Herpes On My Finger

I posted this to another board but got no answer I recently was visually diagnosed with genital herpes.. a few days later I noticed a sore on my finger..  I have eczema but was not sure if thats what it was or not its kind of crater like white in the middle and red around the edges.. I have eczema all around it because I covered it with a band aid (allergic to them) to be on the safe side..

how likely do you think its a herpes sore or am I just being paranoid here..

thanks in advance..

[auntiejessi]

Is it painful?

If its not, its not herpes.

Herpes on the hands is very painful.  

I also checked your profile for other posts, and I don't see any other ones except this one.

AJ

[btck2000]

its sore but I wouldn't say very painful.. eczema can be painful as well.. I just found this board I had posted the question to another board entirely and have been waiting for two days for someone there to reply so I really appreciate your quick response thanks so much

[auntiejessi]

The best thing you can do is get it checked by your doc.  If you have eczema around it, I would go with that, but since you are concerned, just get it checked.

AJ

[btck2000]

thats what I wanted to do.. unfortunately I live in a very small town with only 2 dr.'s and I cant get in until the 22nd.. Basically your saying its pretty unlikely for genital herpes to spread to my finger??

[gracefromHHP]

This could be herpes. That said - I'm sure you are treating your genital herpes right?  If so that same medication will help for the herpes on the finger if indeed that is what is going on.  did you have eczema flaring up on your hands/fingers recently?

Since you are allergic to bandaids - keep the finger covered with something else like a guaze pad and some non-latex tape.  If folks ask - tell them either you eczema is flaring up or that you have the hangnail from hell that got infected and you need to keep it covered so you don't wash off the antibiotics you have to put on it.  You might even want to soak the finger periodically in epsom salts or domboro's solution to help speed healing.  Both are fine to use for either herpes or eczema so if it's not herpes it won't be an issue.

I encourage you call back to the clinic and see if they can't get you in for a herpes lesion culture today of the finger.  Waiting until the 22nd won't give you any answers at all. You only have a short window of time for culturing to be of any help.

grace

[btck2000]

i did call in and they cant see me.. what do herpes sore generally look like? this sore has  a definate white center.. my concern is that I could spread it to my kids?

[gracefromHHP]

If you keep it covered there's no risk of transmitting it to the kids.

grace

[btck2000]

question for you both.. I was reading in another post that the nerve group that genital herpes lives in doesn't go about the waist then how would it be possible for me to have it on my finger I am not trying to sound imper tenant  if thats the right word .. just trying to piece everything together.. I went up to our hospital tonight and showed the nurses the blisters I now have a new one further up my finger.. they said they didn't think it looked like herpes or eczema .. the other thing thats really odd is this morning I had pain in my under part of my thigh and I felt a small lump tonight it is down by my elbow would that be at all related??

[gracefromHHP]

You can transmit herpes to the finger area.  Your having active eczema on the finger makes it more likely to happen - open portals into the body for the virus to infect.  Not saying this to try to scare you one bit - saying it as a way to educate you and help to answer your question.

You need to see a doctor. I'd call back and be more insistant that you can't wait another week or go to your local ER if you can't get a faster appointment.  This could even be a secondary bacterial infection of your eczema or something too - it's getting worse so you need to be seen and treated promptly.

grace

[btck2000]

Thanks Grace the nurses I talked to last night instructed me to call and tell the clinic here that I need to be seen and that they said told me to get into a doc. today.. so they have fit me in at 1:30  I will post back when I get home..

One more question for you sorry if I am getting annoying if I have it on my fingers does that mean when I have an outbreak or I am shedding the virus without symptoms that it will be shed from my hand?

[gracefromHHP]

The skin on your hands/fingers is thick so unless you have obvious lesions there you won't be shedding the virus from there.  

grace

[btck2000]

Thanks Grace for all your help I went to the doc this afternoon he doesn't think its herpes on my finger.. He touched the rash and sore with his bare hand so i am assuming he's pretty confident gave me some antibiotic cream and I am going back to see him Sat morning at the hospital..

again thank you.. I feel like such a basket case right now but am so grateful to have found this board you have really helped put my mind at ease..

[gracefromHHP]

It's unfortunate he didn't culture it for herpes to err on the side of caution but since I assume you are on antivirals - chances are good that it would've come back negative anyways.

grace