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Tingling in urethra, near tip
Hi, about eight days ago I had a random hookup with someone who's history I did not know while drinking. I received oral sex/kissed with no protection for maybe 15 minutes in two or three sessions, I did not ejaculate. The next day or day after I began to feel a tingle/discomfort in my urethra and began panicking. It has persisted since then but with no other symptoms (I did have diarrhea/loss of appetite but don't suspect they are related, I had these symptoms the following day and believe I had a stomache bug) - but no pain while urinating, no discharge at all, no bumps or sores around genitals or mouth, no sore muscles or aches. I have had a loss of libido but this may be from guilt/worry.
I went for testing yesterday and did a urine sample and am awaiting results in a week to ten days. I see from other posts that worrying may be causing this but I have a hard time believing that to be the cause, it seems like a real symptom that I'm actually feeling.
I am curious if the urine sample will detect NSU in addition to gonorrhea/chlamydia? What else could this be? It seems like many others have posted similar problems without any great luck finding a solution. Would one week be sufficient for the testing to work?
I would like to get started on a treatment of some sort if possible before receiving my test results, what medication would be the most likely to help treat a bacterial infection?
The sexual partner was in a relationship and claimed they were tested recently and clean, for what its worth, but I also don't imagine that testing of the mouth would be typical in std screening.
Thanks for any help.
I went for testing yesterday and did a urine sample and am awaiting results in a week to ten days. I see from other posts that worrying may be causing this but I have a hard time believing that to be the cause, it seems like a real symptom that I'm actually feeling.
I am curious if the urine sample will detect NSU in addition to gonorrhea/chlamydia? What else could this be? It seems like many others have posted similar problems without any great luck finding a solution. Would one week be sufficient for the testing to work?
I would like to get started on a treatment of some sort if possible before receiving my test results, what medication would be the most likely to help treat a bacterial infection?
The sexual partner was in a relationship and claimed they were tested recently and clean, for what its worth, but I also don't imagine that testing of the mouth would be typical in std screening.
Thanks for any help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Herpes doesn't behave at all like this. See a doctor if you remain concerned, but herpes isn't the cause.
That's definitely the end of this thread. Do your best to stopy worrying and move on with your life.
That's definitely the end of this thread. Do your best to stopy worrying and move on with your life.
Doctor, sorry to post after you said it was the end, but I have a new symptom and was hoping you could provide advice once again.
Yesterday I had redness under the head of my penis/under foreskin, a redish area almost 1cm, like a line, and a red spot or two in close proximity. The area wasnt really sensitive to the touch and certainly isn't painful and didn't itch. It seems to have dimished slightly since last night when I discovered it (the spots are gone, less red). This would be 31 days after the encounter. Should I seek a swab test for herpes? I certainly didn't see any redness or sores in the past. The redness isn't noticeable with an erection, but prominent when flaccid.
Yesterday I had redness under the head of my penis/under foreskin, a redish area almost 1cm, like a line, and a red spot or two in close proximity. The area wasnt really sensitive to the touch and certainly isn't painful and didn't itch. It seems to have dimished slightly since last night when I discovered it (the spots are gone, less red). This would be 31 days after the encounter. Should I seek a swab test for herpes? I certainly didn't see any redness or sores in the past. The redness isn't noticeable with an erection, but prominent when flaccid.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Syphilis is always a potential risk for sex with gay men and can be transmitted by oral sex. But it's rare, and your symptoms are not suggestive of syphilis.
You can't expect to return indefinitely with every additional fear that comes to mind, so that will end this thread.
You can't expect to return indefinitely with every additional fear that comes to mind, so that will end this thread.
Thanks Dr. Handsfield. Should I be concerned with syphilis? The encounter was with a male. Is syphilis possibly transmitted orally, is it common?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I deleted your additional question. You cannot ask advice on personal health issues in other users' threads. For a reply to the additional question, you'll have to use the Post a Question link. However, you could save the posting fee by scanning the forum for other similar questions and our replies.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's exactly what I am saying. Tingling and "flulike", without sores, is rarely if ever due to herpes.
DR. HHH As I am reading this thread I would like some clarification.
Are you saying that the tingling/flu symptoms are not likely herpes if sores are not present? Can tingling and flulike symptoms take place with out the sores?
Are you saying that the tingling/flu symptoms are not likely herpes if sores are not present? Can tingling and flulike symptoms take place with out the sores?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Herpes is not a realistic possibility to explain your symptoms. Such feelings can accompany some herpes outbreaks with overt blisters or sores. But herpes never causes such symptoms by themselves. I see no reason for you to be tested for HSV.
But I'm glad to hear (but of course not surprised) that your chlamydia and gonorrhea tests are negative. Take care.
But I'm glad to hear (but of course not surprised) that your chlamydia and gonorrhea tests are negative. Take care.
Thank you Doctor. My results came back negative from the urine test. I have some follow up questions if you don't mind.
I am curious about herpes, as I briefly mentioned the week following the encounter I had flu-like symptoms including diarrhea and loss of appetite, but also fever/chills and fatigue, this lasted about a week with the fatigue lasting a bit longer. The tingling feeling I had in my urethra disappeared in the days following my last post, I never had any pain urinating or feeling/squeezing my urethra but after the tingling dissipated I found that with an erection I could feel discomfort in the head of my penis in the area where the earlier tingling was. It was only sensitive with an erection. I am worried that I may have had a herpes sore in my urethra which healed and afterward caused the erection sensitivity (I didn't have any erection discomfort when I initially posted). That combined with the lymph nodes that I could feel in my groin (not sensitive to touch, just noticeable as two or three small bumps on the right side) have me worried about a herpes infection.
I will be following up with a baseline herpes test to compare to future testing (ask for type specific Igg blood test from what I've read?) and just wanted to hear your thoughts on this. Hopefully I'm worrying too much. Thanks again for your input.
I am curious about herpes, as I briefly mentioned the week following the encounter I had flu-like symptoms including diarrhea and loss of appetite, but also fever/chills and fatigue, this lasted about a week with the fatigue lasting a bit longer. The tingling feeling I had in my urethra disappeared in the days following my last post, I never had any pain urinating or feeling/squeezing my urethra but after the tingling dissipated I found that with an erection I could feel discomfort in the head of my penis in the area where the earlier tingling was. It was only sensitive with an erection. I am worried that I may have had a herpes sore in my urethra which healed and afterward caused the erection sensitivity (I didn't have any erection discomfort when I initially posted). That combined with the lymph nodes that I could feel in my groin (not sensitive to touch, just noticeable as two or three small bumps on the right side) have me worried about a herpes infection.
I will be following up with a baseline herpes test to compare to future testing (ask for type specific Igg blood test from what I've read?) and just wanted to hear your thoughts on this. Hopefully I'm worrying too much. Thanks again for your input.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It could be a lymph node, but not an abnormal one. Almost everyone has a couple of pea-sized lumps in the groin, and anyway it's too soon to have lymph node inflammation from such a recent exposure. I recommend you stop examining yourself.
Let me know your chlamydia and gonorrhea test results, if you like, but I wont have any more comments or advice until then. For the reasons you state, you can expect negative results.
Let me know your chlamydia and gonorrhea test results, if you like, but I wont have any more comments or advice until then. For the reasons you state, you can expect negative results.
Thanks Doctor. Hopefully you are right.
I noticed on the right side of my groin there is a noticeable bump if I am feeling around, probably about the size of a pea or slightly smaller, but it is not sensitive to the touch. Is this the normal size for a lymph node? I am curious because I couldnt find one on the left side of my groin. It is not sensitive to the touch at all.
The feeling in my urethra seems to have dimished. Looking forward to getting results back next week, though it was only a urinalysis so it only would have tested for gonorrhea/chlamydia and from what I've read the latter is essentially non existant from receiving oral.
I noticed on the right side of my groin there is a noticeable bump if I am feeling around, probably about the size of a pea or slightly smaller, but it is not sensitive to the touch. Is this the normal size for a lymph node? I am curious because I couldnt find one on the left side of my groin. It is not sensitive to the touch at all.
The feeling in my urethra seems to have dimished. Looking forward to getting results back next week, though it was only a urinalysis so it only would have tested for gonorrhea/chlamydia and from what I've read the latter is essentially non existant from receiving oral.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
Oral sex is low risk for STDs; not zero risk but infection is a lot less common than with unprotected vaginal or anal sex. STDs rarely if ever cause symptoms like yours. Sexually acquired urethral infection (urethritis) is manifested primarily by discharge. This can be accompanied by tingling, pain on urination, or other urinary discomfort, but the latter rarely occur alone. Also, no STD can cause symptoms the next day, i.e. within 24 hours of exposure; 2-3 days is the minimum incubation period, and usually it's 1-2 weeks. On the other hand, your symptoms are very typical for genitally focused anxiety.
Therefore, I predict your urine test, and any other STD tests that were done, will be negative. I recommend strongly that you not "get started on a treatment of some sort if possible before receiving my test results" -- and therefore won't recommend anything.
'- Would it be common to have a STD and have no symptoms besides a tingle/discomfort in the urethra, after a week or more?" No; see above.
"- Is oral transmission of these infections common?" Same answer.
"- Would it be common for a person to know if they were orally infected? ie. is it reasonable to think that someone could be infected in their mouth and not seek treatment?" No. Most oral STDs cause no symptoms, so an infected person would not necessarily be aware they had anything wrong. But this doesn't change my other responses.
I truly believe your symptoms are primarily psychological. If the tests currently in the works return negative, then you should move on without worry about any of this. Once you accept and understand that you have no infection, your symptoms are likely to fade away.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Oral sex is low risk for STDs; not zero risk but infection is a lot less common than with unprotected vaginal or anal sex. STDs rarely if ever cause symptoms like yours. Sexually acquired urethral infection (urethritis) is manifested primarily by discharge. This can be accompanied by tingling, pain on urination, or other urinary discomfort, but the latter rarely occur alone. Also, no STD can cause symptoms the next day, i.e. within 24 hours of exposure; 2-3 days is the minimum incubation period, and usually it's 1-2 weeks. On the other hand, your symptoms are very typical for genitally focused anxiety.
Therefore, I predict your urine test, and any other STD tests that were done, will be negative. I recommend strongly that you not "get started on a treatment of some sort if possible before receiving my test results" -- and therefore won't recommend anything.
'- Would it be common to have a STD and have no symptoms besides a tingle/discomfort in the urethra, after a week or more?" No; see above.
"- Is oral transmission of these infections common?" Same answer.
"- Would it be common for a person to know if they were orally infected? ie. is it reasonable to think that someone could be infected in their mouth and not seek treatment?" No. Most oral STDs cause no symptoms, so an infected person would not necessarily be aware they had anything wrong. But this doesn't change my other responses.
I truly believe your symptoms are primarily psychological. If the tests currently in the works return negative, then you should move on without worry about any of this. Once you accept and understand that you have no infection, your symptoms are likely to fade away.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
See above.
Sorry for the multiple postings:
- Would it be common to have a STD and have no symptoms besides a tingle/discomfort in the urethra, after a week or more?
- Is oral transmission of these infections common?
- Would it be common for a person to know if they were orally infected? ie. is it reasonable to think that someone could be infected in their mouth and not seek treatment?
- Would it be common to have a STD and have no symptoms besides a tingle/discomfort in the urethra, after a week or more?
- Is oral transmission of these infections common?
- Would it be common for a person to know if they were orally infected? ie. is it reasonable to think that someone could be infected in their mouth and not seek treatment?
More info, the problem seems to be fine typically in the morning, and getting worse as the day goes on. Sometimes laying in bed awake having trouble thinking about anything else.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
