms such as herpes sores or blisters. Typically these will occur around the lips but can occur in the nose, the mouth, cheeks, or even the eye!
It is estimated that about 20% of the U.S male adult population have genital herpes otherwise known as HSV-2. Again, many of these guys don’t know they have it or aren't experiencing outbreaks. Or they are just living in denial that they have something strange occuring “down there”. Typically these outbreaks will occur around the genital area.
The symptoms of genital herpes in women and men are primarily the same. Here’s some Male Herpes Symptoms to look for.
|(Picture of Herpes Symptoms in Men: Herpes Blisters on Penis)|
Herpes lesions/sores/blisters. 63% of men get this. Herpes sores are the #1 indicator of male herpes symptoms. For oral herpes these can occur on your lips, cheeks, mouth, nose, or inside mouth. Though usually on the lips. For genital herpes these occur on penis, around penis, inner legs, and even on buttocks. Usually these outbreaks start with itchiness then get painful then turn into blisters. Here’s some good pictures of what herpes looks like.
|Male Genital Herpes Photo|
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Listen, if you see these kind of sores you need to go and get tested! Quit having sex and see a doctor. There’s many testing options that you can use.
Fever, malaise, headache, flu. 39% of men get this in primary outbreaks. For me I got flu-like symptoms during my primary outbreak. These herpes symptoms are not so common in recurrent outbreaks.
Painful urination or penis discharge. These symptoms occur in up to 44% of men during the primary outbreak. The reason for this is you could be getting an outbreak in the urethral track. Yes! You can even get herpes inside the penis! However this symptom occurs less than 10% of the time in recurrent outbreaks.
Swollen lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small glands that are located under the jaw, in the neck, the underarms, and in the groin. During a herpes outbreak these areas can get swollen and sensitive. This is a very common herpes symptom in men and occurs in 80% of primary outbreaks and 25% of recurrent outbreaks.
Itchy areas. Itchiness and skin irritation is a big sign that you have male herpes symptoms. It really occurs during recurrent outbreaks (85% of the time). It pretty much always occurs before I break out in herpes blisters. My skin gets really itchy and irritated either around the lips or in the groin area.
Other symptoms. Here’s a list of some other symptoms:
- skin cracks/fissures
- areas that look like skin is rubbed off
- small white dots (looks like pimples)
- pain down the legs
Go get tested. You have some options here. If you have an active outbreak you can go for a culture test at your doctors. Or you can go to a testing lab like GetStdTested and get it done confidentially on your own. If you do that, you'll still have to visit a doctor for Herpes Medications.
Tell your partner. I have written on my website how to tell someone you have Herpes. It's a good idea to tell your partner about your condition.
Keep Dating Your love life is not over. You'll have to make a few minor changes in the way you date. Consider using a Herpes Dating Site. That way your partners will totally understand.
It’s not the end of the world or your health if you have these symptoms, the important thing is to take a deep breath then take some action.