Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Is Soreness In Inner Thighs During Pregnancy A Sign Of Herpes?
Question: Hi There,
Can I please ask about Genital Herpes caused by HSv1.
My worry is that I may have transmitted the infection myself from saliva on if I had HSV1, I suspect I may have just recently got the virus for the first time and just want to reassure myself that I have not passed the virus to my genitals (I use a progesterone pessary and suspect i once wet the end in my mouth to make it lubricated without thinking).
I am very nervous as I am 30 weeks pregnant and between my thighs the skin is sore and under my my buttocks slightly in the skin folds.
I have looked at genital herpes symptoms and they mention something like this. I have no visible rash at all and have been inspected by a doctor. They have said its probably friction, however could it be a sign of genital herpes?
Many Thanks,
Brief Answer:
Kindly elaborate the complete event
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum.
I can understand your concern for herpes at last trimester of pregnancy.
I can also get from your query that you somehow noticed that you somehow caught the virus and now being afraid of spread to genitals.
I would like to know form your side that how you got to know that you caught herpes. Can you pleases exactly specify the symptoms or incidence by which the notion came in your mind.
I will be able to help you est once I will get the complete history form your side. Kindly elaborate the complete event and related points.
"Wish you good health"
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello there many thanks for replying,
About a week or so ago I noticed that I had two ulcer/cuts along the inner part of my lip on my face. I also had a sore throat about two weeks previous to that had been gone for two weeks when I noticed the ulcer/cuts/cold sore type blisters on my lip. I also had 2 red marks either side of my face inside of my cheek and lip joins (internally) with white very small blobs with them.
I went to the gp with above symptoms and he was unsure what it was and advised mouthwash which has cleared then up and gone. However I also had at the same time a soreness between my inner thighs and also at the bottom of my buttock left cheek but with no visa blue rash. I also had a small brown mark in my leg to groin fold on left side and gp advised it looked possibly like dry skin on impertrigo which he prescribed canestan hc cream.
The mouth cleared up within four-five days and the impertrigo was gone with a day or two. However my soreness between my thighs and lower buttock remains. A doctor inspected it yesterday and said it may be due to friction and to try to avoid trousers.
My concern is I had hsv1 in my mouth as the initial symptoms are not like an actual coldsore if I am right an can be ulcer type legions and also that I know I may have passed saliva to my genitals (I use a progesterone pessary at night and one eve lubricated one in my mouth when half asleep).
At present I have no visable rash and the pain fades on and off.
Many thanks for your advice
Sorry I should also mention I have never had cold sores in my mouth before or genital herpes.
Thank you
Sorry I should also say my father had a very large cold sore and I had been near him ten days before his scan was near to falling off. So maybe when he was in the tingling stage.
Brief Answer:
Not herpes and no any viral infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for sending all the important informations. Now after getting all the information provided by you let me first reassure you that you are not suffering from herpes or any related viral infection.
To tell you medically - Herpes lesions manifest itself as small vesicles (fluid filled blisters) which remains for a day or two and then forms ulcers which are quite painful. These ulcers then heal in next 5-7 days.
To begin with also these vesicles are quite painful and itchy with discomfort and once the vesicles burst in a day or two then the ulcers which are formed are quite painful for next 4-5 days. So the symptoms can never go unnoticed.
It is typically seen as "fluid filled multiple vesicles present closely in a grouped manner" which you can see on net as a ready reference. Similarly there are grouped ulcers and not a single ulcer or a cut.
Also you should know that in first episode of herpes, it is always or mostly accompanied with fever and other of systemic symptoms of flu like illness which is quite pronounced. The vesicles and blisters along with succeeding ulcers are quite pronounced and sever accordingly more severe.
Once occurred at one site in body, there is an immunity of at least minimum of multiple weeks before it can recur again. Also there is immunity in most individual which prevents spread to other site. It is rule of thumb that it can not spread to other site within few days of period.
Now correlating all the facts with your history you can make out that your condition has no match with herpes lesions.
You can make out that your lesions were never grouped vesicles or grouped ulcer. As I said first episode is always quite severe and accompanied with systemic symptoms – so none of these kind of things were present in yourself.
Most important of all- as I said there is always a period of immunity when herpes can not recur again and most importantly there is an immunity which prevents spread to other site. Going by your history the complete of the incidence occurred in one weeks period so it is impossible to get herpes infection occurring and spreading so fast.
So do not worry about any possibility of herpes. I hope these information will relax you. If you have any further queries I will be glad to help or if not then can close the discussion and rate the answer.
"Wish you good health and all my best wishes for healthy baby"
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Dr
Many thanks for your indepth and lengthy explaination it has made me feel a lot better and reassured, thank you.
Can I confirm that in a space of a week or two it would be hard to spread herpes from the mouth to genitals?
Also can you help with the photo I have attached? It's currently what I have between my legs and more so on the left leg. It is sore when anything brushes against it and when I am in bed it gets hot and sore when the other leg rests against it, so much so I am putting a pillow to stop it touching my other leg.
If you can help me with what you think it may be that would be very kind.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you,
Dr I have just attached the photos as reports.
Many Thanks
XXXX
Brief Answer:
take valacyclovir 500 mg daily; send more pictures
Detailed Answer:
Hi young lady,
Welcome to the forum again.
Regarding our further query of spread of viral infection- After complete healing of the active herpes lesion the direct spread is almost halted. But you should remember one important thing that you must take a prophylactic treatment as suggested before which reduces the even further causal transmission to more than 50 %. So I again suggest you to take valacyclovir 500 mg daily and a safer sex practice by using barriers.
Regarding your query of skin problem of thighs – I can make out red rash kind of thing (as the pictures are not very clear). I request you to further elaborate the condition:
- What exact problem you feel- is it only soreness or the red rash also which is more disturbing.
- Since how long the problem is persisting.
- How often you get this problem like daily or intermittently.
- Any particular garment like jeans or any trouser which you feel is more contributory to the problem.
- Have you felt similar such thing at any other part of body or only at the legs. You probably have sent pictures of outer thigh and buttock area and the problem you described more is on inner thigh. Can you please send more pictures of good resolution so that I can guide you best in this skin problem too.
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello there,
Thank you for your reply. I am slightly confused as you have not previously advised to take 500mg valacyclovir. I thought you said it didn't sound at all like herpes? Would that be advisable when pregnant? Also I am not having sex and have not since becoming pregnant (our choice as a couple). I was worried I had passed the herpes if indeed it was which you suspect it wasn't to my genitals via saliva on my hand.
The rash photos I sent are the best I have at the moment. They are two patches either side of my inner thigh and you need to look very closely to see it. It really feels as though the follicles are slightly raised and dry and only hurt when my legs touch together, otherwise they feel ok. This has been going on for a few weeks now.
If you still require more photos please let me know, many thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Follicular keratosis; wear lose clothes
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
First of all I highly regret and beg your pardon for the previous suggestion of taking valacyclovir. Some times this world of internet makes your identity so confused that you get mixed up. I got confused with another user of almost the same ID which you have along with almost similar type of problem who actually required valacyclovir.
I am highly thankful to you for bringing my immediate attention on valacyclovir. You do not require valacyclovir and you do not have any chance of herpes. Please kindly omit the suggestion of taking valacyclovir so do not take any medication related to same.
Now regarding the eruptions you have- by your history I can make out these as “Follicular Keratosis”. To tell you simply these are formed due to blockage of the pores of hair root and oil glands and become more prominent due to friction. During pregnancy due to upsurge of hormones and bit increase in weight there is more secretion and blockage of pores. So it is nothing to be worried about. These may further increase till the delivery and after that when you will reduce the weight then will reduce accordingly.
At the maximum you can apply a plane moisturizing cream over the area after compression with warm water for 5 minutes. Do not try to scratch or pinch these areas. Try to wear cotton clothes which are bit lose so that these should not hurt or cause friction.
Rest follow best of your diet which will improve your baby’s health. Please do give me follow up so that I can be relaxed that you have read this mail.
"Wish you good health and all my best wishes for healthy baby"
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Dr,
That's ok I completely understand that confusion can arise so rest assure that's ok by me and I will not take the medicine.
Thank you for your advice that sounds very helpful and I will follow your guidance and help on that.
I have one last question to ask you if that's ok, my mother (who has not had any contact with my father- they are divorced) has coincidentally called me today to advise me not to visit her today as she has tingling feeling of a cold sore or her lip! I cannot believe! I saw her Wednesday and today Friday she has just started to tingle. Obviously now I am afraid I saw her Wednesday and she kissed my cheek when saying hello and goodbye and I was with her all day. Would that now put me at risk of catching a cold sore?
Many thanks your advice is so helpful,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
We can feel tingling normally too.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
You lose your fear of herpes. Tingling sensation can be present in multiple of problems as well as can be simple trivial sensation which we can feel anyway normally too.
I think you may have discussed and shared your concern for herpes with your mom. You know some times when we are quite anxious then we may perceive the similar type of sensations related to the medical problem. Do not worry and just relax your mom too.
"Wish you good health"
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
HI there,
My mum definately has a cold sore coming, although I can appreciate what your saying.
Can cold sores be passed by kissing a person on the cheek?
Many Thanks,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Cold sore can never occur by simple dry kissing
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Cold sore can never occur by simple dry kissing on the cheek. It needs body fluids to be passed form infected person to non- infected person. Dry kissing can never pass the body fluids one person to another. If these type of formal touching were able to pass the viral infections then you might had seen half of this world with herpes infection.
Even if we consider that she have had herpes in past and now presently if she has an episode then also there is no chance that you can get the infection by trivial touch or formal kiss. So do not worry about your concern for herpes.
Be relaxed and think of the happy time ahead with your baby. Do give me a follow up after delivering your healthy baby. All the best wishes for you.
I will be glad if you have any further query or if not then can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Regards,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia
(MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
