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Should I get a STD test
I have now had unprotected oral sex three times with the same “low volume” sex worker. The first time she gave me oral for about a minute, but I didn’t ejaculate. The second time was a maximum of three minutes and I did ejaculate, but not in her mouth. And the third time, was about a minute and I didn’t ejaculate. I wasn’t concerned about a std until I noticed a swollen vein/lump on the underside of my penis, right below the head. It emerged a little less than a week after the last visit. It doesn’t hurt and feels kind of like cartilidge. It might be a tad tender from time to time, but that also might be mental anxiety. Is this a symptom of a std?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Are you using a condom when you visit the sex worker?
A swollen vein isn't a sign of an STD. The swelling could be a lymphocele, which should be going down by now if you haven't been masturbating and leaving it alone.
https://www.eastsussexsexualhealth.co.uk/public-services/whats-normal.html - this has GRAPHIC pics - open when alone and on a device others won't snoop through, and maybe when you aren't eating. Totally not safe for work.
https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/lump-on-penis#lymphoceles
I'm going to explain all the risks involved from oral sex, but keep in mind that your symptoms don't fit any of these, and I'm just telling you for education. A "low volume" sex worker doesn't make much difference - anyone who performs oral sex is at risk for these, sex worker or not.
So receiving unprotected oral sex puts you at risk for syphilis, genital herpes type 1, gonorrhea and NGU. You are not at risk for HIV from receiving (or giving) oral sex.
I’ll explain all the risks for everything, but most experts don't think a single act of oral sex warrants testing. If you have a regular partner you're concerned about infecting, you might want to test, but you probably don't need to test unless you get symptoms.
Syphilis isn't that common, and your partner would have had to have a sore in their mouth to transmit it. You wouldn't see symptoms of this for 10-90 days, but the average is 21 days, and you'd get a sore called a chancre. This doesn't cause burning, pain, discharge, etc. You can test for this at 6 weeks. If you get symptoms, but test negative at 6 weeks, test again at 90 days, and get to the doctor as soon as you see symptoms.
If you don't already have herpes type 1 (think oral sores, like cold sores but not canker sores), then you could get genital herpes type 1 from receiving oral sex. This can happen even if the person performing oral doesn't have a sore, but it's more likely if they do. The time from infection to symptoms is usually 2-12 days, but the average is 4 days. You can test for this now, and then again at 4 months to make sure you don't have it. If you test positive now, it's a pre-existing infection that you had before this encounter. About half the adult population has this, and 90% don’t know it. Ask for a type specific IgG blood test.
You'd see symptoms of gonorrhea at about 2-5 days, and this would usually be a discharge, burning, etc. Some people don't get symptoms. You can test for this as early as 3 days, but 5 days is better. You can have a urine test or a swab test.
NGU (nongonococcal urethritis urethritis, sometimes called NSU, for non-specific) is an infection in the urethra that is caused by anything other than gonorrhea . This can be caused by normal mouth bacteria entering the urethra, and the symptoms and testing times are the same as gonorrhea.
A swollen vein isn't a sign of an STD. The swelling could be a lymphocele, which should be going down by now if you haven't been masturbating and leaving it alone.
https://www.eastsussexsexualhealth.co.uk/public-services/whats-normal.html - this has GRAPHIC pics - open when alone and on a device others won't snoop through, and maybe when you aren't eating. Totally not safe for work.
https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/lump-on-penis#lymphoceles
I'm going to explain all the risks involved from oral sex, but keep in mind that your symptoms don't fit any of these, and I'm just telling you for education. A "low volume" sex worker doesn't make much difference - anyone who performs oral sex is at risk for these, sex worker or not.
So receiving unprotected oral sex puts you at risk for syphilis, genital herpes type 1, gonorrhea and NGU. You are not at risk for HIV from receiving (or giving) oral sex.
I’ll explain all the risks for everything, but most experts don't think a single act of oral sex warrants testing. If you have a regular partner you're concerned about infecting, you might want to test, but you probably don't need to test unless you get symptoms.
Syphilis isn't that common, and your partner would have had to have a sore in their mouth to transmit it. You wouldn't see symptoms of this for 10-90 days, but the average is 21 days, and you'd get a sore called a chancre. This doesn't cause burning, pain, discharge, etc. You can test for this at 6 weeks. If you get symptoms, but test negative at 6 weeks, test again at 90 days, and get to the doctor as soon as you see symptoms.
If you don't already have herpes type 1 (think oral sores, like cold sores but not canker sores), then you could get genital herpes type 1 from receiving oral sex. This can happen even if the person performing oral doesn't have a sore, but it's more likely if they do. The time from infection to symptoms is usually 2-12 days, but the average is 4 days. You can test for this now, and then again at 4 months to make sure you don't have it. If you test positive now, it's a pre-existing infection that you had before this encounter. About half the adult population has this, and 90% don’t know it. Ask for a type specific IgG blood test.
You'd see symptoms of gonorrhea at about 2-5 days, and this would usually be a discharge, burning, etc. Some people don't get symptoms. You can test for this as early as 3 days, but 5 days is better. You can have a urine test or a swab test.
NGU (nongonococcal urethritis urethritis, sometimes called NSU, for non-specific) is an infection in the urethra that is caused by anything other than gonorrhea . This can be caused by normal mouth bacteria entering the urethra, and the symptoms and testing times are the same as gonorrhea.
2 Comments
Thank you for the quick response, I didn’t use a condom because I’m an idiot. I also haven’t been leaving it alone...I was kind of hoping by doing more sexual activity that would help it stretch out. But I’ll leave it alone for the next few weeks and see if it gets better. So you don’t think I’m at too big of a risk?
You aren't an idiot. Most people don't use condoms for oral sex.
No, I don't think you're at a big risk, but definitely leave it alone for a bit and see what happens. If you don't see a marked improvement in the next few days, see your doctor. I don't think it's an STD, but it may be something that needs medical attention anyway.
No, I don't think you're at a big risk, but definitely leave it alone for a bit and see what happens. If you don't see a marked improvement in the next few days, see your doctor. I don't think it's an STD, but it may be something that needs medical attention anyway.
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You are reading content posted in the STDs / STIs Community
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.
