One of the most common STDs is herpes, especially in women.
It is estimated that almost one fourth of all sexually active females are infected, though many are unaware of it.
This is mainly because over sixty percent of infected women never show any signs.
Even when female symptoms herpes does appear they come and go, leading to the false belief that the virus may be gone, or that it is non contagious.
Although herpes is incurable, by becoming informed of the symptoms one can be better able to identify it and keep it under control to avoid spreading and minimize discomfort.
Preliminary Signs The first signs of herpes that a woman will often notice are discomfort, itchiness, or burning around the vagina and surrounding area.
These sensations will appear before any symptoms are visible, so are often ignored as temporary or related to some outside irritant.
Other early signs include a change in the thickness or odor of vaginal fluid, which again can often be associated with other causes such as a yeast infection, or even be unnoticed by a woman who does not track her cycles.
Sometimes noticeable symptoms may never worsen from this stage, leaving one unaware she has contracted the disease.
Visible Signs The first symptom most people think of in relation to herpes is genital warts.
The raised sores look similar to pimples or blisters and can occur anywhere from the upper legs to the anal region, not just in the immediate vaginal area.
Sometimes the uterus can even be affected if the infection is bad enough.
They spread through skin contact so rubbing or scratching the lesions can cause them to appear on the rest of the body as well.
A feeling of burning or stabbing is often associated with the sores, as well as pain during urination.
Other Warnings Being a virus, herpes is often accompanied by more signs throughout the body as it combats the disease.
Muscle aches, especially in the lower back, headaches, and running a fever are often experienced.
Lymph nodes in the pelvic region may swell as well, leading to pain and irritation in the groin.
These signs can be significantly more or less problematic depending on the person, and are easy to mistake for another typical illness, such as a flu.
Adding to this is the fact that these symptoms come and go as opposed to remaining and worsening, potentially leading one to believe it was something passing.
Occurrences Different from most other STDs, herpes does not exhibit consistent symptoms, although the disease always remains in the body.
Until an outbreak occurs an individual will not notice anything physically out of the ordinary, which can bring about the inaccurate conclusion that there is nothing wrong, or at minimum that it is not contagious during these periods.
Initially, outbreaks can happen about five times a year and last about three weeks, but as time passes they will become less severe and happen less often, despite the fact that it is just as easily transmitted.
The inconsistent appearance of symptoms often make it hard to realize one has herpes and keep it controlled.
Female symptoms herpes is not consistent in type or appearance, so it is not uncommon for women to take quite some time to begin wondering if the disease may be present.
But only by being educated can one have a better chance of controlling the disease and minimizing both discomfort and the possibility of spreading it.