Herpes scare, not sure what to think.

[Tastee]

I live in a college dorm and I'm always very weary of touching door handles and stuff like that.

I am really paranoid when it comes to contracting herpes in these bathrooms from touching something an infected person touched. I'm going to jump straight to the point and see if any of you can ease my racing mind.

1) I have this pimple under my lip, well I think it is. It hurts, but it isn't a white head yet and it just has been sitting idle under my lip not really growing or anything. I put hot compresses on it to help it die down, but now I feel like it can be a cold sore.. I'm not sure... I have this weird lump on the back of my ear that I think is a swollen lymphnod and of course when I look up cold sores, they say that's a symptom.. so now it has me thinking...

2) can I get genital herpes from masturbing? Say I use the bathroom, touch the door handle, then masturbate?

[Worried 24/7]

Herpes can't live very long outside of the body, so I wouldn't worry about catching it from a surface of any kind....

[Fishmanpa]

HSV type one (oral herpes/cold sores) is contracted by coming in contact with someone who has the virus and most often when that virus is active. One can get type one genitally as well.

HSV type two is genital herpes and contracted by genital to genital contact and/or penetration with someone who has the virus and most likely when the virus is active. Getting type 2 orally, while not totally out of the question, is very rare.

While many can become infected and never know it or show symptoms, most get an initial outbreak and it's quite uncomfortable and painful. Many experience flu like symptoms during an outbreak or just feel "sick". You cannot get herpes from a doorknob, a toilet set or by masturbation.

Positive thoughts