What is this?

I have been having a tigling sensation in my scrotm area since around April 2005. It is on and off throughout the day. In June I stopped wearing underwear and the tingling pretty much stopped except for a very few times. I just started back wearing underwear and it has started back constantly again. I put on cortizone cream and the tingling stops for a majority of the day and when I take off my underwear it pretty much stops. I don't know if this is herpes or some STD or jock itch. I live in a place where it is very hot and I sweat a lot. It seems like the tingling has been going on too long to be herpes but I'm not sure but I am scared. Please help. Could this be HSV1 or HSV2 or something else?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Herpes won't cause the symptoms you describe.  If you have a visible rash, perhaps it indeed is tinea cruris (jock itch); but that would not cause itching without rash.  Heat and sweating alone might cause a certain amount of itching, but I don't know how to interpret "tingling".

But all I can do is speculate.  The answers you need aren't going to come from me or any other online source; you need to see a healthcare provider.  In the meantime, this doesn't sound remotely dangerous; I very much doubt anything serious is going on.

Good luck--  HHH, MD