What is the difference between gonorrhea and herpes

And with gonorrhea, women may never experience any symptoms at all or may only show mild symptoms, while men are more likely to have symptoms that are more severe. A couple of the most telltale symptoms of these STIs overlap between the two for both men and women , such as:.

With both gonorrhea and chlamydia, men may also experience abnormal swelling in their testicles and scrotum, and pain when they ejaculate. You may also develop symptoms that affect your throat if you engage in oral sex with someone who has one of these conditions. This can cause mouth and throat symptoms, including sore throat and a cough. With chlamydia, women may experience more severe symptoms if the infection moves upward to the uterus and fallopian tubes.

This can cause pelvic inflammatory disease PID. With gonorrhea, you may also notice rectal symptoms like itching, soreness, and pain when you defecate. Both conditions are caused by an overgrowth of bacteria. Chlamydia is caused by an overgrowth of the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. Gonorrhea is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Both STIs are caused by bacterial infections that are transmitted through unprotected sexual contact , meaning sex without using a condom, dental dam, or another protective barrier between you and your partner during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

Both STIs can also be transmitted to a child at birth if the mother has either condition. Both STIs can be diagnosed using similar diagnostic methods. Your doctor may use one or more of these tests to ensure that the diagnosis is accurate and that the right treatment is given:.

Chlamydia is usually treated with a dose of azithromycin Zithromax, Z-Pak taken either all at once or over a period of a week or so typically about five days. Chlamydia can also be treated with doxycycline Oracea, Monodox. Herpes lesions might take one or two days to appear and on average last for two weeks this might extend to four weeks in the first outbreak. Since the lesions are superficial, no scarring is expected after healing.

X Herpes navigation Herpes overview What you feel? Balanitis Herpes vs. Herpes vs. Table 1. Similarities of herpes and primary syphilis symptoms Differences between herpes and primary syphilis signs Both conditions may have systemic symptoms: overall weakness, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, muscle aches, and loss of appetite Pain Herpes blisters and sores are tingly, itchy, and painful in different stages.

Syphilis sores are painless. Similarities of herpes and primary syphilis signs Differences between herpes and primary syphilis signs Location Both conditions can affect the vagina, penis, anus, or mouth.

Full text of article available at link below: bit. Skip to content. Subscribe to our newsletter. What to expect on this page? Oops … Is that Herpes? How to recognize genital herpes.

Overview Genital herpes is a very common sexually transmitted disease STD. Herpes skin lesions The most characteristic and most common symptom of genital herpes is skin lesions.

General symptoms The initial herpes infection is sometimes associated with general symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, and muscular aches. It is not always Herpes It is a sore but not a herpes While genital ulceration is often associated with herpes, it can be the result of several other conditions, including but not limited to, other sexually transmitted diseases, inflammatory conditions, skin irritation, and allergic skin lesions.

Syphilis The skin lesion of primary syphilis usually develops about three weeks up to 90 days after contracting the disease through sexual contact. Both can present with multiple vesicles and get ulcerated Herpes usually presents with multiple fluid-filled vesicles that turn into ulcers over time.

Herpes ulcers are shallow, small, and on a red base that is, they are surrounded by red skin. They are painful and may occur with painful lymphadenopathy. Syphilis usually has a solitary sore. A syphilis ulcer is usually deeper and larger and is painless in itself with painless lymphadenopathy. Chancroid Chancroid is less common in the United States. Similarity Difference Herpes vs.

Both can present with multiple vesicles and become ulcerated. Herpes starts as vesicles before it ulcerates. Its ulceration is superficial and sometimes appears as an elevation with a hole in the middle. Chancroid starts as an inflamed patch before it ulcerates. Its ulceration is deep and bleeds easily, and it can release a purulent liquid. Lymphogranuloma Venereum Another sexually transmitted disease that presents with a genital ulcer resembling herpes is lymphogranuloma venereum, which is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.

Lymphogranuloma Venereum Both can present with an ulceration. In the United States, both are most prevalent in men who have sex with men. Herpes starts as vesicles that can be painful. It is possible to have a painful lymphadenopathy in herpes, but it is unlikely to progress to fistulas, and the main symptom is the skin lesion.

Lymphogranuloma venereum starts as a button that may go unnoticed. The skin lesion is painless. Painful lymphadenopathy is the main symptom and can progress to fistulas. When it is clearly not genital Herpes The following are some conditions that cause skin imperfections around the genital area. Human Papillomavirus HPV HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that can manifest with warts in different parts of the genital area.

HPV Skin lesion may present as multiple buttons organized in a flower shape. Herpes vesicles sacs full of liquid with thin membranes have a fragile consistency and are likely to ulcerate. HPV lesions are firm and very unlikely to ulcerate. Molluscum contagiosum Molluscum contagiosum is a highly infectious condition caused by a virus and commonly seen in HIV patients. Molluscum contagiosum Small buttons that can be found grouped. The dimpled aspect of mollusca can look like ulcerated herpes.

Herpes lesions are fragile vesicles that ulcerate. They typically around the mouth and in the genital area. Molluscum contagiosum lesions are firm and smooth and only rarely ulcerate, and they are more likely to also be present on other body parts, such as the abdomen, legs, and arms. Ingrown hair and pseudofolliculitis When the hair is not properly shaved on fragile skin, it can curl inside it, forming a bump, and can progress to pseudofolliculitis or even folliculitis.

Herpes has vesicles that ulcerate and a characteristic burning pain. Ingrown hair and pseudofolliculitis have small, firm lesions that do not ulcerate and mild tingling pain and itching. Folliculitis A hair follicle can become infected and form an inflamed button, most commonly because of a superficial bacterial or fungal infection or the progression of ingrown hair toward the infection.

Herpes has vesicles that ulcerate. It has no relationship to hair. Folliculitis presents as pimples that do not ulcerate. Either a hair will top each pimple or an ingrown hair will be seen underneath it. Jock itch Jock itch, or tinea cruris, is a common dermatologic condition, especially in men. Jock itch The delimited red patch of jock itch might look like the inflamed background of herpes. Jock itch has no buttons or ulcerations. Genital eczema Eczema, or dermatitis, refers to a group of skin diseases that cause skin inflammation.

Eczema Both can present with blisters. With herpes, lesions that look like blisters are frequent, very prone to ulceration, and cause a burning sensation.

With eczema, blisters are rare, ulceration is exceptional, and itching is the primary symptom. Should I talk to a doctor about it? References 1. Klausner JD. The Great Imitator Revealed: Syphilis.