You Asked It — Sore Subjects

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers.

I shared a straw with a friend and now I’m scared I have herpes. Can I get tested?

You can share the cold or flu through a straw, but not herpes.

It’s great that you’re concerned about your health. You’re probably just fine. First off, it’s pretty unlikely to get herpes by sharing a straw, towel, or toilet seat. It’s mostly transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, during oral, anal, or vaginal sex, fingering, or kissing.

As for getting tested, doctors only test for herpes if you’re having an outbreak. A person who is having a herpes outbreak will have very painful sores (called lesions) that look like pimples or blisters on your genitals or mouth. If you’re having an outbreak, your doctor will test you for herpes through a physical exam and by swabbing the lesions.

There is also a blood test for herpes. The problem? It’s not very reliable at showing whether or not you currently have the herpes virus. Lots of people will get herpes in their lives. In short, unless you have symptoms (again, painful sores on your genitals or mouth), you don’t need to get tested for herpes.

About You Asked It

At the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, we answer a lot of questions. Topics range from nutrition to pregnancy prevention, and everything in between. Now, we’re bringing these questions back to you with our new weekly advice column, You Asked It. Got a question? Holler at us in the comments, send us a message on Facebook or Twitter, or email us atinfo@teenhealthcare.org.

Missed a You Asked It post? Check out our previous Q&As: Expiration Dates, The Rap on Paps,Terrible Tests,Burning Love, Is My Vagina Gross?, Bedtime Woes,Lumps & Bumps, Ugh, UTIs, Fit on the Cheap,Private Parts, Private Tests, Coitus InterrWHATus?,Modest at the Docs,Condom Problems and Boys & Shots.