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Nervous about mutual masturbation
Hi Dr.
First, thank you for this great and selfless service you provide.
On Monday night, I, a male, engaged in mutual masturbation activity with another male, who I did not really know. We masturbated each other, put our faces vey close to each other's genitals, although no oral sex of any kind took place. There was also some light genital on genital touching. He seemed normal enough, and I did not note any visible sores on him, though I was drunk at the time.
Since then, I feel like I feel some light sensations throughout my penis, I try to tell myself that they are normal and I have a heightened awareness due to my anxiety. I am anxious because I am married and have unprotected sex with my wife and do not want to give her anything.
1. I understand that I should not be concerned with any sti's as no oral or anal sex took place. Is this correct?
2. How much should I be concerned with herpes or hsv? There was some light genital touching. Is there a risk without the presence of sore? I read about viral shedding which could give people herpes even though their partner had no open sores.
3. Should I get tested for any std's due to this encounter?
4. Can I continue to have unprotected sex with my wife in light of this encounter, or should I abstain or only have protected sex until I get tested?
5. Is my only calculable risk of herpes if so, how big of a concern should it be?
Thanks, again.
First, thank you for this great and selfless service you provide.
On Monday night, I, a male, engaged in mutual masturbation activity with another male, who I did not really know. We masturbated each other, put our faces vey close to each other's genitals, although no oral sex of any kind took place. There was also some light genital on genital touching. He seemed normal enough, and I did not note any visible sores on him, though I was drunk at the time.
Since then, I feel like I feel some light sensations throughout my penis, I try to tell myself that they are normal and I have a heightened awareness due to my anxiety. I am anxious because I am married and have unprotected sex with my wife and do not want to give her anything.
1. I understand that I should not be concerned with any sti's as no oral or anal sex took place. Is this correct?
2. How much should I be concerned with herpes or hsv? There was some light genital touching. Is there a risk without the presence of sore? I read about viral shedding which could give people herpes even though their partner had no open sores.
3. Should I get tested for any std's due to this encounter?
4. Can I continue to have unprotected sex with my wife in light of this encounter, or should I abstain or only have protected sex until I get tested?
5. Is my only calculable risk of herpes if so, how big of a concern should it be?
Thanks, again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
Your question appears to be one of those that can be answered accurately from the title alone. Before reading anything else, I can assure you that STDs are not transmitted by hand-genital contact. And now looking to see question no. 1, it appears you already know this. I'm happy to confirm it!
As for your symptoms, no STD causes the sort of things you describe. I think your self-diagnosis probably is correct: anxiety magnifying normal body sensations or trivial discomforts that otherwise you wouldn't notice.
Accordingly, you should not be concerned at all about herpes or any other STD, do not need testing of any kind, and can safely continue your normal sexual practices with your wife.
I think those comments answer all your specific questions, but let me know if there is anything I can clarify further. My final advice is that you take care not to confuse your shame and guilt over a sexual decision you regret with STD risk. They aren't the same. Deal with the first as you need to, but you can put aside all concern about STDs.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Your question appears to be one of those that can be answered accurately from the title alone. Before reading anything else, I can assure you that STDs are not transmitted by hand-genital contact. And now looking to see question no. 1, it appears you already know this. I'm happy to confirm it!
As for your symptoms, no STD causes the sort of things you describe. I think your self-diagnosis probably is correct: anxiety magnifying normal body sensations or trivial discomforts that otherwise you wouldn't notice.
Accordingly, you should not be concerned at all about herpes or any other STD, do not need testing of any kind, and can safely continue your normal sexual practices with your wife.
I think those comments answer all your specific questions, but let me know if there is anything I can clarify further. My final advice is that you take care not to confuse your shame and guilt over a sexual decision you regret with STD risk. They aren't the same. Deal with the first as you need to, but you can put aside all concern about STDs.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Thank you, Dr. Is there any need for concern regarding the light genital to genital contact that I described in terms of herpes?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
For a herpes infecion to take hold, generally the virus has to be massaged into the tissues. That's why initial herpes lesions usually are concentrated at sites of maximum friction during sex, depending on the sites exposed (penile head and shaft, vaginal opening, anus following anal sex). Brief, superficial contact such as you had is unlikely to carry any significant risk.
Hi Dr. The vast majority of my anxieties have subsided, but I do have one follow up question that I do not really see addressed to often, probably because it is not a "disease". Should I have any concern about contacting pubic crabs from this exposure? Are crabs common enough to worry about regarding this exposure? Are they more common among the poor and under served, or are they just as common for everyone?
Thanks.
Thanks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Pubic lice ("crabs") are a trivial inconvenience, not a significant health risk. The risk in this event probably is very low, but I cannot say it is zero. But if you have pubic lice, self diagnosis is very easy: if you don't see lice or their eggs (white spots clinging to the base of your pubic hairs), you don't have it.
That will end this thread. Do your best to put this obviously anxiety-producing sexual event into your past and go on without worry bout it.
That will end this thread. Do your best to put this obviously anxiety-producing sexual event into your past and go on without worry bout it.
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.
