[Question #12909] Oral exposure with symptoms
4 months ago
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I am a male who had unprotected fellatio with another male (new partner) where we both gave and received. He did ejaculate in my mouth, but did not swallow. This was 5 weeks ago.
1-2 days after I started experiencing a slight discomfort at the tip of my penis (meatus?). This discomfort last for about 2 weeks where I could notice it constantly rubbing on my underwear. No burning when peeing or discharge though. Then after about a week or so of not noticing the irritation, it came back. I also think there is a slight swelling at the tip of my penis, but can't say for sure. It also feels noticeable after I masturbate. Still no burning or discharge.
1 week after the exposure I started to get a slightly sore throat and feel like a cold was coming on. It never turned into other cold symptoms, but the feeling was constant and went away about 1 week later. Then I had a burning sensation on the tip of my tongue that only last a few days.
I did a urine test at 2 weeks for chlamydia, gonnorhea, mycoplasma, trich, Haemophilus ducreyi, and treponema pallidum. All negative.
Then at 4 weeks did a standard blood and urine test. All negative. Also did a mouth swab for gonnorhea and chlamydia. All negative.
Now 5 weeks later I developed a sore throat again along with congestion.
1. With all the negative tests, is there a possibility of some other STI that I haven't tested for?
2. Is there a chance I can pass whatever I have to someone else of I engage on oral sex again?
3. Should I test one more time for syphilis at 6 weeks for a conclusive test?
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
4 months ago
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Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your confidence in our services.
Your symptoms have not been typical for any STI, but they were suggestive enough to warrant testing, exactly as you have done. But all the negative tests are reliable. With those results, the most likely explanation for your symptoms is psychological -- i.e. anxiety increasing your awareness or sensitivity to minor symptoms or even normal body sensations that otherwise would not be bothersome and maybe not even noticed. As for the specific tests you had, some were unnecessary. Trichomonas is strictly a heterosexually transmitted infection, no risk at all from oral sex or sex with men. H. ducreyi and the genital mycoplasmas (i.e. M. hominis, Ureaplasma species) are entirely normal in the genital tract and even positive results do not require treatment.
Those comments pretty much answer your numbered questions, but to be explicit:
1. There is no realistic chance of these or any other STI.
2. And therefore, it is clear you have nothing you can transmit to another partner by oral sex or any other kind of sexual contact.
3. It is true that it takes up to 6 weeks for conclusive syphilis testing. However, based on your symptoms (and lack of typical syphilis symptoms), the chance you have it it is near zero. But feel free to test again at 6 weeks if you'll sleep better knowing the negative result.
I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.
HHH, MD
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4 months ago
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Thank you very much for your reply. I figured the negative tests were pretty clear. I had thought that the irritation at the opening of the urethra might just be psychological only, but it just seems so real and uncomfortable at times which is why I have been questioning an STD infection or not.
If there is a slight swelling of the meatus or a split urine stream when I first start going, would that be a troublesome sign? Sometimes when I notice the irritation a lot, I spread the tip open a bit and it looks like just on the bottom of the lip there is a slight red scratch almost (very tiny). Would this be indicative of anything either?
Thank you again.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
4 months ago
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The pain or discomfort from psychological origin is entirely real; the term doesn't mean the pain is imagined, "in my head", etc. Anxiety and worry are very powerful influences on perception of pain. As another example, consider tension headache. The origin is psychological but the pain certainly isn't imaginary -- but is caused by increased muscle tone (another form of "tension") in neck and scalp muscles.
That said, if split stream or apparent meatal swelling continue, evaluation for a non-STD urinary tract infection might be a good idea. Although oral sex isn't a likely origin of such an infection, it could happen.
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3 months ago
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I had a urinalysis done and no evidence of a UTI was found. 6+ weeks since the oral sex the discomfort is still at the underside of the tip where the glans meet the urethra. Also, when erect, the opening just doesn't look normal like it did prior to this. The meatus is a bit bigger looking and the head is shiny and looks dry almost. Could a bacteria from the oral sex be causing this? If so, how would I go about testing for that. Or is it still, like you said, probably related to my anxiety causing these visual changes.
As this is my last reply, I wanted to thank you for your help and advice!
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
3 months ago
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No: there is no "bacteria from the oral sex" that is a possible cause of the discomfort or the appearance of your meatus. You're on the right track in your closing statement: "my anxiety causing these visual changes" -- except of course anxiety cannot cause visual changes. Your anxiety affecting your sensation of penile discomfort and how you interpret the appearance of your meatus. You have no infection of any kind from the sexual exposure 5 weeks ago.
Thanks for the thanks; I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.
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