Question:
Hi all,
Been off the radar for a bit but keep an eye on the forum frequently. Hope everyone has been coping well. I see that the faithful nucleus of encouragement on this site are still faithfully encouraging..Good for you !
I am still undiagnosed (officially at least) and am now waiting to go to the big city in August for proper testing. That said, I amstill struggling with my outbreaks and a chronic pain in my right leg, hip area that also is felt as a dull ache in the front of my knee. I have been seen by 2 physiotherapists and ended up in emergency on Monday. So far, no one has figured out where the pain is stemming from though ,unlike my dr., they are very accepting that something is indeed wrong in there. The first symptoms started about the same time as my first genital symptoms. The symptoms are ongoing but the first few steps after having been in a stationary position are excrutiating and recently have resulted in collapse of that leg on occasion. The reason I mention the symptoms is I wonder if anyone else's back pain was so debilitating or reoccured in association with herpes. The drs are still investigating but my physio also wonders if the two could be related. What do ya think ??

Answer:
Ms. Informed - The first thing I noticed when my ex and I split up 10 years ago was this strange itching sensation in my genitals and completely debilitating pain radiating from my lower back and down my legs. The back pain lasted for months and it made it most difficult in the mornings for me to walk. I also had difficulty sitting and laying down comfortably.

I immediately saw the obgyn for the itching but there were no blisters, no ulcers, no explanation I could give for why this could be happening. The dr sent me on my way with a tube of cortisone cream and at upcoming appts rx'd me with antidepressants because it was interupting my sleep.

For the pain in my back (sciatica) I didn't see a general dr. I went to a massage therapist and then to a chiropractor and finally to someone who practiced bowen therapies. I think many years later I told my general physician about the pain and he prescribed ibuprofen and let it all go.

This sciatic pain would re-occur periodically but never as severely as it had right after the split.

I finally got diagnosed with the hsv this year. I spent months researching on the web for ways to deal with the hsv and happened to come across some information that says that sciatica can be from hsv infections and explained how the lumbrosacral ganglia, where genital herpes takes up residency, is in fact where the sciatic nerve is located. It all made sense. Subsequently I had a few small bouts with the sciatic pain in relation to stress and I noticed that the antiviral meds relieved this pain in several days instead of several months as had been my experience prior to my diagnosis.

I firmly believe my sciatic pain is from hsv and not a back injury. I suggest you research sciatica and hsv and share this info with your dr's.