What are the early symptoms of herpes in women?

Herpes is the most common skin disease in our lives. It is usually caused by fungal infection due to low immunity. Especially many women have poor stress resistance and are prone to some diseases. It will bring us very severe pain and cause certain damage to our skin. If we can discover it in time and actively treat it, we can also get good improvement and cure. Let's take a look at the early symptoms of herpes in women.

What are the early symptoms of herpes in women?

1. Typical manifestations

Before the rash occurs, there may be systemic symptoms such as mild fatigue, low fever, and poor appetite. The affected skin will feel burning or neuralgia, and there will be obvious pain sensitivity when touched, which lasts for 1 to 3 days. The rash may also occur without any prodromal symptoms. The most common sites are the areas innervated by the intercostal nerves, cervical nerves, trigeminal nerves and lumbar sacral nerves. The affected area often first develops erythema, soon followed by millet- to soybean-sized papules, which are clustered and not fused, and then quickly turn into blisters with tense and shiny blister walls, clear blister fluid, and a red halo around the periphery. The skin between clusters of blisters is normal. The lesions are arranged in a band-like pattern along a peripheral nerve, mostly on one side of the body, usually not exceeding the midline. Neuralgia is one of the characteristics of this disease, which may occur before the onset of the disease or accompany skin lesions, and is often more severe in elderly patients. The course of the disease is generally 2 to 3 weeks. After the blisters dry up and the scabs fall off, temporary light red spots or pigmentation remain.

2. Special performance

(1) Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is caused by a virus that invades the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. It is more common in the elderly and causes severe pain. It can also affect the cornea and cause ulcerative keratitis.

(2) Herpes zoster oticus is caused by a virus invading the facial nerve and auditory nerve, and manifests as herpes in the external auditory canal or tympanic membrane. When the geniculate ganglion is affected and the motor and sensory nerve fibers of the facial nerve are invaded at the same time, a triad of facial paralysis, ear pain, and external auditory canal herpes may occur, which is called Ramsay-Hunt syndrome.

(3) Postherpetic neuralgia: Herpes zoster is often accompanied by neuralgia, which can occur before the rash, during the rash, and after the skin lesions have healed. However, it usually disappears after the skin lesions have completely subsided or within 1 month. In a few patients, the neuralgia may last for more than 1 month, which is called postherpetic neuralgia.

(4) Other atypical herpes zoster are related to the differences in the body's resistance of patients, and can manifest as abortive type (no skin lesions, only neuralgia), incomplete type (only erythema and papules appear without blisters and then disappear), bullous type, hemorrhagic type, gangrenous type and generalized type (simultaneous involvement of more than two ganglia, resulting in skin lesions in multiple areas on the contralateral or ipsilateral side). The virus can occasionally spread through the blood to produce widespread varicella-like rash and invade organs such as the lungs and brain, which is called disseminated herpes zoster.

The above is an introduction to the early symptoms of herpes in women. After understanding the symptoms of herpes, we can detect it in time and treat it as early as possible. In addition, people with herpes should also adjust their diet. They must eat more vegetables and fruits, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and ensure adequate sleep. Go to the hospital for examination and treatment in time.