Why You Might Never Know Who Gave You Herpes: 5 Key Reasons
“Who gave me herpes?”
This is one of the most common questions people ask when they’re diagnosed with herpes. Where did I get it? When did I get it? Who gave it to me? Did they know?
This spiraling can be difficult to challenge and interrupt thanks to herpes stigma. Unfortunately, there are some questions that may not have an answer.
Here are five reasons why you may never know which partner you got herpes from:
📝 Reason 1: Testing Guidelines - In the US, the @cdcgovdoesn’t currently recommend herpes testing for everyone. Yes, even if you ask to be “tested for everything.” If you don’t live in the US, be sure to check out the recommended guidelines where you live.
📝Reason 2: No Herpes Screening History - Because of this testing recommendation, most people don’t have a herpes screening history and are unaware of their status. If someone has been tested for herpes, it’s also important to understand the rate of false positives associated with specific tests.
📝Reason 3: Herpes is Sneaky - Herpes can remain dormant for a period of weeks, months, or even years. This makes it difficult to trace it back to a specific partner (especially if you don’t have a testing history!)
📝Reason 4: Mistaken and Overlooked Symptoms - People mistake herpes for an ingrown hair, razor burn, or something else. Thus, they don’t think to seek testing and don’t inform their partners.
📝Reason 5: Not Talking About Cold Sores - People with cold sores (aka oral herpes) are not educated or aware of the possibility of transmission and end up not telling their partners.