Leg pain, etc.

[Werther]

Here is my history...

I am a 23 year old male and I had unprotected sex with my girlfriend (who said she was recently tested). Right off the bat I was worried and anxious. about a couple days later, I started getting a burning sensation in my urethra. this has happened before. my doctor once told me this was because of stress. fair enough...

that subsided after a few days.

stay with me...
the day after I had sex with her, I went running for the first time in a long time and had pain all in my left and right legs. this pain wasn't noticable until about 3 or 4 days later when I really started feeling some pain all the way from under my testicles (not the tests themselves) down toward my knees. I really got worried as I know herpes can cause leg pain.

so, about 10 days has passed. I have no sores, rashes or anything to speak of. however, i just noticed a small rising which is not painful or red about ten inches down and to the right of my knee. when I put pressure on my leg it seems to come out again and when there is no pressure, it is gone. it feels like it could be connected to muscle. is this an inflamed lymph node? i know there are no nodes down there but there are certainly lymphatic veins aren't there?? could this have to do with my leg pain which might be cause by inflamed lymph nodes in my inguinal area?

lastly, on this history i have with prostatitis-like symptoms. I often find it hard to complete blader movements (dribbling moments--even minutes later) and have had this intermittent urethral pain throughout the last 2 years.

Whats going on? any ideas? is it just stress? Anxiety?

this is 10th day from inital exposure.

thanks so much!!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I have never heard of lymph node inflammation as an explanation for leg pain.  I have no explanation for urethral burning that only occurs after ejaculation.

All this is speculation.  Follow up with your provider to clarify the HSV test results and get further advice about your symptoms.  I'ave gone as far as I can go.

[Werther]

last question...

1) is this leg pain usually indicative of swollen lymphnodes beneath the muscles??

2) what might you say could be one of the possible causes of the intermittent urethral burning?

Thanks again!!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Before an episode of what?  Herpes?

People who have recurrent herpes (not their first infection) sometimes get numbness, tingling or pain in the general area where an outbreak is about to appear, no more than 1-2 days before blisters/sores appear, i.e. a "prodome" of the coming outbreak.  In a minority of such cases, the prodrome may involve pain in a wide area, such as down the leg.  Wherever the discomfort occurs, it goes away within a day or so, usually around the time the sores/blisters appear.

I think you will agree this doesn't describe your symptoms.

[Werther]

I dont understand. why do so many people complain of leg pain before an episode?? i have seen this on so many websites. am i missing something?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Leg pain isn't a symptom of any STD.  I doubt an inflamed lymph node is the cause, but lymph node inflammation would be an unusual initial manifestation of STD.  Your symptoms probably have nothing whatever to do with your recent sexual adventure, except to the extent they may be due in whole or in part to anxiety over the event--and as I have pointed out many times, when a person suspects his or her own symptoms are due to anxiety or stress, s/he usually is right.  (But it's hard to imagine why someone would be anxious over sex with his regular girlfriend.)

Of course return to your health care provider if your symptoms persist or you otherwise remain concerned.

Good luck-- HHH, MD