A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Hi there, thank you for your question.
No, pus on the tonsils does not necessarily indicate a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Chlamydia and gonorrhea of the throat are actually most often asymptomatic.
Pus on the tonsils is usually caused by commonly passed viruses. If you are concerned, you could visit your family doctor for an assessment. And if you have an elevated chance of getting an STI in the throat (ie. you are a person who gives oral sex to a person with a penis) then you could ask your doctor to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea of the throat to rule those out.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thank you for your question
If an individual has a fever and other symptoms associated with HIV seroconversion, they may experience some mild relief with paracetamol (acetaminophen) however, this will not cure the symptoms, nor will it cure the virus.
If you are concerned about an HIV infection, the best thing for you to do would be to visit a health care provider (family doctor, walk-in clinic, or a sexual health clinic) and get an HIV test. If you are living in British Columbia, have a look at our Clinic Finder to locate a clinic in your area.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thank you for your question
I’m not sure where you got tested and treated, however in British Columbia the recommended treatment for epididymitis is cefixime and doxycycline. Treatment with ciprofloxacin is supported by the Canadian guidelines.
If your symptoms are persisting, I would revisit your care provider. Further assessment may be required, including a referral to a specialist to rule out other causes of your symptoms, especially given that your chlamydia and gonorrhea tests were negative.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thank you for your question
Mycoplasma genitalium is a bacterium that can be sexually transmitted and in some instances can cause urethral symptoms in men, but often is asymptomatic. Many individuals carry this bacteria around normally and suffer no symptoms or harm from it, so we typically don’t test for it routinely.
There are many things that can cause urethral symptoms in men, or individuals with a penis. Those things can include sexually transmitted bacteria including chlamyida, gonorrhea and herpes. Non-sti microbes, such as the virus that causes the common cold passed through oral sex, can also cause these symptoms and are also harmless. Other irritants can include soaps, detergents, dehydration, yeast and fungal infections, and increased alcohol intake or nicotine use.
If all things are ruled out and urethral symptoms are persistent and bothersome, then certainly you could ask your family doctor for testing for mycoplasma.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
While it’s not possible to diagnose what is going on over the internet it sounds very much like you may have something called Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).
BV is not a sexually transmitted infection (STI) but rather an imbalance of the healthy bacteria that normally lives in the vagina. When these bacteria get out of balance, symptoms can occur. These symptoms are commonly described as a fishy odor and an increased amount of watery, thin vaginal discharge (You didn’t specify in your question, but I am assuming that you are a person with a vagina. If I have gotten that wrong, please forgive the assumption).
BV can be very easily treated with a 1-week course of an antibiotic called metronidazole. You can visit any walk-in clinic or sexual health clinic for assessment, diagnosis and treatment. I would recommend a full STI screen for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea as well as testing for BV as sometimes STIs can also cause these symptoms.
Have a look at our page on Bacterial Vaginosis for more information. To help locate a sexual health clinic in your area, you can use our Clinic Finder.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thank you for your question
It would be pretty unusual to develop symptoms of an STI that quickly after possibly being exposed. A very likely culprit of the soreness you felt might have been due to friction and not enough lubrication during insertive sex. Sometimes adding some extra lubricant can really help with comfort and with preventing damage to the skin such as small tears.
I don’t know what the discharge might have been, but it can be common to have some irritation to the urethra after having sex. During intercourse there are lots of microbes (non-harmful, normal healthy bacteria) that can be passed between partners. While these microbes don’t necessarily cause an infection they can get up into the urethra and cause some irritation. Staying well hydrated, urinating frequently (especially right after sex) and drinking cranberry juice or taking some cranberry supplements can help with this discomfort.
Finally, yes some STIs could be passed from your finger’s to a male partner’s genitals, if your fingers had been touching your own genitals first and there is an infection already present. The most common things would be infections passed through skin to skin contact such as HPV, herpes or even syphilis. So for example, if a person has an active herpes outbreak on their genitals and touches the sores, then immediately touches their partner’s genitals, it would be possible to pass that infection to the partner.
You might find our STIs at a Glance chart helpful as it gives a quick overview of how different infections are passed.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
This can definitely be normal. Some people have bigger more palpable (able to be felt) lymph nodes very close to the surface of the body, especially if a person is on the thinner side. Others are naturally smaller and a bit deeper down and less easy to feel. The fact that they are not causing you any pain is a good thing.
Of course we also do recommend regular testing for STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV for all sexually active individuals regardless of whether there may be symptoms or not as many STIs don’t have any symptoms at all.
Have a look at our Clinic Finder to locate a clinic near you for testing
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question.
As long as you both took the Azithromycin and waited for 7 days, you should be fine to resume having sex. It can take a bit of time for discharge to clear completely, but the infection itself will be gone. If the discharge doesn’t clear completely in the next couple of weeks, you might want to see your testing provider for further assessment and follow up
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question.
The window period (the time between when a person comes in contact with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and when the STI will show up on a test) for HIV and for syphilis is 3 months. In fact, 95% of HIV tests are accurate after just 6 weeks but it can take up to 3 months for the final result. It sounds like you have tested several times after this 3 month window period, which means that your tests will be accurate and that you are negative for both HIV and syphilis and it is not necessary for you to get tested again.
The symptoms you describe do not sound specific to either infection. It does sound like you are feeling quite anxious and it might be helpful for you to see a counsellor to talk about the anxiety you are feeling about this sexual encounter and the fear of possibly acquiring HIV or another STI.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thank you for your question
Condoms, when used properly, can prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV.
The symptoms you describe are not associated with an HIV infection. If you are concerned about any current symptoms or about STIs I would recommend seeing your doctor for assessment. And of course, we recommend routine testing for all STIs (including chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and syphilis) for all sexually active individuals.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse