[Question #13225] Oral

1 months ago

Doctor I met a new woman and we’ve have been having a lot of sex. We both agree we are going to use condoms. Every time we have sex condoms are a non negotiable. After every sex act I check the condom and they’ve always remain in tact. Now when she gives me oral we do not use condoms. Lately when I pee (sometimes not all the time) the opening of my penis the urethra burns a little. I have no discharge and it happens normally the first time I pee in the morning. I don’t know if it’s because it concentrated urine or something. Could I have a NGU from normal oral bacteria? This new girlfriend of mine does have a history of being a sex worker in her past. Hence the reason we use protection. One day she had a cold and she gave me oral. Could this be a NGU? I also clean the head of my penis with alcohol wipes. Could that be another reason? If I did get a NGU I know if she has HIV it’s still a small risk right?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

Welcome back to the forum. Thank you for your continuing confidence in our services.

A little minor discomfort of the meatus (urethral opening) is pretty common after sex, maybe more so after oral exposure -- probably just a bit of physical irritation. In addition, alcohol is quite irritating to the meatus and urethra; and so is soap, for that matter. And alcohol after sex is not likely to prevent any infection, whether from cold viruses or STIs.

Some cold viruses definitely can infect the urethra, especially the group called adenoviruses. However, your symptoms seem too mild to be due to adenovirus NGU, which is quite painful. In any case, it also is harmless. Still, in the future I would advise holding off on unprotected oral sex in event your partner has a cold or other respiratory infection, and stopping your alcohol treatment after sex.

There has never been a known case of HIV transmitted oral to penis. However, in view of your partner's former sex work, it would be wise for her to be tested for HIV is not done recently. And for that matter, she should consider testing both orally and vaginally for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and a blood test for syphilis. It sounds unlikely she has any of these, but better safe than sorry -- and why not?

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

HHH, MD

---