Constant tingling

[nfqbc]

Hello Doctor.  I was hoping you may be able to provide your professional opinion on some symptoms I am experiencing.  My girlfriend and I had sex for the first time two months ago.  The next day i began experiencing a tingling/itching sensation on and around my scrotum.  This has continued for the entire two months although now finally it has become much less intense, almost non existant.  We had sex once more since then and the tingling became more intense again afterwards.  At one point it hurt slightly when I urinated but i began washing the opening of my urethra regularly and the pain went away in a few days.  We did not use a condom and she is a carrier of the herpes virus, type 1 I believe.  She has not had an outbreak in nine years and thus believes the probability of me now having it is low, but I know it is still possible and wanted to seek your diagnosis.  Thank you very much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Thanks for the information abot lubricant use.  It is important to rule out whether or not there might have been local irritation from it- sounds like that is not the case.  All of this makes it that much less likely that an STD is the cause of your difficulties.  EWH

[nfqbc]

Thank you for the reply and insight ,they were very helpful.  This was my first sexual experience and we did use a lubricant during sex.  I have used the lubricant personally since then and it does not seem to trigger the tingling as seems to happen following intercourse.

I am definitely anxious about my exposure, but am unsure how to determine if this is actually the cause.  Thanks again.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There is a bit more information which will help me to give you a better answer to your questions but I can start now.  It is not clear if this was either of your first sexual experiences or if the encounter you describe was the first time you had sex.  Also, did you use any lubricants, gels or other lotions during sex?  I can give you a fuller answer with your response to these questions.  

At the same time, I can tell you that scrotal itching and tingling lasting two months without any lesions or other visible abnormalities is almost certainly not and STD and in no way sounds like herpes.  Herpes-related discomfort would have been accompanied by lesions and would not have lasted for two months.

Secondly, it is not a good idea to wash the opening of your urethra.  This can introduce soaps and other irritants and is more often a source of irritation than a means of getting rid of it.

A possibility is that you are a bit anxious about your exposure and what you have experienced are normal sensations in a state of anxiety-related hyper-awareness.  Could this be the case?

At any rate, I hope these answers will help some.  I will answer further when I get your response to my questions.  EWH