Bilateral lymphadenopathy in the neck! help

[danzel]

Hello , I am a 26 years old previously healthy male with severe viral pharyingitis that made swallowing even water or my own saliva very painful... I had tonsillectomy at the age of 3... My question is that my neck lymph nodes on both sides are swollen and very painful too how could i make them less painful and less swollen?

[HowardH]

OK, primary oral HSV infection is possible. However, other viruses could mimic it, and you should have had a swab test from the vesicles or throat to detect HSV by PVR (a DNA test) or culture. Even the most expert herpes researchers are often wrong in diagnosing herpes, or telling it from other conditions, by visual examination. The lab test is crucial to confirm the diagnosis and to know the virus type. (That you have ulcers in the mouth, throat, or both says nothing about HSV1 versus HSV2. Your known exposure to a person with HSV1 favors that virus over HSV2, but the symptoms and signs are identical in primary infection with either of them.)

Presumably you are on treatment with acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famciclovir; this will speed healing of the oral sores. If not, talk to your "infection doctor" friend about it. With or without treatment, the inflamed lymph nodes may take up to 3-4 weeks to recede.

[danzel]

I was assessed by an infection disease doctor next to my house, and after he took history and checked the vesicles in the back of my throat he indeed said that most likely the virus is HSV1 and not anything else...

And the way of getting this virus was from kissing my girlfriend which is a known patient of HSV1, he also added that it is not necessary for her to have obvious active lesions so that her saliva infects me, some outbreaks in people having HSV1 are silent and they do shed the virus and infect others if you get in contact with their saliva.

I also have 4 mouth ulcers other than those in the pharynx which again favors HSV1 as the diagnosis, the nice and atypical thing here is just that I dont have any ulcers on my lips which is not uncommon, especially if when i got the virus i didnt have any abrasions in my lips.

And yes I do have neck lymphadenopathy bilateral due to the bilateral ulcers in my mouth and the ulcers in my throat which are swollen and tender.

I know my case is not a book case but am sure it is HSV1 primary infection.

Thank you for your help :)

[HowardH]

Sorry, but I agree with the advice you had from Life360 in your earlier thread. You don't have herpes and something else caused your sore throat. Have you been evaluated for infectious mononucleosis (also called glandular fever)? If you haven't been seeing a doctor, do it now to confirm whether or not you actually have lymphadenopathy and to determine the cause. Of all cases of sore throat and cervical lymphadenopathy, HSV is one of the less common. Not knowing for sure if you have lymphadenopathy, or the cause, I cannot recommend anything for treatment.