Welcome to the STD forum.
Not being sexually active in the past several months, you are not at risk for any newly acquired STD. Hand-genital contact carries no risk. If your symptoms were due to STD, it would have to go back to a "real" sexual exposure somewhere along the line. From your description, it seems unlikely that herpes explains your symptoms.
1) Penile pain like you describe really doesn't suggest any STD at all. As for the bumps, distinguishing between sebaceous cysts/pimples and herpes is easy for any reasonably trained clinician, and most STD clinicians are expert in this area. If she said the lesions didn't suggest herpes, I'm sure she is correct. However, if you remain unconvinced, if and when a similar problem appears, return to the clinic ASAP, i.e. when the lesions are 1-2 days old. That's the time that visual diagnosis of herpes is most accurate.
2) Yes.
3) Any lesion that causes inflammation can scab as it heals. This does not distinguish herpes from any other cause of a sore.
4) I have no way of knowing what providers in your area offer such testing. Most STD clinics can do it -- if not routinely, at least the test usually is available on request. Talk to the STD clinic about it. If they simply don't do it, they likely would know health care providers in the area who do so.
Regards-- HHH, MD
You're the only one who might be surprised by that result. But congratulations!
Hi Dr. Handsfield,
I recently took an IgG antibody test (Captia EIA) and the results came back negative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2. Thanks again for your insight during this stressful period in my life.
Enlarged/inflamed lymph nodes typically show up as lumps under the skin, primarily in the neck, under the jaw, the armpits, and groin. The lumps may or may not be tender to the touch. Do not try to examine yourself to find any; medically untrained persons are susceptible to feeling minor variations in the tone and texture of normal tissues, and become panicked if they feel a lump. If you otherwise feel healthy and well, there is no need to go looking for them.
That will have to be all for this thread. Take care.
Thank you very much Dr. Handsfield for your quick, informative response.
I had one followup question about swollen lymph glands. I've read that they are sometimes a symptom of herpes, but I'm not really sure what a swollen lymph gland is. Before the first couple of bumps appeared I noticed a small circular bump right near the top of where my pubic hair ends, about an inch in from my thigh. This bump felt like it was inside of the skin, everyone that has felt it has said it felt like an ingrown hair. It went away shortly after the bumps on my penis went away and now there is a brownish mark on my skin where it was. Is it possible that this was a swollen lymph gland?
I'm planning on going to get a blood test very soon, but figured I'd ask you about the swollen lymph to clear up some confusion I have about the topic. Thanks again.