Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) passed on through vaginal, anal and oral sex. Treatment from a sexual health clinic can help. Symptoms clear up on their own but can come back.

Non-urgent advice:Go to a sexual health clinic as soon as possible if you have:
small blisters that burst to leave red, open sores around your genitals, anus, thighs or bottom
tingling, burning or itching around your genitals
pain when you pee
in women, vaginal discharge that's not usual for you
These can be symptoms of genital herpes.

Go even if you have not had sex for a long time, as blisters can take months or years to appear.

See pictures of genital herpes on a vagina, penis and buttocks
Information:
Why you should go to a sexual health clinic
You can see a GP, but they'll probably refer you to a sexual health clinic if they think you might have genital herpes.

Sexual health clinics treat problems with the genitals and urine system.

Many sexual health clinics offer a walk-in service, where you do not need an appointment.

They'll often get test results quicker than GP practices and you do not have to pay a prescription fee for treatment.

Find a sexual health clinic

What happens at a sexual health clinic
The doctor or nurse at the sexual health clinic will:

ask about your symptoms and your sexual partners
use a buy remeron 30 mg small cotton bud (swab) to take some fluid from 1 of your blisters or sores for testing
The test cannot:

be done if you do not have visible blisters or sores
tell you how long you have had herpes or who you got it from
Symptoms might not appear for weeks or even years after you're infected with the herpes virus.

Treatment for genital herpes
There's no cure. Symptoms clear up by themselves, but the blisters can come back (an outbreak or recurrence).

Treatment from a sexual health clinic can help.

Treatment the first time you have genital herpes
You may be prescribed:

antiviral medicine to stop the symptoms getting worse – you need to start taking this within 5 days of the symptoms flagyl 400mg cheap appearing
cream for the pain
If you have had symptoms for more than 5 days before you go to a sexual health clinic, you can still get tested to find out the cause.

Treatment if the blisters come back
Go to a GP or sexual health clinic if you have been diagnosed with genital herpes and need treatment for an outbreak.

Antiviral medicine may help shorten an outbreak by 1 or 2 days if you start taking it as soon as symptoms appear.

But outbreaks usually settle by themselves, so you may not need treatment.

Recurrent outbreaks are usually milder than the first episode of genital herpes.

Over time, outbreaks tend to happen less often and be less severe. Some people never have outbreaks.

Some people who have more than 6 outbreaks in a year may benefit from taking antiviral medicine for 6 to 12 months.

If you still have outbreaks of genital herpes during this time, you may be referred to a specialist.


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