Many people do not realise they have been infected with genital herpes and are therefore “silent carriers”, with no symptoms. In many people however, the first episode of herpes can cause a lot of pain, with small intensely painful blisters around the genital area- these break down and form shallow ulcers, which scab and heal over the following weeks. The pain can be very sharp (patients often say it feels like “sitting on glass”) and there may be redness and swelling in the genital area. Some people may have difficulty passing urine (if this happens it is important to seek medical attention).