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window period for testing and test accuracy
Dear doctors
First off, great site. Very informative and helpful. Although I feel I know the answer to my questions, paranoia has gotten the better of me and here I am asking anyways. Exposure I am concerned about was 5 months ago with a stranger, unprotected oral, protected vaginal with possible condom falling off for 30 seconds - 1 minute. The girl was insistent on protection.
Questions I have...
1: Can it be safe to assume that a chlamydia urine test at 8 days post exposure is very accurate and reliable?
2: If for some unknown reason the test was a false negative, would symptons of infection make itself known by 4-5 months or would it continue to go unnoticed?
3: Is testicular pain in 1 testicle while lifting weight and sometimes mild aching a symptom of any STD? (no swelling or tenderness to the touch in testicle)
4: Is epididymitis safe to rule out for symptons described above? Is it also fair to assume that any STD causing testicular pain would present other symptons prior to testicular pain?
5: so far have not tested for HIV, herpes, syphilis etc. Would the encounter described warrant testing or is it safe to assume that after 5 months of no symptons and fairly low risk encounter that it is unnecessary?
Thanks in advance
First off, great site. Very informative and helpful. Although I feel I know the answer to my questions, paranoia has gotten the better of me and here I am asking anyways. Exposure I am concerned about was 5 months ago with a stranger, unprotected oral, protected vaginal with possible condom falling off for 30 seconds - 1 minute. The girl was insistent on protection.
Questions I have...
1: Can it be safe to assume that a chlamydia urine test at 8 days post exposure is very accurate and reliable?
2: If for some unknown reason the test was a false negative, would symptons of infection make itself known by 4-5 months or would it continue to go unnoticed?
3: Is testicular pain in 1 testicle while lifting weight and sometimes mild aching a symptom of any STD? (no swelling or tenderness to the touch in testicle)
4: Is epididymitis safe to rule out for symptons described above? Is it also fair to assume that any STD causing testicular pain would present other symptons prior to testicular pain?
5: so far have not tested for HIV, herpes, syphilis etc. Would the encounter described warrant testing or is it safe to assume that after 5 months of no symptons and fairly low risk encounter that it is unnecessary?
Thanks in advance
Thank you doctor. Just to clarify, there is no abdominal pain, just testicle.
From reading your previous posts, am I to assume this was a low risk encounter with even lower risk of any potential transmissions (with regards to anything not tested for)? if this is the case I shall not seek further testing and put this behind me.
From reading your previous posts, am I to assume this was a low risk encounter with even lower risk of any potential transmissions (with regards to anything not tested for)? if this is the case I shall not seek further testing and put this behind me.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question and for your kind comments about the forum. I'll go directly to your questions.
1) Yes, it is safe to assume your test was accurate and reliable and that you don't have a chlamydial infection. Same for gonorrhea, which is usually automatically tested along with chlamydia.
2) Most chlamydial infections and virtually all gonorrhea would indeed cause symptoms you would notice, if somehow the test results had been wrong.
3,4) Gonorrhea or chlamydia can cause epididymitis, i.e. infection ascending into a testicle. However, that's not a possibility given your negative test results and apparent lack of other symptoms typical for these STDs (urethral discharge, sometimes pain with urination). That said, I'm inclined to doubt the weight lifting as the cause. Mild testicular and low abdominal pain or scrotum pain commonly are related to the prostate gland -- and almost always are not due to any STD.
5) The timing is fine for STD testing related to an exposure 5 months earlier. However, your symptoms are not at all suspicious for any STD, or for the infections you mention. I'm confident your symptoms are not due to any infection from that event. But if you want still further reassurance, visit a physician or clinic for professional evaluations. (But don't spend money on self-testing through an online service. If you do anything at all, do it right and be professionally evaluated.)
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
1) Yes, it is safe to assume your test was accurate and reliable and that you don't have a chlamydial infection. Same for gonorrhea, which is usually automatically tested along with chlamydia.
2) Most chlamydial infections and virtually all gonorrhea would indeed cause symptoms you would notice, if somehow the test results had been wrong.
3,4) Gonorrhea or chlamydia can cause epididymitis, i.e. infection ascending into a testicle. However, that's not a possibility given your negative test results and apparent lack of other symptoms typical for these STDs (urethral discharge, sometimes pain with urination). That said, I'm inclined to doubt the weight lifting as the cause. Mild testicular and low abdominal pain or scrotum pain commonly are related to the prostate gland -- and almost always are not due to any STD.
5) The timing is fine for STD testing related to an exposure 5 months earlier. However, your symptoms are not at all suspicious for any STD, or for the infections you mention. I'm confident your symptoms are not due to any infection from that event. But if you want still further reassurance, visit a physician or clinic for professional evaluations. (But don't spend money on self-testing through an online service. If you do anything at all, do it right and be professionally evaluated.)
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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.
