[Question #10836] Persistent Genitourinary Pain Inquiry
19 months ago
|
Hello doctors,
I have a concern, and by now, I am desperate. I've been experiencing pain in the penis and testicles for over 4 months after a risky encounter with a woman. A week after the encounter, gonorrhea was diagnosed and treated in the clinic, relieving the pain.
However, after about a month, the pain returned and now extends to the testicles.
I've visited various doctors, had PCR swabs and urine tests multiple times, but no bacteria were found, and tests for other bacteria were negative.
I tested negative for syphilis, hepatitis, and HIV After 6 weeks and 11 Weeks
I take Remicade for chrons disease.
According to your previous responses, Remicade doesn't impact HIV tests. Is that correct?
My Last HIV tests include a 4th-generation antigen/antibody test, and an HIV RNA test, all negative After 15 Werks of Risk. I believe HIV1-Hiv2 is ruled out. Did i need a retest?
Now, back to first question: What can you recommend, what should I tell the doctors, and what tests should be conducted? PCR swabs and urine have already been checked. Or could this be related to psychological factors, given that the pain disappeared for a month?
Thank you for helping people worldwide with your answers.
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
19 months ago
|
Welcome to the forum and thanks for your confidence in the forum and your kind comments about our services.
However, my reply may be less helpful than you were hoping. Our expertise and advice is limited to STDs, not to non-STD genital symptoms and health issues. And there is no STD known to cause symptoms like you describe.
But let's start by clarifying your symptoms prior to treatment. The main symptoms of gonorrhea or chlamydia are discharge from the penis (which can vary from nearly clear mucus to dripping pus) and painful urination. These begin anywhere from 2-3 days after infection (gonorrhea) to 7-14 days later (chlamydia and others). The most common complication of urethral (penile) infection is epididymitis, with pain and swelling of a single testicle, often quite severe -- but usually doesn't begin until a couple of weeks or even a few months after being infected.
Diffuse scrotal pain, involving both testicles, and penile pain other than when urinating are not typical symptoms of any STD. They are, however, the most common symptoms of prostatitis and the chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), which are not STDs. Perhaps most pertinent, they are the main symptoms of genitally focused anxiety and are very common in men who are stressed or worried about STDs, a sexual exposure they regret, and so on. You can find lots of information by googling CPPS -- spell it out. The Wikipedia article is good, and so is the information you can find from the Stanford University Department of Urology. The symptoms of genitally focused anxiety are essentially the same as for CPPS, without the longstanding ("chronic") component. Going to your closing question, the fact that you raise "psychological factors" yourself may be significant: when someone suspects his or her own symptoms have a psychological origin, often s/he is exactly right!
It was right and proper to be tested for HIV and syphilis following your exposure and acquisition of two STDs, but neither causes the symptoms you're concerned about and your negative test results are conclusive. Indeed, all your negative blood tests were conclusive at 6 weeks; the later tests were unnecessary. And rest assured that your gonorrhea, chlamydia and their treatment had no effect on the other test results. (Indeed, there are no existing medical conditions of any kind that have any effect on the timing or reliability of the syphilis and HIV blood tests.)
Those comments start to address your closing quesion, what to recommend and/or discuss with your doctors. I would simply describe your symptoms, and perhaps my opinions about them. Many family physicians, internists, and other generalists are on top of these issue, but not universally; a urologist may be a more reliable source. But be aware that many urologists (and others), knowing that infectious prostatitis causes similar s symptoms, routinely prescribe 4-6 weeks treatment with certain antibiotics in the hope (but often little expectation) they will help. In my many years of clinical experience, usually the symptoms just fade with time -- and once the patient has become confident it's nothing serious. It is extremely unlikely you have any continuing STD or any other health problem that will ever harm you or a current or future sex partner. Perhaps this knowledge alone is all you will need!
Let me know if anything isn't clear. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
---
19 months ago
|
Hello Dr Handsfield,
Thank you for your prompt response. I have another question. Are you sure that I can exclude an HIV infection (HIV 1 and 2) after 15 weeks? I read in the forum that a small number of people may experience a delay in antibody formation. Do you have experience with this? This is my final question, and then the matter will be concluded for me. Thank you.
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
19 months ago
|
There has never been a case of HIV that failed to test positive with the tests you had as long as testing was done 6 weeks or more after the last possible exposure. Delayed antibody detection used to be a problem, with the earliest HIV tests no longer in use. It doesn't happen any more; and in any case, your tests were not only for antibody, but for protein component of the virus (p24 antigen) and HIV RNA. You do not have HIV.
---
19 months ago
|
Hello Dr.
Do I not need to worry about hiv 2 either the test 4th was Done at 15. weeks ? The RNA test is only for HIV 1. I think that should be enough and I will trust your knowledge.
![]() |
H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
19 months ago
|
Your test results rule out HIV2 as well as HIV1. The antibody component of the AgAb (4th generation) include HIV2. Also, check with the lab about your RNA test. Until recently the RNA test was only for HIV1 RNA, but versions that include HIV2 are increasingly used. But this is not a realistic concern anyway. HIV2 is extremely rare ln the US and other industrialized countries, with only a few hundred cases in the US over the past 40 years, mostly in people who were infected in parts of Africa or in their regular (not one-time) partners. There is no possibility you have either HIV type. Believe it and move on!
That completes the two follow-up exchanges included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.
---