Herpetic Whitlow w/ no active cold sore. Normal??

[JJmom3]

I think I have herpetic whitlow on my finger. It does look like one or two pictures in the beginning stage with the deep pimple thing in the pulp of my fingertip. Never had it there before though so unsure. At this present time I do not have a cold sore. So my question is
DO YOU GET THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME OR DO THEY COME AT DIFFERENT TIMES?
My last cold sore was in May. There really isn't much info on this conidtion so anyone with some with would be great.

[gracefromHHP]

The best thing to do is to go and be seen and get this checked out. Whitlow hurts like a SOB I"ve been told.  A lesion culture done promptly on it will give you the best answers.

grace

[JJmom3]

its not really bothersome. So wouldn't you have a cold sore as well with the whitlow?

[gracefromHHP]

no - different nerve ganglia so they won't always reoccur at the same time.

grace

[JJmom3]

Ok went to the derm today. She said that it looks like Dyshidrotic eczema. I now have the small dots under the skin on 5 fingers and on 1 toe. I woke up this morning with more. It was only on two fingers. So..I asked her to do blood work to see if this is Hsv that is currently active. She said that she has seen many herpetic whitlow is does not feel that this is it. But she was nice enough to let me get the blood work. I have not had an active cold sore since May so that would mean that my numbers would be low. If it was high it would mean that this is HSV on my fingers. What am I looking at exactly for numbers?

[gracefromHHP]

you can't tell if your herpes is currently active from the blood tests.  your numbers don't go up when you have an active lesion present.  it was pretty much a waste of time and money getting the blood test done at this point.

grace

[JJmom3]

What is the best way to tell?  A culture? I can always go back since I now have them on my toes.

[gracefromHHP]

this is the eczema, not herpes going on. http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic110.htm is a good article on it. my kids have it too which is why I've had this one bookmarked for years :)

grace