[Question #11480] Oral and syphilis

14 months ago

I'll get right to the point I gave oral to two unknow guys 2.5 days ago no ejaculation but a small amount of Precum I now have a small painless red bump on the back roof of my mouth. I have no other encounters and tested NEG. for all STI three weeks ago. I am worried about this bump and hope it is not syphilis.

Thank for your reply

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

14 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. Thanks for your continued confidence in our services.

The chancre -- the ulcer due to primary syphilis -- starts as a red bump then becomes an open sore within a few days. However, onset after 2-3 days is much too soon: a lesion cannot begin before 7-8 days after exposure and usually it's 10-20 days. Whatever the cause of the bump, it isn't syphilis. This of course assumes no other oral sexual exposures say 2-4 weeks ago. If not, I see no need for testing at this time. Of course consider getting care in person if the bump persists or especially if it turns into an open sore in the future.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

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14 months ago

The bump is gone and again I think I have dogged a bullet. I am married long term and like many older mens wifes who have simply give up sex what do we do. I have held my family together and have a few outlets with other guys in the same boat. It is alway oral and they unlike me are mostly unaware of their status. I keep hoping my sex drive will end and it is hopefully on the way out with days of worry not worth it.

You do a wonderful service thanks for all you do.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

14 months ago

Glad to hear it's gone and happy you feel good about the situation. Thanks for the thanks.---

14 months ago

As I said in my question I have adopted a life style like many older married guys that have NO other outlet than to enjoy oral sex from time to time. My question is from a pure medical standpoint am I at high risk of getting an infection? When I get tested they always seem to wave off the risk when I tell them why I am being tested. To be clearer I guess they are saying my fear is to high for my exposure.

Thanks your reply.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

14 months ago

Oral sex is inherently low risk for all STDs and zero risk for some -- which I'm pretty sure has been discussed in at least one of your many previous threads. The main risks are for gonorrhea, nongonococcal urethritis due to normal oral bacteria, herpes due to HSV1 (but at your age you likely have had HSV1 and are immune), and syphilis if your partners remain mostly males. If you'd like to lower your risk still further, I would suggest you limit your oral sex exposures to female partners rather than men who have sex with men. But either way, I would also advise you to stop obsessing over trivial symptoms. And rather than seeking STI/HIV testing after every event, just plan on a routine tests (urine for gonorrhea/chlamydia, and blood tests for syphilis and HIV -- AND NOTHING ELSE) after every several exposures.

This is your ninth question on the forum (not a record, but I believe among the top ten over the past 20 years). Almost all your questions have been similar each other -- or with sufficient similarities that the answers are obvious without having to ask every time you have a new sexual experience or a minor symptom. I'm going to close by repeating a statement I posted on one of your past threads:

Please note that the forum does not permit repeated anxiety driven questions by the same users. Such repeat questions are subject to being deleted without reply and without refund of your posting fee. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is designed to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers; because experience shows that continued answers tends to simply prolong such anxieties, when the real answer normally should be professional counseling; and because such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. I trust you will understand.

In the event of future concerns, I would advise you to go back and re-read your other threads. Thanks for your understanding. Best wishes and stay safe.

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