Many people feel that genital herpes, is a difficult subject to talk about with their doctor. It is important to be open and honest with your doctor about the symptoms and severity of your herpes outbreaks. Be sure to tell your doctor if you’d like to try a medication that will help you stop or shorten a recurrent genital herpes outbreak.
When you talk to your Doctor
• Be honest, there’s very little that your doctor hasn’t heard from other patients already.
• Take the time to tell your doctor about all of your symptoms and how severe or uncomfortable they are.
• Talk about a herpes treatment that can help you manage your outbreaks.
Tell your Doctor
• If you have been previously diagnosed with genital herpes
• How long it’s been since your first outbreak
• How many outbreaks you’ve had in the past 3 months
• If you’d like to treat each outbreak as it happens rather than taking medication every day
•You may also want to ask your doctor if you can stop or shorten your outbreaks.
Discussing Your Genital Herpes Symptoms
• Doctors are trained to diagnose herpes and help patients manage outbreaks.
• 1 in 5 people has Genital Herpes
• There are a wide range of symptoms a person may experience during an outbreak.
• Talk to your doctor about the symptoms you have experienced.
• Be sure to mention the severity and frequency of your outbreaks.
• Would you feel more comfortable talking to a doctor over the phone, rather than going to their office?
These are some common symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak
• Itching or tingling in or around the genital area
• Burning in or around the genital area
• Aches or pains in or around the genital area
• A rash, bumps, blisters, cuts, or sores in or around the genital area
• Vaginal or penile discharge
• Burning and/or pain when urinating
• Flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, and swollen glands
The Warning Signs of a Genital Herpes Outbreak
Many people can recognize their individual early warning symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak. Common early warning symptoms may include, pain, burning, itching, tingling, or tenderness.