Aa
Terrifed - Vaginal Bump/Pimple
Yesterday I noticed some irritation along my labia. I thought that I may have used a tissue too hard when cleaning myself after using the toilet. However, I still noticed it today, so I ran my fingers along the irritated area. I felt what seemed to be the size and firmness of a pimple. There was no further pain associated with the additional touching and pressing. I used a mirror to look at myself and I'm seeing approximately 3-4 of these bumps. They aren't oozing, I have no discharge or foul smell. However, they look almost blood-red at the tops (there isn't any bleeding, not even if I touch a tissue to it). I have never seen anything like this on myself. I showed my husband and he thinks I might be over reacting. I would like to say that my husband and I have been faithful to each other for the 13 years that we have been together. My concern is this: I'm a Rail Road conductor. I'm always around very public and dirty surfaces and I have had to use the restrooms both on the train and in the trainmen's breakrooms. I try to be more than meticulous about washing my hands, I carry purell on my person at all times at work and disinfecting wipes as well. I had my period last week (I began my period on Monday 12/10 and the last time I used a tampon was on Mon 12/17). The only time I can possibly think of my touching my vaginal area with my hands would be during that time so I could insert and remove my tampons. I generally use my fingers from one hand to spread the labia area so that I may insert the tampon with the other hand. What on earth could this be? Is it possible to transmit something like an STD or some other condition that can affect the genitals by hand to vaginal contact? My husband and I were getting ready to try for our 2nd child - will this affect anything? Should we refrain from sexual contact until I'm fully checked out? Should I go to the hospital tonight to get looked at?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This is certainly not an emergency so there is not need to rush to the emergency room.
No, to discuss what this might be. Hard to say. My guess is that you've noticed a part of your body that you had not noticed previously before but that has always been there. In this you are not alone. In 30 years of taking care of persons with and at risk for STDs, I have found that we are constantly "discovering ourselves". The best way to deal with this is to see a health care professional, either your Ob-Gyn or a dermatologist and have them render an opinion. For me to render an opinion without examining the area with be inappropriate and not in your best interest.
A few other comments.
1. The chance that you got this from using a public toilet or facility is miniscule and that may be an overestimate (in medicine we never say "never" but I am tempted to do so in this instance). I have never seen an STD or other infection acquired through normal use of a public restroom.
2. This is not something you can transmit to your husband.
3. Infections are not effectively transmitted by hand to genital (vaginal) contact.
4. This will not impact your fertility, sex life or prospects for motherhood.
5. No need for sexual abstention.
Again, bottom line, this is not an infection which puts you at risk. Please see a health care professional at a mutually convenient time so that you can have it evaluated. I feel sure this will let you put this behind you.
I hope this helps. EWH
No, to discuss what this might be. Hard to say. My guess is that you've noticed a part of your body that you had not noticed previously before but that has always been there. In this you are not alone. In 30 years of taking care of persons with and at risk for STDs, I have found that we are constantly "discovering ourselves". The best way to deal with this is to see a health care professional, either your Ob-Gyn or a dermatologist and have them render an opinion. For me to render an opinion without examining the area with be inappropriate and not in your best interest.
A few other comments.
1. The chance that you got this from using a public toilet or facility is miniscule and that may be an overestimate (in medicine we never say "never" but I am tempted to do so in this instance). I have never seen an STD or other infection acquired through normal use of a public restroom.
2. This is not something you can transmit to your husband.
3. Infections are not effectively transmitted by hand to genital (vaginal) contact.
4. This will not impact your fertility, sex life or prospects for motherhood.
5. No need for sexual abstention.
Again, bottom line, this is not an infection which puts you at risk. Please see a health care professional at a mutually convenient time so that you can have it evaluated. I feel sure this will let you put this behind you.
I hope this helps. EWH
Oh, I wanted to mention one more thing...I was extremely sick about month ago. I had some sort of viral infection that made all my muscles and joints sore and I had a 103 fever. I had also developed a sore on the underside of my tongue...about the size of the tip of my pinky. It was like a canker (not chancre) sore, but anytime I had gotten those in the past, they were always along my gum line. My doctor said it wasn't the flu, just a bad viral infection. She put my on bed rest. Could there be any relation to this?
You are reading content posted in the STDs 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.
