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Chances of Oral HSV-2
How rare is oral HSV-2 really?
I performed oral sex on a new guy that I was seeing, and I noticed that he had something on his penis, even though it appeared to already be healing. I sent a pic (we took pics of our encounter) to Dr. Rockoff, who doesn't think it looked like herpes, but I still think it did.
Anyway, six days after the encounter I noticed a sore spot under my tongue, and a tender, swollen gland under the back of my chin on the same side.
So, I tried to find the sore spot, but I couldn't. I kept playing around, and I made the area under my tongue and the tongue web sore. I put on lots of peroxide Saturday-Monday, and it bubbled and turned white in some small areas. I kept looking and added the peroxide, I created more small, bubbling areas with redness. I'm still not sure where the original sore spot was.
The gland stayed swollen but not tender, but I kept poking under my chin all over obsessively to see if it was still tender. This morning, it was tender again, and I still have those sore areas under my tongue and on my tongue web (that are now open, not sure if it's from irriation or not).
The guy did come down a cold, so I thought maybe I got it too and didn't have symptoms other than the swollen gland, but that wouldn't explain the sore spot or why the gland on the same side swelled at the same time that I gota sore spot.
I am neg, for both types by blood test.
1. You have only seen three cases of oral HSV-2 in your clinic, right? Which would make it extremely rare? How do you know there were only three, and not more who didn't mention their symptoms? I'm so nervous about how rare it really is.
2. Would my gland have swollen for 1.5 days, then went down for two, and then gone back up again if it was herpes? Do infections cause them to go tender, then nontender, and then tender, or do they only stop being tender once the infection is gone? Could I have caused it to get tender again by poking at it?
3. Do I have it?
I performed oral sex on a new guy that I was seeing, and I noticed that he had something on his penis, even though it appeared to already be healing. I sent a pic (we took pics of our encounter) to Dr. Rockoff, who doesn't think it looked like herpes, but I still think it did.
Anyway, six days after the encounter I noticed a sore spot under my tongue, and a tender, swollen gland under the back of my chin on the same side.
So, I tried to find the sore spot, but I couldn't. I kept playing around, and I made the area under my tongue and the tongue web sore. I put on lots of peroxide Saturday-Monday, and it bubbled and turned white in some small areas. I kept looking and added the peroxide, I created more small, bubbling areas with redness. I'm still not sure where the original sore spot was.
The gland stayed swollen but not tender, but I kept poking under my chin all over obsessively to see if it was still tender. This morning, it was tender again, and I still have those sore areas under my tongue and on my tongue web (that are now open, not sure if it's from irriation or not).
The guy did come down a cold, so I thought maybe I got it too and didn't have symptoms other than the swollen gland, but that wouldn't explain the sore spot or why the gland on the same side swelled at the same time that I gota sore spot.
I am neg, for both types by blood test.
1. You have only seen three cases of oral HSV-2 in your clinic, right? Which would make it extremely rare? How do you know there were only three, and not more who didn't mention their symptoms? I'm so nervous about how rare it really is.
2. Would my gland have swollen for 1.5 days, then went down for two, and then gone back up again if it was herpes? Do infections cause them to go tender, then nontender, and then tender, or do they only stop being tender once the infection is gone? Could I have caused it to get tender again by poking at it?
3. Do I have it?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Yes, I have seen oral HSV 2 about 5 times in 28 years (two in the past few months). It is certainly possible there are more cases, but these are cases we've been able to detect by PCR swab test. Usually with new herpes infection, we see swollen glands that stay, not come and go. You could most certainly have caused it to be tender by poking around, people do that not infrequently. One way to get clearer about your risk would be to get your partner tested to see if he is HSV 2 positive. If he isn't, then you have no risk, right?
Terri
Terri
I think the lymph node that is tender now is actually different than the original one, but right next to it.
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.
