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Is it Oral Syphilis or other STD
I am male of 36 years old. My mouth and tongue has always been healthy. Ever since I had an unprotected oral sex exposure with a female sex worker, I have been in pain on and off. After I perform cunningcus on a Korean prostitute, almost the same night, I had inflammation and burning sensation on my lower inner lip and base of the month (underneath the tongue on left). I have developed rash on my face only on the left below my left eye. Later on, I also had inflammation on the left edge of my tongue and the pain was quite intense. I had no sign of chancre. Stupid enough, I didn't get medical attention immediately but waited for almost 3 months since the pain comes and goes. But I had the STD panel test done with Labcrop throughout the 3 months period.
However, I realized the first std panel test was done too soon like 2 days after the exposure with all results came out negative which include HSV 1 & 2, HIV 1, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, Hep A, B and C.
After I suffered about 3 months, I finally get help from Planned Parenthood at California, which do not require medical insurance for treatment but all out of pocket. By the time I also experienced pain in my scrotum. I was diagnosed by a "Registered Nurse" instead of a Medical Doctor. She treated me with a week of Tetracycline (doxycycline) and the pain in the scrotum went away but the pain on my tongue still persisted but disappeared for sometime like several weeks after treatment.
The inflammation on the left edge of my tongue came back but the pains were not as intense. Especially it doesn't bother me at nighttime while asleep. It is usually not painful in the morning when I awake but the pain and burning come back a few hours afterward or after lunch. It is also painful if I speaks more often perhaps the tongue has friction against my upper teeth.
1.) If it's oral sore, could this be Syphilis? Should I be tested again for Syphilis since I am at the 12 months mark now? If not, is it likely STD ?
However, I realized the first std panel test was done too soon like 2 days after the exposure with all results came out negative which include HSV 1 & 2, HIV 1, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, Hep A, B and C.
After I suffered about 3 months, I finally get help from Planned Parenthood at California, which do not require medical insurance for treatment but all out of pocket. By the time I also experienced pain in my scrotum. I was diagnosed by a "Registered Nurse" instead of a Medical Doctor. She treated me with a week of Tetracycline (doxycycline) and the pain in the scrotum went away but the pain on my tongue still persisted but disappeared for sometime like several weeks after treatment.
The inflammation on the left edge of my tongue came back but the pains were not as intense. Especially it doesn't bother me at nighttime while asleep. It is usually not painful in the morning when I awake but the pain and burning come back a few hours afterward or after lunch. It is also painful if I speaks more often perhaps the tongue has friction against my upper teeth.
1.) If it's oral sore, could this be Syphilis? Should I be tested again for Syphilis since I am at the 12 months mark now? If not, is it likely STD ?
Thank you so much again for your information. I can completely get this out of my mind now given my negative test results and better informed about this std. Really, Thank You !
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
These are irrlevant since you are not at risk for syphilis. It is a rare disease, with fewer than 20,000 cases per year in the US and most of those in gay/bi men and a few other select population groups.
1) Syphilis is rarely transmitted by kissing, and never by casual (social) kissing or sharing drinking glasses, silverware, etc. The organism has to be vigorously massaged into the exposed area, which is why chancres pretty much show up at the sites of maximum friction during sex -- like the head of hte penis or at the vaginal or anal opening.
2) Syphlis can be acquired without noticed symptoms (for example, if there is a lesion internally, like inside the rectum or vagina) and then show up many years later with complications.
You are obviously compulsively and unreasonably focused on syphilis. If you can't drop it, seek counseling about it.
That's all for this thread.
1) Syphilis is rarely transmitted by kissing, and never by casual (social) kissing or sharing drinking glasses, silverware, etc. The organism has to be vigorously massaged into the exposed area, which is why chancres pretty much show up at the sites of maximum friction during sex -- like the head of hte penis or at the vaginal or anal opening.
2) Syphlis can be acquired without noticed symptoms (for example, if there is a lesion internally, like inside the rectum or vagina) and then show up many years later with complications.
You are obviously compulsively and unreasonably focused on syphilis. If you can't drop it, seek counseling about it.
That's all for this thread.
Thank you so much for your answers. I can finally get over this now. I will find a local Dentist or Oral Surgeon to investigate the soreness if it's not STD related. I only have two last question then we can end this thread:
1.) Just for future precautions, I read that Syphilis is passed from person to person through direct contact with a syphilis sore. If the sore happens to be on the mouth like lips, can it be transmitted by kissing (Non-French) ? sharing a glass of water ?
2.) If anyone has acquired Syphilis but never get tested or treated, will symptoms always presents soon or later ? Or it may be not discovered until latent stage with complications?
Many Thanks for your help, I really appreciated it. I hope you have a STD Clinic here in California. Thanks again, Dr. HHH and Dr. Hook.
1.) Just for future precautions, I read that Syphilis is passed from person to person through direct contact with a syphilis sore. If the sore happens to be on the mouth like lips, can it be transmitted by kissing (Non-French) ? sharing a glass of water ?
2.) If anyone has acquired Syphilis but never get tested or treated, will symptoms always presents soon or later ? Or it may be not discovered until latent stage with complications?
Many Thanks for your help, I really appreciated it. I hope you have a STD Clinic here in California. Thanks again, Dr. HHH and Dr. Hook.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Even more evidence against an STD problem here.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
Syphilis does not cause symptoms like you describe. The initial lesion of syphilis, called a chancre (pronounced shanker), takes 3-6 weeks to show up, appears as a single obvious sore, and usually is painless. And syphilis blood tests always turn positive within 6 weeks of a new infection. In other words, there is nothing in your story to suggest syphlis and your negative blood tests prove you did not catch syphilis during your oral exposure in Korea.
As far as other causes are concerned, there is no STD that could explain these symptoms -- and certainly no STD that would not show up on the tests you had. Also, no infection of any kind can cause symptoms within a few hours of exposure. Such rapid onset has to be due to a chemical or allergic reaction of some kind. So whatever your problem is, an infection or other STD really isn't in the picture.
The testicular discomfort is probably an entirely separate problem from your oral symptoms, and it also does not suggest an STD, especially in view of the nature of your exposure in Korea and the negative STD tests you have had.
If you have not done so, I suggest you ask for referral to an oral medicine specialst. Oral medicine is a subspecialy of dentistry and such persons usually they can be found on the faculty of dental schools. Investigate universities with schools of dentistry in your area, or ask your own dentist for referral. It should be possible to find an answer for this sort of problem. Whatever the cause, it's not an STD.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Syphilis does not cause symptoms like you describe. The initial lesion of syphilis, called a chancre (pronounced shanker), takes 3-6 weeks to show up, appears as a single obvious sore, and usually is painless. And syphilis blood tests always turn positive within 6 weeks of a new infection. In other words, there is nothing in your story to suggest syphlis and your negative blood tests prove you did not catch syphilis during your oral exposure in Korea.
As far as other causes are concerned, there is no STD that could explain these symptoms -- and certainly no STD that would not show up on the tests you had. Also, no infection of any kind can cause symptoms within a few hours of exposure. Such rapid onset has to be due to a chemical or allergic reaction of some kind. So whatever your problem is, an infection or other STD really isn't in the picture.
The testicular discomfort is probably an entirely separate problem from your oral symptoms, and it also does not suggest an STD, especially in view of the nature of your exposure in Korea and the negative STD tests you have had.
If you have not done so, I suggest you ask for referral to an oral medicine specialst. Oral medicine is a subspecialy of dentistry and such persons usually they can be found on the faculty of dental schools. Investigate universities with schools of dentistry in your area, or ask your own dentist for referral. It should be possible to find an answer for this sort of problem. Whatever the cause, it's not an STD.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Sorry, I forgot to add that I had another STD panel test done at 6 months mark (Nov 2008) which all came back negative.
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.
