[Question #9354] Ngu or something else?

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33 months ago
I received oral sex from a new partner on thursday (nov 3) and also received oral from a regular partner on monday (oct 31) ... both unprotected

Sunday morning i started noticing a burning/stinging sensation when I urinate. Which is still there now everytime i urinate.

I havent noticed any discharge. But it does hurt when i pee. 

My last unprotected vaginal encounter was with my gf a little over 3.5 weeks ago. Didnt notice any symptoms after that. So i dont think anything came from her. 

Im a little nervous though and have a chlamydia/gon screening scheduled for today. 

Just wanted to get some insight on what this could be? 
Given my history would you expect my results to be negative?





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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
33 months ago
Welcome back to the forum. Thank you for your continued confidence in our services.

You are right to be concerned. The timing of your uncomfortable urination is most in line with an STD from the oral sex exposure either 3 days after previously; it fits with the incubation period of gonorrhea or herpes, but not so well for NGU, for which onset typically is 7-10 days. The oral sex from a different (but "regular") partner 6 days previously also is a potential source for either gonorrhea or herpes. (You're correct that the vaginal sex event 3.5 weeks ago is too long for any STD.) The timing oesn't entirely exclude NGU, but NGU typically causes milder urinary discomfort than you seem to have, making gonorrhea is the better bet from either partner. If so, you can expect to start seeing urethral discharge -- perhaps starting fairly clear but rapidly becoming overt pus -- in the next day or two. What sex is your Thursday partner? (Oral gonorrhea isn't rare in women, but it's far more common among men who have sex with men. Your past discussion with Dr. Hook indicates you primarily have sex with women, but had at least that one past experience with a male partner.)

Herpes probably is less likely than gonorrhea, but as already noted is a possibility. However, initial genital herpes symptoms usually include external penile lesions; it can start exclusively in the urethra, but that's fairly uncommon. The likelihood also depends on whether you have been infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1). Half of all adults in the US have positive HSV1 blood tests indicating past infection; some but not most of them have had recognized oral herpes (cold sores).

You need prompt in person medical care, ideally with a doctor or clinic with substantial STD experience, so follow through with your plan to be seen today. Evaluation should not be limited to chlamydia/gonorrhea screening, but careful examination by a provider with STD experience, and urine evaluation for white blood cells. A local health department STD clinic is always a good bet, if available nearby. Planned parenthood is reliable as well; many but not all urgent care clinics are up to speed. Try to time a visit so that you haven't urinated for at least a couple of hours before being seen, to allow more accurate evaluation for early discharge and urinalysis. If gonorrhea cannot be conclusively excluded when you are seen, you should be treated with ceftriaxone (single dose by injection), plus doxycycline for a week to also cover chlamydia (present in 20-30% of people with gonorrhea).

It goes without saying (I hope) that both your oral sex partners in the past week are going to need to be evaluated. They should have throat swabs for gonorrhea, regardless of the results of your exam and testing; and perhaps evaluated for herpes if that turns out to be the problem.

By the way, in reviewing your past thread, about your possible syphilis exposure, I'm wondering how that worked out. Were you treated to prevent syphilis? Did you become infected? (I assume not or you likely would have said so.) Just curious.

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

HHH, MD
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
33 months ago
FYI, after about half an hour I modified my comments slightly, to more clearly comment on the two separate oral sex exposures in the past week. You might re-read it to assure no misunderstanding. (That said, it doesn't really affect my advice about diagnosis, treatment, etc.)

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33 months ago
Thank you Dr HHH i really appreciate the reply 

Let me clarify. My burning sensation isnt extreme pain. I guess you could call it mild. Its more a little jolt of burning when i first start peeing then goes away pretty quickly mid stream. Then the sensation lingers a little at the tip while the residual urine dries up. ( i wipe my penis tip with toilet paper)

If i open my penis tip it does look a bit red and maybe a little watery but still no discharge. Unsure if its just residual urine as i do drink quite a bit of water through out the day. And pee frequently.

My "regular" partner is male not really a regular i just havent had any type of symptoms after an encounter with him. So i felt like ngu couldnt be a result.

He just said he tested negative for everything on oct 24th 1 week prior to that encounter. So i feel like i can rule that one out maybe, as if it were gonorrhea i would have had pus by now ( 1 week later)

The new partner is female. It was a quick 2 min oral encounter i received. She claims to be clean of any sti when i asked. 

Would my test im having today be accurate results? Testing wise and time frame i mean? I will for sure follow up the results as soon as i get them.

I havent noticed any type of lesions ... ive never had a cold sore. Hope this isnt herpes. 


As far as my other thread... i had a rpr test done and it came back non reactive. I assumed that meant i was in the clear and negative to that exposure. I had no visible secondary lesions. (Feel like an sti expert thanks to this forum...ha!)

Ive always kept encounters oral only as ive read its mostly safe and low risk. Looks like maybe i got some badluck this time though





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33 months ago
Forgot to mention and i doubt this has any relevance. I was doing yard and garage work over the weekend and checked my penis tip a few times sat and sunday with dirty hands. Could any bacteria of that nature cause any urethritis? The new woman parter says she doesnt have any type of symptoms 
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33 months ago
*** update ***

Good afternoon Dr HHH ... i just revceived my test results from quest diagnostics for my chlamydia and gonorrhea screen. It was a urine sample and i made sure to not pee for 2.5 hours prior to the test. And got the starting urine stream in the cup/provided plenty of urine.

It said chlamydia rna .... in range not dtected , and gonorrhea rna in range not detected.

Can i trust these results to be accurate? If so where do i go from here? There still is burning while urinating(not super painful but for sure noticable) and what looks to be a little bit more clear watery discharge.

I have a phone appt with my primary care in a few hours. Should i ask for treatment for ngu? Or just ask for treatment for both gonorrhea and chlamydia just to be safe?

Thank you again ... sorry i know ive probably went over my follow up comments


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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
33 months ago
Sorry for the delayed reply to yesterday's message.

I now have the impression you may be over-interpreting minor symptoms or even normal body sensations that you wouldn't notice except for concern or anxiety over your sexual exposures. Does that make sense to you? Most important at this point is that your negative gonorrhea and chlamydia results are reliable; you can be sure you have neither one. (Chlamydia wasn't a risk anyway; it is rarely if ever transmitted by oral sex.)

Do not "ask for treatment" for NGU. You should not be treated for NGU unless and until it is objectively documented, and absence of visible discharge is strong evidence you don't have it. (Uncomfortable urination without discharge almost never is due to urethritis in men. As it happens, my colleague Dr. Hook was the senior scientist on one of the main studies that drew this conclusion.) And there certainly is no point in treatment for chlamydia or gonorrhea in view of your negative test results.
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