Q: I am 18 years old. When I was 11, I got chicken pox. During that time, I developed certain small bumps at the base of my penis, just like what I had on other parts of my body. After I recovered from the illness, these spots didn't go away but they didn't hurt either, so I assumed them to be redundant left overs. However, recently they flare up from time to time and itch badly, especially during arousal. They seem to be small bumps of the size of a needle end and whitish in colour. They are under the skin at the base of the penis. I have heard that chicken pox is a type of herpes. Is this true? What can I do to cure this? I have never had any sexual contact or blood transfusion, etc, so I am assuming it is not an STD.

A:Chicken pox and herpes of the genitals are usually quite separate diseases and they are not related. However, chicken pox can reappear as Herpes zoster (shingles) and this can be painful, with the pain persisting for a long time. Antiviral therapy is unlikely to help, once the pain becomes chronic, but a physician could prescribe other drugs, if appropriate.