[Question #13953] GONORRHEA FROM RECEIVING ORAL SEX

 
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3 hours ago

First, apologies to Dr. Hook for panicking during my last question. I’m a 57-y/o male who received unprotected oral sex for 10 minutes from a female on 3/15. Lots of deep kissing too. I began feeling a tingling in my bladder about 17/18 days later and slight difficulty urinating. I recently  noticed my right testicle is certainly bigger than the left, which led me to do some research and believe I have an irritated/swollen epididymis. However, the swelling seems to be the only symptom, no pain, NO pus/discharge and urinating is not painful. I’ve read one testicle is typically larger than the other, but haven't been examining until now. The swelling is less in the morning, more during the day. I am also coughing up some clear phlegm, no sore throat. So, my questions are: 1) Can the swollen testicle with no pain be the ONLY symptom of gonorrhea? 2) Is it possible that I contracted pharyngeal gonorrhea from deep kissing? 3) Might the swollen testicle be caused by an ordinary NGU?

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
1 hours ago
I'm sorry you felt it necessary to return. I truly understand your fears and concerns -- but that doesn't mean they are rational. They are not. Did you not read Dr. Hook's initial replies? Not understand them? Or just not believe them?

The risk of gonorrhea from this single event was probably under 1% (one chance in a hundred). If infected, the odds you would not have typical symptoms within 5 days was near zero. That you would go another 13 days without symptoms was zero chance for all practical purposes. The combination of those statistical odds means your chance of having gonorrhea is under one in many million. And your symptoms do not suggest gonorrhea anyway; they are typical for genitally focused anxiety, which clearly is the main problem here. As for a potentially swollen or tender epididymis, that's pretty much impossible -- and self examination and evaluation of minor symptoms is veryy unreliable. Coughing phlegm -- clear or otherwise -- is irrelevant.

The answers to your numbered questions are 1) No, 2) No, and 3) No.

Nothing is wrong. If you remain concerned, see your doctor. But forget gonorrhea and other STIs. You're fine.

Sorry if the blunt comments seem insensitive. Call if tough love if you like. But forget all this and move on. Nothing is wrong. See your doctor if you remain concerned. Good luck.

HHH, MD
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