Diffuse tingling for extended period of time?

[uncreative]

Female w/a history of what I thought were yeast infections--usually occur around the springtime, when more humid. Always presented with diffuse tingling over whole vagina and buttocks, itching all over but mostly by the opening to my vagina, and some achy pain. Recently,tingling began again, first with no symptoms other than the tingling except some occasional itching and some tenderness on my lower left vagina.  When I do feel pain, this is where I feel it. Never any sores/lesions. Tingling persisted for a couple of weeks and became extremely itchy until I called my doctor and got diflucan (she did not physically examine me based on history of yeast infections-but really has only examined me once in previous years when these symptoms occurred). Diflucan seemed to relieve my symptoms, they recurred 1 week later.  This time, I had the pain in the lower left labia and this time there was a small round pea-like bump under skin. Went away in a few days. Took a second round of diflucan, had a little relief--the itching is gone, but the tingling persists even still.I was skeptical but a woman on the patient forum says she has diffuse tingling now for 10 months w/herpes??

Are these the "mild symptoms" I hear about? Why so long?Is it significant that when I do feel some pain it is often in approximately the same place?

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.    

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

No STD is known to cause the sort of tingling you describe.  Herpes doesn't do it, and herpes never causes continuous symptoms.  Herpes outbreaks never last more than 10-14 days (and the painful/itching aspect typcially only 3-5 days), and between outbreaks there are no symptoms at all.

As the actual cause of your symptoms, I would guess you might have idiopathic vulvodynia.  That's Latin for 'painful vulva of unknown cause'--i.e. a fancy name that really doens't say anything except repeat the symptom.  Mild cases might be perceived as 'tingling' rather than pain.  As the name implies, the cause isn't known.  I don't know this is what you have, but you might speak to your provider about it.  Although vulvodynia can be a major problem for some women, it is not harmful.

Good luck-- HHH, MD

[scared_and_confused]

I am sorry to interrupt doctor but I have been having persistant itchigng for 5 months.

in sep 06 i had unprotected vaginal sex with unkown female

in nov 06 had protected vaginal sex with another unknwon female

in march 07 after rubbing myself with towel profusely i developed some sort of redness it has been persistant for 5 months with itching and minimal redness

i have taken a herpeselct in may of 07 and it was negative for hsv2 and positive for hsv1..would you say that enough time has passed for seroconversion to take place and is it a false negative?

thank you so much

[Kezzakay]

Hi there

Just thought I would say you arent alone!
I had a similar thing, I was tested for thrush about 4 times before the result came back positive. I also still get this from time to time, the tingling also runs up my back and results in what i can describe as a "sunburnt" feeling on my back! I went to the doctor and she said it was an anxiety attack of some sort.

It might not have anything to do with what you are describing but Ive had similar experiences.