hey there!
well, take comfort in knowing that by being a male...you've less likely a chance of contracting HIV in the first place because you have less vascular, exposed surface area than women do. your fear and concern about the encounter is VERY understandable.
last september, my boyfriend and i pulled a woman out of a car crash on the highway, we were there watching it happen. lucky people they were to have 2 medical professionals at the seen! but when i was holding her up against the concrete divider...my whole 2 arms were covered in blood! and not mine! so imagine that! i had open skin on my fingers but not on my arms....so i tried not to let it drip anywhere. after a few days went by, that anxiety and worry left me. i do not believe i've had an HIV draw since then...but by conversing with you....perhaps i should! so thank you!
true that the virus kind of "inactivates" once oxygen hits it. one of those things that doesn't survive in the atmosphere.
wow....have you ever heard of Reynauds phenomena? slang for it is "flag hands"! they turn red, blue and white. it starts by a say either a freezing feeling in the hands or burning heat or even like a frostbite...then it gets hot and burns and tingles and turns red and then they get pale and are always cold. it does fall into the catagory of an arthritis but the vasculature of the hands and joints play the major parts.
carpal tunnell syndrome can cause bad hand pain too.
what's your health history? any existing medical problems? i would say...at you rnext Dr. appointment, get a full work up. a complete CBC w/ diff , RA, ANA, CMP, VDRL, Ebv, and even your thyroid too. (this should cover all immediate bases) the painful areas tell the doc and he can evaluate them & will most likely start with a series of Xrays or an MRI of the hands or any other painful area.
could your job/work or activities be causing joint and or muscle pain?
take care.
the best to you!
erin