Question:
Here is a little thought that hit me recently:

Can my lifelong back problems/sciatic nerve problems cause me to have herpes outbreaks???

A little back story here: from the time I was a teen I had back problems in my lower lumbar. Could be due to the fact that I was the initial "extreme sport" girl (although we didn't call it that in the late 80s early 90s) and surfing/snowboarding/horseback riding/motorcylce riding caused me these back problems. It could be congenitive. (I won't get into the details of my back pains...just know that it has been around a very long time and is exceedingly painful. )

Occasionally I do something or I do absolutely nothing and my sciatic nerve gets pinched and it FLOORS me. This happened recently. Friday night, I lost feeling in both my legs...then I had shooting pain down my legs. Couldn't walk, couldn't sit....yeah...that was FUN.

So, I did the ice/heat thing, did my little stretches and things I was taught by my physical therapist to do, and while the pain has subsided, there is some stiffness.

Well, in the midst of all this pain, I began to feel a tingling and heaviness in my vulva/labia region. Thought...uh oh....outbreak coming on. nothing nothing...until YESTERDAY. Little itchy sore on the labia. So I am bummed out about that, put some choraphor on it, it is almost gone today, BUT, methinks another itchy sore popped up in the same area. I will treat it the same, but it really got me thinking.....

We all know that HSV2 lives in the spine. The lower part of the spine, correct?? Doesn't it seem entirely feasible that if the nerves in the spine are being affected and pinched that it could actually wake up the virus and cause an outbreak?!?!?! I mean, when I sit and think about it, it doesn't sound that crazy to me. I began looking back over the past few month and when I have had outbreaks..... December, I had an outbreak, but I had my back out of whack and started a new job.

About 2 1/2 or 3 months ago, my back was acting up and I had a very mild outbreak. (was gone in a day.....at least the sores were.)

This weekend, had the most horrific back pain/spasms ever....and gee whiz, here is another outbreak.

When I was pregnant, I KNOW my insane hormonal influxes affected my outbreaks, but I also wonder if the stress on the back from carrying baby also contributed to my outbreaks (I had the WORST outbreaks ever while pregnant.)


I mean, I might sound crazy, but it just make logical SENSE. Oh, I am sure STRESSING about the pain I was in friday night didn't help, but ultimately, the type of back problem I have, the location.....It can't just be coincidental.

I know many people talk about pain in their legs and back as well right before an outbreak....so it also made me think, well, maybe the herpes virus is aggravating my already screwed up sciatic nerve/back!!! Although I think it is the former, it could very possibly be THIS scenario too.

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg, right?


Man, sometimes I just want to donate my body to science. I would make a great guinea pig. ;-)

Any thoughts!?!?! Would love to hear what you all think!!!

Answer:
I also was an extreme athlete as a girl. And no they didn't call it that my parents simply thought I was insane and far too competetive for their liking. (Yeah I was the one who rode their motocross bike off the roof into the pool and climbed to the top of the highest tree and jumped.)

Anyway's in the 1980's I started having major back problems and saw many dr's and chiropractors . . .

fast forward to 2007 and I am diagnosed with hsv but it's been there for maybe 10 years.

I have found that if my sciatica starts acting up it is almost certainly in conjunction with an hsv ob. If I take the antiviral as soon as the sciatic starts the ob doesn't come on completely and the sciatic pain goes away in less than 3 days. This would not happen if it was from the nerve being pinched. I am convinced it is the hsv.

Answer:
hmmm....interesting....the two could be working hand in hand with one another.....See I always had back problems, they got worse after the birth of my first child. Then when I first contracted hsv, I rarely, if ever had outbreaks. Even when my back was going crazy. BUT recently, I gained a little extra weight, (after my baby was born) and my back acts up more frequently. BUT...I wonder if some of these sciatic nerve problems/pains I have been dealing with ARE indeed more HSV related than just my typical ole back/hip issue.

God Caliope, I wish I could take antivirals. Unless I am enduring multiple or very severe outbreaks, I steer away from them. For me, I found that my outbreaks seemed prolonged while on antivirals, OR if I took it suppressively, I had strange side effect which were as bad (if not worse) than the outbreak itself. (strange bumps on my lips, almost like a rash, headaches, etc.)

What I do now is use a topical product as soon as I have the outbreak. Fortunately, mine went back to being more of an annoyance (usually just one or two sores.) So I apply said topical ointment, the sores are gone in 1-4 days, depending (usually one or two days) then I abstain from sex with the man for about a week to ten days and that is that.

But I did a little searching in the old mental filofax and I remembered that one of the last outbreaks I had WAS in conjunction with a "pinched" nerve. UGH!!! Between THAT and our periods, we women can't WIN.

But I thank you for your response. Glad to know I was not the only wild child back in the 80s and 90s!!! Hell, I still try to get my butt up on my surf and snow board. I am a lot slower, but have just as much fun!!! No herpes or sciatic nerve or back problems are going to keep me from that! ;-)

Thanks again !!

Answer:
so can you do massive doses of lysine and vitamin c when you feel a back twinge and see if it makes the difference? I mean if you aren't having an ob and just the nerve stuff perhaps it will help.

btw I started on the siberian ginseng as recommended by a recent post and I am hopeful. I can at least say that it didn't upset my stomach like some of the other supplements.

Answer:
Hey there Caliope,

yeah, usually I take my lysine/c/b complex (good for the central nervous system) supplements. And when I feel the beginnings of an outbreaks (the tingling in the nether regions...any pains) then I will up the ante if you will and take more C and Lysine. C is amazing, because what I have found is once a sore is present (especially for herpes 1/coldsores) it seems to really just wipe it out.

so perhaps from now on when my back goes haywire, I should just automatically pump up my supplement intake, eh? Can't really hurt anything and might wipe out any bad outbreaks.

Good news is this outbreak only lasted about 2 1/2 days. The sores are pretty much gone already. I used the topical treatment ( I am sure you can figure out which one.....I am trying not to sound like an AD or something.) and it has helped me tremendously in the past. I am sold on this stuff. So while I DO have outbreaks, it helps shorten the durantion. Then I take the vitamins too like clock work. EVERY MORNING...there I am with all my lovely vitamins.

Reminds me: Must go to trader joes! I am out of Lysine!!! DO you have a trader joes where you are at? I find that there vitamins are inexpensive and good quality. Plus...I love all their yummy , good organic foods and stuff!! ;-)

Answer:
oh! And let me know how the Siberian Ginseng works. I am aHUGE fan of Ginseng, I find it give me energy (not in a speedy way, just a nice mellow way) and it has so many other good qualities. Is it a pill/vitamin Supplement you are taking? Or an actual herb you purchased and are using in teas?

Answer:
I don't have a lot of time to search for supplements. I wanted to get a tincture but ended up going with what was available. I got some capsules that contain the ground root of the siberian ginseng. I take three daily in the morning.

I haven't tried the teas but they sound interesting. Maybe once I have a chance to look more.

Answer:
Hi
well seems I'm not crazy either. I've had HSV2 for about 4 years. Prior to this I did have lower back problems due to a compressed disc which really only was stiffess and ocasional sharp pains. My first outbreak I had intense pain in my lower back. Not long after I had my first outbreak.I ended up getting the lovely outbreaks every month. Tried lots of things but really the only thing that helps is valtrex. I started suppresive therapy and have been on it for 3 years.

As this med is quite expensive (even prescription) I feel very dependant. I have finally gotten off to see how things have changed.

still the same, an outbreak every 4 weeks.. but the main thing that gets me is the pain i have in my lower back. every day I have pain, somedays worse than others but really it is terrible. Pain down my left leg, groin and inside my hips.My gentitals turn a pink or light red and gets hyper sensitive (and not in a good way).this stays this way for 4 weeks then an outbreak.
Now if I go back on valtrex, I no outbreaks and very little pain and very rarely any redness or sensitivty.

My doctor doesnt seem to think there arent any links. However I have to say there is a link between the sciatic nerve and herpes outbreaks. So many things trigger OB's, coffee, sunlight, trauma, food or hard sex. Seems most things related to nerves can cause pain and eventually an outbreak.

If embarrassing monthly pharmacy visits and the costs werent so bad I wouldnt care but I think we need more understanding in this area.

I guess I should feel lucky that my symptoms can be relieved somewhat with modern medicine.

If anyone has more info on nerve and herpes help please let me know.

Answer:
i have always had lower back pain, mostly around my monthly cycle; doc says i have a tipped uterus. anyway, since this virus, OMG, my lower back is in excrutiating pain; driving and sitting kills my lower back and my buttocks. BIG TIME.:mad: