Herpes of the throat?

[March05]

Hello Dr., I find this forum quite informative.  After browsing hundreds and hundreds of questions and answers, I couldn't find any similar to what I've been experiencing (if there are, I apologize in advance).  I am a 37 year old white male, who performed and received unprotected fellatio with a male of unknown status a little over 5 months ago.  I don't recall any semen exchange. Every month or so since then, I've been experiencing a tightness in my throat which will last for 3-4 days accompanied by 1-2 tiny white pimples around the corners of my mouth which I can simply scrape off leaving no evidence that they were even there to begin with.  I can find no evidence of swollen glands anywhere on my body, however around this time I also get a "weird, uncomfortable" feeling in my armpits, but again, no evidence of swelling. At 3 months I was tested for everything (HIV, chlamydia, gonnohrea, hepatitis, syphlis) except HSV and all results came back negative.  Does this sound like herpes to you?  Is it possible to get herpes isolated to the esophagus region of the throat?  Are there any other STDs out there that could cause these types of symptoms?  I've been consumed by fear that I may have caught something from this individual.  Just this past weekend, my wife started to complain about a similar "tightness" in her throat, so naturally now I'm concerned that I may have caught something and passed it on to her.  I would greatly appreciated any thoughts you may have.  Thank you for your time, you really are providing a valuable service here.

[LaFoxx]

I get tested for STD's regularly and within the past month my throat has been a little sore n I thought maybe something was there but when I stuck my finger down I felt nothing. This is the first time it's happened and I've been with the same person. No symptoms of anything and everytime I've gotten tested I've been clean. What could it be? Please help!

[trishaboo]

Hello there.. I have a few concerns about my sexual health. I'm 19. I've had only one sexual partner in the past year since I have been tested however one night I went to a party and got really drunk.. ): this guy told me to go lay down in the guest bedroom so I did. After another hour or so he came in there with me.. And I guess I don't have to explain much else after that. This was about a little over a month ago. Maybe two. One night maybe 2 weeks after it happened I was having sex with my usual partner of a year.. Then I noticed a foul smell.. Almost fishy. A lot of discharge unusual.. I've gotton one bump on the right lip of my vagina.. It was a little painfull but nothin to bad. But I think its a cyst because I shave. And I've done research.. All I can think of is bacterial vaginosis or herpes.. Please help me. My doctor won't be able to help for another month.

[crazyelf]

A related discussion, future surgery was started.

[crazyelf]

A related discussion, future surgery was started.

[March05]

Can Herpes be isolated to only the throat without any other symptoms?

[March05]

Thanks Dr. for your prompt reply.  My encounter was only 5 months ago, I'm not so sure how greatly that would change your opinion.  Are the herpes select tests available to the public, or would I have to have my PCP order one?  This isn't the sort of test I can administer myself, is it?  I just read about LGV, I didn't put myself at risk for that, did I.  Thanks again!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The time doesn't change my opinion.  Almost all lab tests have to be ordered by a health care provider.  I don't recomend you get a herpes blood test; a positive result for either HSV-1 or HSV-2 would not mean your symptoms are due to herpes.  Your symptoms aren't consistent with LGV, about which far too much hype has been raised (esp. in NYC or San Francisco).

For those who don't know what March05 is talking about, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a historic but rare STD, caused by a strain of chlamydia.  Recently more cases have been identified in gay men, but literally only a handful of cases to date; and the increase may be due primarily to improved tests, not necessarily a true rise in this rare disease.

HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your throat tightness does not suggest herpes, but I am less sure about the superficial white lesions at the corner of your mouth.  Most likely they are small sebaceous (sweat) glands or garden-variety pimples.  But even if you have oral herpes--as does about half the population--you almost certainly didn't get it from your oral exposure 5 years ago.  Your other symptoms don't sound like herpes either, or any other STD.  And I'm also certain your wife's throat tightness is unrelated to any of this, or to yours.  You can relax!

Best wishes--  HHH, MD