NGU - Does It Go Away By Itself?

[nettlecake73]

Dear Docs

I'm an American man, married for 2 years.

Since about 3 months into our relationship my wife has had on-and-off pain/discomfort (it varies how bad it is). She has also occasionally had an itching vagina. She has occasionally had burning when urinating, but puts this down to dehydration.

We've been blaming thrush or diet/soap product/allergy problem. Now I’m not sure.

I was screened when we met and was all clear but now know that NGU is not part of basic screening for men. I checked and I was not tested for it.

In the 5 years before we met, I was in 2 long-term relationships (both unprotected) and had 2 unprotected flings.

There were several episodes of unprotected oral sex with 4 women in the months/weeks before me and my wife met, but I haven't had unprotected penetrative sex with anyone but her since about 14 months before we met.

I tested for NGU a few days ago and was all-clear.

A) Could I contract NGU (trichomoniasis, or others), pass it on to my wife, get rid of it, never get it back (we started using condoms a while ago) and so test negative 2 years into our relationship? All without knowing?

Or does negative NGU test (including trichomoniasis and others) mean I’ve never had it? (never taken antibiotics for it).

I've never noticed symptoms until recently, when I started obsessing. I now sometimes think I feel a mild burning while peeing, but nothing that would worry me if I wasn’t looking for it. Similarly, I often freak out at ‘discharge’ which is possibly/probably pre/post-***. I often feel like something is discharging, rush to the bathroom and there’s nothing there.

And I had a kind of glowing/mild pain which moved around the groin area a while ago – my GP said it was probably stress. Also I occasionally feel a very mild, shooting shock feeling in the urethra – not pain, just a weird, brief sensation which I may have got occasionally all my life.

Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for your question.

Unfortunately, I don't think I can solve the uncertainties about your wife's symptoms.  However, the good news is that I very much doubt they have anything to do with your past sexual experiences or any STD.  From time to time almost all women experience symptoms like your wife's; the large majority of the time they are not due to any STD.

Except when due to chlamydia, NGU in men has never been show to be associated with any adverse outcomes in their female partners.  And NGU acquired by oral sex may be especially unlikely to have any such consequences.  Further, GU probably clears up on its own within a few weeks or months, without treatment.

As for your symtoms, I think you are indeed obsessing about nothing.  In the absence of an overt, obvious urethral discharge, I think you can safely assume you have no signficant genital health problem.  All your symptoms are most consistent with anxiety magnifying trivial, normal everyday sensations.

So my advice is for both you and your wife to see your respective health care providers for any symptoms that concern you.  But I very much doubt they are due to any STD.

I hope these comments are helpful.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[nettlecake73]

Thank you very much for your help and advice, Doctor.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

A) Correct.

B) This makes it even less likely your wife has an STD.  Symptoms of STD are independent of sexual activity; pain only during sex is not an STD symptom.

C) NGU in men clears up within weeks or month.  NGU in men causes no known health problem in women.

D) There is nothing to test your wife for.

E) All people who have ever had sex are at risk for HPV.  Your sexual activities in the past make no difference in either raising or lowering your wife's risk of having HPV.   Like all women, your wife might have an abmormal pap smear someday due to HPV, If and when that happens, there will be no way to know when and by whom she was infected, or when or if you introduced it into the relationship.

You are obviously obsessed with some past sexual choices you regret.  However, I can assure you they have nothing to do with your wife's current symptoms or health.

That will end this thread; I won't have any more comments or advice..  Best wishes.

[nettlecake73]

Thanks so much Doctor Handsfield for your quick and reassuring response.

I have a few quick follow-ups:

A) So the scenario I depicted in question A) (previous post) is exceedingly unlikely?

B) I'm sure you guessed, but when I said "my wife has had on-and-off pain/discomfort", I meant only during sex, and in her vagina?

C) "Further, NGU probably clears up on its own within a few weeks or months, without treatment" - Do you mean it would in her, or just in me?

D) Would you say that to get her tested would be very over-cautious? While I care enormously for her welfare, I also care for the health of our relationship, and asking her to test for an STD would put big strain on us - even without any cheating being involved.

E) And a final question (which may require a new thread, understand if so): would you consider that my exposures I told you about would put her at a high level of HPV risk? I only mention that one as I've kind of dealt with all the other STDs in my head.

Thank you again.