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Sciatica-type pain during initial outbreak?

20-21 days after having protected intercourse and unprotected oral sex with a woman (who had no visible signs of cold sores) I noticed a single bump that looked like a slightly inflamed hair follicle at the base of my shaft. I plucked the hair that was growing out of the middle of the bump, watched, and waited. It's now been 6 and a half days since I noticed it, and it hasn't really changed in size or color since. Moreover, it has never been painful or itchy.

However, during this week, as I've been admittedly freaking out, I've experienced intermittent lower back pain, headaches, and pain down the back of my right leg (particularly behind my knee). In addition, yesterday I noticed what appeared to be a very small red spot right on the edge of my lower lip. I believe it felt slightly painful, but it could have also been the chapped skin surrounding it. Today, however, there is no pain, and the spot has almost disappeared. I've never had a cold sore (that I can remember), but the placement of this leads me to believe it was in fact probably a very minor one.

I apologize for the long message, but given what I've experienced thus far, is it likely that the bump on my penis is HSV-related? I'm certainly anxiety-prone, and have had what I believe were stress-related pains before, but it just seems like there are too many coincidences going on for that to be an explanation. Thanks for reading.
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Avatar universal
I know it will be hard to wait for 12 weeks.

Do you know if you have HSV1? This makes a very big difference to the answer to the answers to your questions. For example, if you do not have any form of HSV already, then a recent infection would not likely be a little bump of an ambiguous nature.

In the end, things really do not point to a herpes infection here. The timing is too long and the symptoms are suggestive more of other issues.
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Avatar universal
I'm not sure what you mean, exactly-  are you saying if I had pains for more than a day or so without a bump appearing, that probably wouldn't be HSV?

In my case, these pains started a few days after I first noticed the bump, at which point I had already been anxious and stressed basically non-stop.
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Avatar universal
The other symptoms accompany an outbreak. If you are waiting more than a day or so, then the symptoms are more likely to be something else in your circumstance.
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Avatar universal
Thanks- it's going to be a long wait until the 12-week mark...

I thought back and leg pain usually preceded outbreaks, but I guess I could be wrong. Ugh.
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Avatar universal
Unlikely to be accurate, hence you will need to rely on the blood test. You must get IgG for HSV1 and HSV2.
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Avatar universal
Since it's already been about a week, would a swab be reliable?

I had a previous HSV test about 4 years ago that was negative, but I know neither the type of test nor whether it tested for both 1 & 2.
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Avatar universal
Although timing and symptoms would not strongly suggest that this not a recent herpes infection, these is just enough alignment to warrant investigating the possibility further. You could attempt to have the sore swabbed as soon as possible and have a blood test at 12 weeks post the episode to check status.

Do you have HSV1?

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