[Question #7694] Anal Herpes or Something Else
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53 months ago
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I have had on and off severe rectal pain and associated tightness in my sit bones and hamstrings for 15 years. It can go on for many, many months at a time. I am positive for HSV 2 on my penis and have been for 35 years.
The rectal pain started as extreme pain in my rectum a few days after my wife licked and likely also kissed my anus. She did so after performing oral sex on my penis at a time when I had no outbreaks or symptoms on my penis. I suspected that she may have transferred the herpes from my penis to my anus with her lips or saliva or perhaps that she herself had an oral herpes sore, although I did not see one. I had some swabs done on my anus by dermatologist with no HSV found about a month later. I sometimes have blood when I wipe but not sure why.
It seems to me that clearly the pudendal nerve is involved in my rectal pain but I am not sure if it is some sort of neuralgia caused by the herpes virus traveling to my rectum or some nerve compression or other issue with the pudendal nerve. It seems too coincidental to me that this rectal pain started shortly after the only time I have ever had licking and kissing done on my anus.
My question is whether or not what I describe can be rectal herpes and how can I confirm it or what can I do? It is really painful to sit, although when I wake up in the morning I feel OK, the pain starts after I get up. My hamstrings and sit bones are also tight. I suspect that the pudendal nerve is irritated from herpes, some sort of neuralgia. I have read on the forum here that the risk of contacting anal HSV from rimming is very low but when I Google it elsewhere, it is stated that it is not low.
Appreciate any feedback or suggestions for next steps. If it is herpes, I am worried that if I have an ablation done on the pudendal nerve for pain relief, that could be a really bad idea. The rectal pain is relentless and is a burning and itching pain. Thanks.
The rectal pain started as extreme pain in my rectum a few days after my wife licked and likely also kissed my anus. She did so after performing oral sex on my penis at a time when I had no outbreaks or symptoms on my penis. I suspected that she may have transferred the herpes from my penis to my anus with her lips or saliva or perhaps that she herself had an oral herpes sore, although I did not see one. I had some swabs done on my anus by dermatologist with no HSV found about a month later. I sometimes have blood when I wipe but not sure why.
It seems to me that clearly the pudendal nerve is involved in my rectal pain but I am not sure if it is some sort of neuralgia caused by the herpes virus traveling to my rectum or some nerve compression or other issue with the pudendal nerve. It seems too coincidental to me that this rectal pain started shortly after the only time I have ever had licking and kissing done on my anus.
My question is whether or not what I describe can be rectal herpes and how can I confirm it or what can I do? It is really painful to sit, although when I wake up in the morning I feel OK, the pain starts after I get up. My hamstrings and sit bones are also tight. I suspect that the pudendal nerve is irritated from herpes, some sort of neuralgia. I have read on the forum here that the risk of contacting anal HSV from rimming is very low but when I Google it elsewhere, it is stated that it is not low.
Appreciate any feedback or suggestions for next steps. If it is herpes, I am worried that if I have an ablation done on the pudendal nerve for pain relief, that could be a really bad idea. The rectal pain is relentless and is a burning and itching pain. Thanks.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
53 months ago
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I understand that you are tying together the two events and understandably so. But the truth is that the virus that causes outbreaks on your penis is circulating in all of the nerves that supply the rectum and anus as well, so the virus is definitely around there, even if it isn't causing a visible outbreak. I don't believe for a moment that something your wife did sexually has any relationship at all to what is going on with your pain. Also, for the sake of argument, let's say she has HSV 1 and gave you rimming. People who have HSV 2 will almost never acquire HSV 1 subsequently, so that's not a reasonable explanation either.
I am assuming you have seen a proctologist for this concern?
Terri
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53 months ago
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Hi Terri. Thanks for your answer. I have seen a proctologist but they saw nothing wrong. I was more concerned that my wife had HSV 2 on her mouth and transmitted to my anus that way, either from licking my penis and then the rimming or that she had it on her mouth beforehand.
I just don't know what's going on and it is a constant pain in the rectum and associated tightness in my sit bones and hamstrings. It's been like this for years so I thought maybe it was some form of herpetic neuralgia.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
53 months ago
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HSV 2 oral infection is very rare indeed and I don't think for a moment that that is what happened here.
I think it would be worth speaking with a urologist also and perhaps seeing if a physical therapist could help with this issue of what appear to be pudendal nerve pain
Terri
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