Herpetic Whitlow

[TotoroLove]

Hi, so this is my first post, and much like everyone here I've been searching the internet for answers and/or other people who can relate. Long story short, I have had oral herpes since I was 12, it recently spread to the inside of my right nostril (when I was blowing my nose and not paying attention to the tissue getting in contact with my sore). I have severe allergies so I'm CONSTANTLY blowing my nose or wiping away mucous so I tried to be as cautious as I could with the outbreak in my nose to not be in contact with my fingers, but I know there were times when the mucous must've seeped through a tissue or two. 

SO, that brings me to now. I have been experiencing tingling/tightness on the pads of my thumbs, left pointer finger, right ring finger, which comes and goes for the past 4 weeks. It went away for a few days then came back with a vengeance on my right thumb and right ring finger more recently, so I have band aids on those fingertips. There are no visible sores, not even under the skin, but now that I'm approaching the close of this 4th week there is burning pain on my right thumb and ring finger and I'm no longer experiencing the tingling.

Everywhere I've looked online, the prodrome lasts anywhere from 2hrs-2days. So I'm curious as to what is going on with my digits? Has anyone experienced extremely long prodrome like this? I'm also really concerned about spreading the virus even more since viral shedding can occur during prodrome. I go back and forth on whether this is hsv or just my mind playing tricks, but the fact that I've never had anything like this happen with my digits and it just so happened to occur after the outbreak in my nose is too coincidental. 

A few things that I'm currently doing/or had done:

- I was on Acylovir for 3/five day treatments
- I'm curretnly taking Lysine supplements (anywhere from 2000-4000mg a day depending on my symptoms)
- I am putting super lysine ointment on my finger tips and then putting a bandaid over them since that helped with the tingling and is currently aiding the burning. 
- I have a DR appointment with a new doctor tomorrow since my previous doctor was not helpful. Hoping to get answers or testing done, but know that that's a slim shot with no visual blisters present at this point.

[WilsoInAus]

Based on what you describe, you can be confident that the virus as not infected your fingers. Your immune system makes such a thing happening an extremely low chance.

With no blisters present, this further indicates that an infection has not occurred.

Consult with your new doctor, but I think you will need to be open minded as to the possible causes of your finger issues.

[bigsusan]

Totoro, this sounds exactly like what I've been experiencing lately. Tingling/stinging in my fingertips. Been happening for a few months.

After examining my fingers right after washing them, I could see signs of small raised blisters in a circular or oval formation, on the fingertips and knuckles where I felt stinging before. 99% sure it's herpes, but since, like you, none of them have erupted into big, fluid-filled bumps, I'm not wasting my time getting a test (especially since I know the best they'll do is give me valtrex, which I've already seen doesn't do much for me).

I've been doing the bandaid thing too, but with lemon balm or peppermint oil before I put on the bandaids. 

[WilsoInAus]

1 hour ago, bigsusan said:

Totoro, this sounds exactly like what I've been experiencing lately. Tingling/stinging in my fingertips. Been happening for a few months.

After examining my fingers right after washing them, I could see signs of small raised blisters in a circular or oval formation, on the fingertips and knuckles where I felt stinging before. 99% sure it's herpes, but since, like you, none of them have erupted into big, fluid-filled bumps, I'm not wasting my time getting a test (especially since I know the best they'll do is give me valtrex, which I've already seen doesn't do much for me).

I've been doing the bandaid thing too, but with lemon balm or peppermint oil before I put on the bandaids. 

You can actually be 99+% confident that these issues with your fingers are not related to herpes.

[WannaCry]

You did not spread your HSV to your nose. The nerve that HSV lives in for the oral cavity also goes through the nasal region and up through the eye. It is the trigeminal ganglion.  The virus can 'erupt' anywhere this nerve branch enervates. 

It is extremely uncommon to 'move' an established HSV infection to a new ganglion. Whitlow also tends to be very, very obvious in its presentation with initial infection when it does occur.