Itching & tingling only sign for herpes??

[avec896]

About 3 months ago I had PROTECTED vaginal intercourse with a woman, and unprotected oral sex. After several days, I noticed a itching, tingling sensation on the shaft of my penis, however only on the left side. After being alerted to the new sensation, I begain to examine for any possible redness or lumps, blisters, but found none The itchness/tingling contined for about14 days or so and then went away.

Thinking since I had no blister, red lessions etc. I thought nothing of it. After about 2 months, the itchness came back in the same spot of my penis as it did initially, and I have since had it for the past 8 days now. Again, almost identical to the first time, no redness or rashes(from what I can) no bumps, lessions, blisters, just it being itching and tingling in that one spot.

I have already decided to set up an appointment to get tested for HSV 2 through blood work, but I am at a loss of what this could be. Are these symtoms typical for a inital and recuring herpes outbreak? I have heard and read such conflicting reports about the symptoms of the virus, and my head is spinning. Some say that some people with herpes only get itchiness, or "mild" symptoms while others get blisters, while others get nothing at all.

Guess I'm trying to determine if I even need to worry about this falling into the catergory having herpes.

Thanks for any insight

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There still is little to suggest that this is herpes.  Instead of assuingh the worst, my advice would be to go and have a culture or PCR test done on these lesions ASAP.  A definitive diagnosis is importnat.  you could possible do this at your local health department or at a dermatologist's office.  

Typically the lesions of a first episode of HSV run their course, from clear "water blisters- to ulcers- to healing in 10-14 days.

I continue to doub t this is HSV.  You need to be tested.   EWH

[avec896]

Thank you doctor for you insight.

I am afraid things have turned in the opposite direction however. I have noticed last night that appearence of a possible lession(s) on the shaft of my penis near the irritation.

Naturally impossible to tell without examination, but it appears reddish, localised, and what almost appears to be blackheads? in the center,  but they are not raised, or painful...yet. I am not sure if they are pimples, skin irritation from examinaming myself with heightend intesnity, the begining of herpes blisters, or somehting else all together.

I am going in for my testing, examination tomorrow, however it still seems to me that symptomatic wise, this is unnatural how HSV would behave, no?

Time wise, how long does it take for HSV 2 to run it course in terms of days? From irritation, to to lession, to blister etc? I find it odd in MY case since it has already been about 2 weeks or so that I only had just itching/tingling, and now I am noticing the first sign of a possible lession, plus the fact that it has been 3 months since possible exposure, if any.

Thank you again

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I predict that your test for HSV 2 will be negative.  Furthermore, even if the test is positive, I am skeptical that your symptoms are due to HSV   Let me explain.

For starters, your genital exposure (which is the way you would get HSV-2) was condom protected and condoms are highly effective for prevention of HSV.  You did however receive unprotected oral sex.  While this might have lead to HSV-1 infection (if you don't already have it - about 60% of Americans have HSV-1 and most of those do not know it), you have not had lesions suggestive of HSV and genital HSV-1 infection rarely recurs.  Thus this makes HSV-1 unlikely as well.

You are correct that many people have missed the fact that they have genital HSV. This is usually not because the infection did not cause lesions but because the lesions were not excruciatingly painful or were attributed to some other cause (my favorite excuse is "it was a zipper cut").  IN your case, you were looking and did not see lesions making HSV unlikely.

So, there you have it. I find little to suggest you got HSV from the exposure you describe.  .  Sometimes after an exposure that, in retrospect, one wishes they had not had, persons tend to examine themselves and be far more attuned to genital sensations than in periods when they are not concerned.  This in turns leads to noticing what turn out to be normal sensations that might have been not noticed or ignored at other times.  Perhaps this was a contributor to your situation.  

let me know what you blood test shows please.  In the meantime I hope my comments will help you to not worry.  EWH