Aa
Bumps
Hello, I am an ex pat living in Germany and I have had a hard lump on my penis foreskin that reoccurs every couple of months, making me be so worried its herpes I have not done anything besides visual diagnosis by German docs
Symptoms:
-2-4mm hard bump on my foreskin,not painful or itchy,starts as a red spot then a day or so later becomes a white/red/skin colored bump. Always a single bump, and does not reoccur in the same place,Lasts 3-4 weeks, size goes down after 2 weeks then after ~2 more disappears, cannot squeeze any liquid out of it , feels like a hard lump,Never pops or scabs over before disappearing
-First seen June 2012,reoccurred Oct 2012,then ~6-7 times since. Shown a ~4 times to 2 diff German dermatologists who say its a gland thing not herpes but since they are German, understanding their prognosis is difficult and I am looking for answers. Both were clear its nothing to worry about
My questions are:
-Do these symptoms sound anything like herpes? Or could it be related to eczema or something else? Is it strange that I cannot pop the bump?
-Is it normal to have oral/genital herpes without scabbing or the blister popping?
-What do you recommend from here?
Thank you!
Symptoms:
-2-4mm hard bump on my foreskin,not painful or itchy,starts as a red spot then a day or so later becomes a white/red/skin colored bump. Always a single bump, and does not reoccur in the same place,Lasts 3-4 weeks, size goes down after 2 weeks then after ~2 more disappears, cannot squeeze any liquid out of it , feels like a hard lump,Never pops or scabs over before disappearing
-First seen June 2012,reoccurred Oct 2012,then ~6-7 times since. Shown a ~4 times to 2 diff German dermatologists who say its a gland thing not herpes but since they are German, understanding their prognosis is difficult and I am looking for answers. Both were clear its nothing to worry about
My questions are:
-Do these symptoms sound anything like herpes? Or could it be related to eczema or something else? Is it strange that I cannot pop the bump?
-Is it normal to have oral/genital herpes without scabbing or the blister popping?
-What do you recommend from here?
Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Please don't post if you have another bump, there is nothing I can do to help you with that, honestly. That is best handled by an in person visit with a health care provider.
Terri
Terri
Ok I gotcha. it seems like the bump has started going down (5 days later) and I have been applying protopic (eczema steroid type cream) and maybe that is helping?
I will post again if I have another large bump. thanks Terri!
I will post again if I have another large bump. thanks Terri!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
These are not all that useful. However, the first one looks like it could be molluscum. Please check with your own health care provider about this bump and ask if it could be molluscum. You can also look at pics of molluscum online and see if it rings a bell.
This is my final post on this thread.
Terri
This is my final post on this thread.
Terri
Great thank you! below are the photos, it is a hard to get a good picture of the bump, it is definitely somewhat smaller than ones I normally have.
the first and fourth pics are probably the best, the other two make it look less visible than in reality.
This one seems to be definitely similar to the other ones. hard lump, no pain or itching, will probably disappear in 2-4 weeks and reoccur in a month or two. no scab and blister pop.
http://imgur.com/HBKSTkX
http://imgur.com/nyza0vA
http://imgur.com/PppERXx
http://imgur.com/BssVoIt
thanks for doing this, I realize this is not the most fun thing in the world!
the first and fourth pics are probably the best, the other two make it look less visible than in reality.
This one seems to be definitely similar to the other ones. hard lump, no pain or itching, will probably disappear in 2-4 weeks and reoccur in a month or two. no scab and blister pop.
http://imgur.com/HBKSTkX
http://imgur.com/nyza0vA
http://imgur.com/PppERXx
http://imgur.com/BssVoIt
thanks for doing this, I realize this is not the most fun thing in the world!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
OK, I will make an exception. You can post it on an image sharing site.
Terri
Terri
Terri I have another smaller bump that has appeared but I am quite unsure if its a herpes bump or something else. I am having difficulty seeing a doctor in my town currently and was wondering if its possible to send you a picture of the bump?
If it looks suspicious then I will go to another town to get full testing done.
If that's ok, please tell me where to send it to? Or I can post it on one of those image sharing sites and write the URL here.
thanks!
If it looks suspicious then I will go to another town to get full testing done.
If that's ok, please tell me where to send it to? Or I can post it on one of those image sharing sites and write the URL here.
thanks!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Honestly, without looking at it, I just don't know. Anything else would be pure speculation.
TErri
TErri
Ok sounds good I will talk to my doctor about getting tested the next time I go in, I am unsure how it works here but will find out.
I am quite worried that it could be genital herpes because of the reoccurrences as well. But am confused by the symptoms.. Just in your general opinion though, without knowing the test results, do those symptoms sound indicative of herpes? The lack of scabs and that I cannot pop them confuse me..
And do you think it could be related to some other condition? The overall itching and eczema like symptoms I have are much worse and I am wondering if it is somehow related to that instead. Though when I get bumps in the other parts of my body , they are very itchy and resolve within a day or two with steroid crème.
Could it be another STD?.
I am quite worried that it could be genital herpes because of the reoccurrences as well. But am confused by the symptoms.. Just in your general opinion though, without knowing the test results, do those symptoms sound indicative of herpes? The lack of scabs and that I cannot pop them confuse me..
And do you think it could be related to some other condition? The overall itching and eczema like symptoms I have are much worse and I am wondering if it is somehow related to that instead. Though when I get bumps in the other parts of my body , they are very itchy and resolve within a day or two with steroid crème.
Could it be another STD?.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It helps, but not a whole lot.
I would suggest two things: first, get an antibody test for herpes if you can arrange that. Also, if you get another bump, go in to be seen when it is there and ask that it be swab tested for herpes, even if they don't think it is "typical", particularly if your antibody test is positive.
Terri
I would suggest two things: first, get an antibody test for herpes if you can arrange that. Also, if you get another bump, go in to be seen when it is there and ask that it be swab tested for herpes, even if they don't think it is "typical", particularly if your antibody test is positive.
Terri
Sorry, I first noticed the genital bumps in June 2012, a full year after I had my first oral herpes outbreak. Thanks again for your help!
Hi Terri, thanks for your insight. I have not been tested for herpes at all, as all of the doctors I have seen, think it is unnecessary.
I have not ever gotten confirmed that I have oral herpes but I had all the typical primary outbreak symptoms followed by a reoccurrence about 3 weeks later and then another reoccurrence about 2.5 years later ( about 2 months ago). The primary oral herpes outbreak occurred in June 2011. My oral herpes outbreaks are quite painful though, these bumps don't typically act like that.
I did not have any genital bumps that I had ever noticed until June of 2013 and I am pretty careful about examining myself (especially after I had caught oral herpes).... does that help at all?
I have not ever gotten confirmed that I have oral herpes but I had all the typical primary outbreak symptoms followed by a reoccurrence about 3 weeks later and then another reoccurrence about 2.5 years later ( about 2 months ago). The primary oral herpes outbreak occurred in June 2011. My oral herpes outbreaks are quite painful though, these bumps don't typically act like that.
I did not have any genital bumps that I had ever noticed until June of 2013 and I am pretty careful about examining myself (especially after I had caught oral herpes).... does that help at all?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for your very good history here.
I'm curious if you have ever have been tested for herpes in all of your evaluations by physicians. I'm not sure if herpes antibody testing is readily available in Germany, but I would certainly suggest that if you can get it done, you should. The description of the bumps is not suggestive particularly for herpes, but the recurrent nature of the bumps is what is most concerning for me.
I'm wondering if you could have contracted oral and genital herpes at the same time? When you contracted the oral herpes, was it in a sexual situation that might have involved you receiving oral sex?
Terri
I'm curious if you have ever have been tested for herpes in all of your evaluations by physicians. I'm not sure if herpes antibody testing is readily available in Germany, but I would certainly suggest that if you can get it done, you should. The description of the bumps is not suggestive particularly for herpes, but the recurrent nature of the bumps is what is most concerning for me.
I'm wondering if you could have contracted oral and genital herpes at the same time? When you contracted the oral herpes, was it in a sexual situation that might have involved you receiving oral sex?
Terri
For some reason, I could not post the second part of my question so I had to cut it short.
Other things to consider:
-Had long term monogamous relationship with a girl, which ended 6 months after the bumps started No unprotected sex in many years
-When the 1st bump occurred my gf and I had scabies and I was told by her doc that penile bumps during scabies is ok. AfterI have had continuous eczema that involves painful itching dry patches of skin and small bumps that occurs all over but is concentrated in butt and inner thighs. Sometimes, I will get itchy or painful feelings from my penis but no bumps.
-I had molluscum contagiosum a few years ago but that was on my upper groin, no penis bumps
-Caught oral Herpes 2 years ago, no testing, but typical horrible primary outbreak. 2x reoccurance, symptoms: 1 painful throbbing bump, gone in week w/valtrex with no scab or popped bump.. a lot more painful and worse to touch than the bumps on my penis.
Other things to consider:
-Had long term monogamous relationship with a girl, which ended 6 months after the bumps started No unprotected sex in many years
-When the 1st bump occurred my gf and I had scabies and I was told by her doc that penile bumps during scabies is ok. AfterI have had continuous eczema that involves painful itching dry patches of skin and small bumps that occurs all over but is concentrated in butt and inner thighs. Sometimes, I will get itchy or painful feelings from my penis but no bumps.
-I had molluscum contagiosum a few years ago but that was on my upper groin, no penis bumps
-Caught oral Herpes 2 years ago, no testing, but typical horrible primary outbreak. 2x reoccurance, symptoms: 1 painful throbbing bump, gone in week w/valtrex with no scab or popped bump.. a lot more painful and worse to touch than the bumps on my penis.
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
