[Question #1957] Burning Penis In Approx 12 Hours After Oral Sex

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89 months ago
Hello! I had oral sex performed on  me at 3am on Thursday, 04/06/17. I did ejaculate in her mouth. Within approx. 12 hours, I experienced a slight burning pain. I tried to shake this off as being dehydrated. When the pain persisted Friday, I noticed a purple mark (bruise?) on my penis, with a tiny scab next to it. The burning pain does not begin until about 2 hours after I wake up. Then it gets seemingly stronger, or I notice it more, through the day. Can an STD manifest within 12 hours? Or was the oral performed rough to cause the bruise/penis pain? I am scared. I read somewhere that it could be 'genital-focused anxiety' but I know the pain is real. I take oxycodone for my back, and it seems to relieve my penis pain for a brief period of time (approx. 2 hours). Other than that it is painful all day until I go to bed. My question is can physical burning sensations for any STD/STI manifest within 12 hours after exposure? It has only been two days but I am depressed/scared/anxious until I can be tested this week for gonorrhea/chlamydia. I don't know if this can be a random bacterial situation or if it is a sexually transmitted disease. I am most worried about herpes or any incurable disease.... Please help!!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
89 months ago
Welcome to the Forum. I'll try to help.  Having symptoms begin only12 hours after sex is quite rapid for the onset of STI symptoms and suggests that there may have been some local process/trauma which may be causing your symptoms.  I have several comments/suggestions which I will present in no particular order:

1.  The human mouth has more bacteria in it than any other part of the body.  Is is possible that there was a slight bite during sex?  Is your penis red, particularly around the site of the scab you have mentioned?  if so you may have a non-STI bacterial infection called cellulitis.  If so, I would suggest seeing a doctor for antibiotics.  If this is the case, please be sure the doctor does examine you (all too many doctors are uncomfortable examining genitalia0 and that tests are done.  If this is the problem, the antibiotics used would be different than the antibiotics most often recommended for STIs. 

2.  Receipt of oral sex only relatively rarely leads to infection.  When it does, the most common problems are either gonorrhea of non-gonococcal urethritis NGU) caused by mouth organisms introduced in to the urethra during sex. Gonorrhea is most often obvious with a purulent discharge from the penis. Non-chlamydial NGU is less symptomatic and not clearly and STI in the traditional sense, is not readily transmitted to sex partners like other STIs, and in not associated with complications.  Evaluation of these possibilities could be done with an examination and testing to look for white blood cells in your penile secretions.  This is best accomplished using a swab specimen from the penis: a urine specimen is a second choice but not as good for this purpose. 

3.  Finally, if you are concerned, you may be examining yourself and be more attuned to genital irritation than is typically the case. If this is your situation, there should be little or no discharge visible from the penis. 

Nothing you have said is any way suggestive of herpes. 

I hope my comments are helpful.  EWH

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89 months ago
There is no redness on penis, it was more a purple-ish bruise. The pain is still there but has subsided "slightly", in part due to me noticing I'm having consistent diahrea since contact. The girl did touch my anus (which has never happened before)  so I'm wondering if whatever I have was also spread to my anus, or if an infection of the penis could in itself lead to diarrhea? The pain from constantly wiping due to diarrhea/anal infection has been painful. Please advise!!!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
89 months ago
Without direct contact other than the "touching" you mention there is no risk for any anal STI and I would presume that your diarrhea is unrelated to the encounter you describe above.  The fact that your symptoms are subsiding without therapy, combined with the signs of trauma suggest that this may be related to trauma, not an STI.  The more I hear, the less concerned I am that this is an STI. No change in my assessment or recommendations, including the possible evaluation of your urethral symptoms.  EWH
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89 months ago
Thanks for your help! I do not have anymore time off work so I'm trying to kill all birds with one stone (or the 3 hours I have off work). I'm increasingly getting itchy down below, around my thighs and butt. I am curious, I want to ask my doctor for Valtrex just in case it's herpes. If iit ultimately is NOT herpes... will taking Valtrex be harmful in anyway? I'd like to take it as precaution to the first outbreak. Today is day #5... and since the tingle/itch/pain is getting worse I just want to get ahead of possible herpes. I understand these to be signs of outbreak
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
89 months ago
Valtrex is a well tolerated drug with few side effects.  I doubt that taking valacyclovir will have any negative effects on you.  I also think that nothing you have describes sounds the least bit like herpes.  Some patients with herpes do experience a tingling sensation a few hours before the appearance of lesions but not much longer.  Further the discomfort of HSV is rarely described as itching and does not radiate into the buttocks of thighs, particularly bilaterally.  Finally, the most common symptom persons with genitally focused anxiety experience is itching which most likely is merely the effect of focused attention on their genitals, causing them to notice normal sensations which would otherwise be overlooked.  I am highly skeptical of the idea that this could be herpes. 

This is my third reply to your questions.  Therefore, as outlined on our Forum Guidelines, this will complete our exchange and the thread will be closed in a few hours. If you have continuing questions you will have to open and pay for a new thread. 

In closing, let me reiterate that the exposure you have described was very, very low risk for STI of any sort and it is most unlikely that you acquired an STI from it.  My advice remains for you to put this event behind you and to move forward without concern about STIs of any sort.  Take care.  EWH 
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