What You Need To Know About HSV 1 Symptoms In Men

If you're a man and you find yourself infected with HSV 1, most likely you'll have cold sores on your lips and inside your mouth. They're easily visible by their physical appearance. Usually, they're swollen and red. You may have one blister or a cluster of sores. When the blisters break and ooze fluid, they'll heal on their own. This is clearly indicated by the formation of a scab after a few days.

Not every man with herpes simplex virus will show symptoms. Yet, they can be contagious especially during the outbreaks which usually last up to ten days.

Each time you've fever blisters, the herpes viruses usually follow the same route to the skin. For example, if you've sores on your lips before, you should experience the sores appearing on the same spot the next time.

However, there are times when the sores surface on other areas besides your lip. Herpes viruses usually reside in the same nerve ganglion, which covers your lip, mouth, nose and chin. This explains why they attack other locations.

So, what are the HSV 1 symptoms in men? If this is your first outbreak, you may experience the following flu-like symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, headache, and muscle pain. You also may find yourself having bad breath.

Not all men will have the blisters during their first-time viral episode. However, if you've sores, it'll be painful. Thus, you find it hard to eat or drink. Sometimes, sleeping can be a problem too. You also need to be careful not to infect other areas of your body.

Usually the first herpes outbreak is more severe than the recurrent ones. However, some unlucky men do experience more severe cold sore symptoms in the recurring episodes.

You should know by now that once you're infected, the HSV 1 will remain in your body all the time. They retreat to the nerve ganglion and remain inactive until something triggers them. This means that in the future, it will come out from its dormancy and attack you again. Generally, you will have lesser number of outbreaks as you grow older.

When you experience subsequent outbreaks, you will know it is coming because you can feel the first herpes symptoms. Tingling, burning, and an itching sensation are some of them. You should pay attention to these symptoms as most men don't bother about them. In the next 48 hours or less, the sores will develop. This is known as the prodromal stage.

The affected skin area will become tender, numb, and red. You should see a few small blisters filled with fluid appearing on the skin. They may merge and become one huge sore, causing pain and discomfort. Sometimes, during the recurrent outbreaks, your glands become swollen.

Over time, you'll learn to identify the prodromal symptoms. They're important because this is the best time to apply treatment. Furthermore, this is the beginning of the contagious period because the herpes simplex virus is now active, and ready for infection. Most men fail to prevent the spread of the virus. So, take all the precautions you need to ensure that you don't pass on the virus to the people around you.