Answered Questions

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.

STI Symptoms (136)

Hi i performed oral sex to a hooker about a week ago, yesterday i discovered a sore in my mouth and im concerned of getting hiv after the act i asked her if she had hiv and she said no and showed me the diferent tests for stds but im still concerned and have to admit i’ve had several anxiety atacks specially when i discovered the sore can i get help?

Hi,

Sorry to hear about the anxiety you’ve been experiencing. In short, you have nothing to worry about.

The chance of HIV transmission through the sexual acts you described is very, very low. Although other STIs can be passed through oral sex, we don’t see people contracting HIV that way. See our Know Your Chances (Oral Sex) page. Also, sores in the mouth is not a symptom of HIV.

Further, it is normal to experience anxiety and other emotions after having new sexual encounters. For some ideas about how to manage the feelings you’re describing see our Worry and Anxiety page.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to leave a comment for clarification or submit another question if needed.

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on March 3, 2017.

After I performed oral sex on my boyfriend, I had an uncomfortable bump inside my cheek. what can it be?

Hi, thanks for writing.

Without knowing your medical history or background it’s hard to give specific information, but I can give some general information.

There are some causes of bumps that are normal, such as enlarged salivary glands or canker sores. These usually go away on their own.

Other bumps can be can caused by sexually transmitted infections such as the herpes simplex virus or Syphilis.

You could see your family doctor or go to an STI clinic. They would be able to do a physical exam and testing to see if it is anything to be concerned about. Have a look at our Clinic Finder for a STI clinic in your area.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you need more clarification.

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on March 3, 2017.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

Hello, I was tested for all STI at 11 days as a base test that came back negative for all STI. I then had a 6 week test for all STI that came back negative. I used a condom but I got scabies from this girl so that’s why I did the testing. My questions are.1. Are my 11 day gohnerea and clahymidia test reliable because my 6 week test had incorrect urine volume so false negative is possible.2. My doctor said the 6 week HIV test is good, no need to retest. I also had a 7 week rapid test done and the nurse said don’t retest move on with your life.3. I have developed what is thought to be either a bladder infection or UTI 9 weeks after my protected exposure. I have the frequent need to pee, and my testicles seem to be sore. Did I get two false negative tests for gohnerea and clahymidia?

(1) Most gonorrhea and chlamydia would show up by 11 days, but I would be mainly concerned about the chlamydia as sometimes it can take up to 6 weeks for it to show up on a test.

(2) Depending on the HIV test that was done and the type of risk there wouldn’t be a need for a repeat HIV test, I would just go off the recommendation made by the nurse and doctor.

(3) It’s difficult to know what could be causing these symptoms and if it could be related to an STI like chlamydia. If you feel comfortable mentioning the sex you had and the tests done to the health professional who is taking care of the UTI and your sore testicles. It will help them work out if it is related.

If you don’t feel comfortable talking to them about this, I would suggest seeing the first doctor and nurse you saw for the original testing and discussing your symptoms with them. They would be able to see if it is something like an UTI or something that could be related to a STI.

It is always a good idea to get sore testicles looked at as soon as possible.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.

This answer was posted on February 16, 2017.

I have sore on the hard of my penis

Hi,

Thanks for writing.

Without knowing your medical history or background it’s hard to give specific information, but I can give some general information.

There are some causes of sores that are normal, such as scrapes that happen during sex or masturbation, or inflamed hair follicles. These usually go away on their own.

Other sores can be can caused by STIs such as the herpes simplex virus or Syphilis.

You could see your family doctor or go to an STI clinic. They would be able to do a physical exam and testing to see if it is anything to be concerned about. Have a look at our clinic finder for a STI clinic in your area.

Feel free to leave a comment below if you need more clarification.

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on February 3, 2017.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

I went to the doctors today and they checked me up.. saying there’s nothing wrong but I foun a bump on my side lip of my vagina.. im scared

It was good that you could go to the doctor to have it looked at. It is normal to have certain bumps on the vagina that are either normal parts of the body or things not to be concerned about e.g. small cyst etc…

If you are still concerned about the bump you could always see another doctor for a second opinion. Also if you think the bump could be caused by a STI you could always go to a clinic that specialises in these. If you would like to do this have a look at our clinic finder for an STI clinic in your area.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.

This answer was posted on January 18, 2017.

Hi Doctor Around 1 And Half Year Ago I Unprotected Oral Sex With A Sex Worker, I Gave Her Oral.! But Intercourse Was Protected. Then After 6 Months Of That Exposure I Got Tested For All Stds Including Hiv And They All Came Back Negative. Then Again After 2 Months I Tested For Hiv To Be Sure And Again It Came Negative. Then I Moved On With Life And Got Into A Serious Relationship. After 4 Weeks Of Me And My Girlfriend Having Protected Sex And Unprotected Oral Sex, She Got Flu Like Symptoms And Also Severe Vaginal Itching Which Later Doctor Figured Out To Be Yeast Infection(Which Is Common In Girls Specially When Temperature Is Too Hot And Itch Down There And Get A Cut) When She Had Flu Like Symptoms, She Got Rashes, Joint Aches, Upset Stomach But Also Her Mother And Her Sister Got Same Symptoms But In Much Severe Manner( Thats What Got Me Thinking That If It Was A Viral Infection Then Why Did Not All 3 Had Same Symptoms) Doctor Clinically Diagnosed It As Chikengunia For All 3 Of Them. And I Have 2 Lumps In Front Of My Ear From Past 2 Months Which Never Gone Down. Which I Think Are Swollen Lymph Nodes In My Parotid Gland. My Mouth Is Always Dry. And My Inner Cheeks And Tomgue Has Horizontal White Line, Due To My Teethe Rubbing And Touching Them All The Time As My Tongue Is Also Wide.! I Told My Girlfriend To Get Checked For Hiv But She Is Afraid To Do That.! Tell Me Should I Be Worried For Hiv Even After 6 Months And 8 Months Negative Combo Tests. What Can Be The Reason For The Lumps In Front Of My Ear And Dry Mouth? What About The Symptoms Which My Girlfriend Faced? I Am So Worried About Passing Std To Her. Please Reply.

I would not be concerned about HIV with what you have described. Performing oral sex on someone can pass HIV but the chance of this happening is low. The main reason I wouldn’t be concerned about HIV is because your HIV tests have been negative after the window period has finished.

The symptoms you and your girlfriend are experiencing can be caused by many different conditions. I would recommend that you connect with a doctor to speak to them about your concerns. Its not possible to diagnose conditions online as the person would need to ask you some questions, do a physical exam and do some tests.

I don’t know what other STI tests you got when you did the HIV testing, but I would just recommend getting tested for STI if this was not done when you tested for HIV. Also with you girlfriend I am not sure if she has had other partners in the past. If she has had past partners as well, it would be good for her to do STI testing too.

I am not sure what is causing your symptoms but it sounds like you are really concerned about passing something to your girlfriend. I can see how this could cause a lot of stress, but if both your STI tests are negative you are good.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.

This answer was posted on December 29, 2016.

I am recently widowed and was not sexually active for 3 years I had unprotected sex with a semi stranger and now 3x weeks later i feel flu symptom should i get tested

Yes, I think it would be good to get an STI test. Many STI do not show symptoms when passed to people, so it’s always a good idea if you are concerned about an experience you had.

Gonorrhea and chlamydia are two STI that can be tested for with either urine or swab tests. Three weeks would be a good time to visit the clinic for these tests. We find most of the time these tests would show a positive result by two weeks if something had passed to you. This is what we call the window period, the time it takes for a test to show a positive result after something has passed to you.

You also mentioned you were having flu like symptoms. I don’t know if this is concerning you but most people who come to the clinic concerned about flu like symptoms are concerned that HIV has passed to them.

There are no symptoms that are caused by just having HIV. The symptoms people get with a HIV illness are common symptoms that can be caused by many different conditions. The only way to find out if you have HIV is by doing a HIV test.

Blood tests for STI like HIV and syphilis typically have longer window periods. We find most results are accurate six weeks after you had sex but it can take up to 3 months for a final result. Just talk with the health care provider you see for the window period of the test they use.

If you are unsure of what tests to ask for just let them know about your concern and they would recommend what tests to get. You can also have a look at our STI testing checklist before you go.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.

This answer was posted on November 13, 2016.

I am Genital Herpes positive but the only symptom I have had is vulvar burning sensation all the time every day and night. could I have an additionnal STI? Thak you for your excellent site.

Hi and thanks for your question. There are other STI’s and non STI infections like yeast that can cause vulvar burning . The skin in this area can be very sensitive to a change in body wash or soap that can then cause irritation and burning. Please consider having the symptom you describe checked out with your doctor or at an STI clinic. This way you can have an assessment in person and do any testing and treatment if needed. Health Nurse

This answer was posted on October 31, 2016.

Hello I just had sex with a girl recently and my condom broke in the middle of the sex lubrication was used on the condy. I cleaned my penis with a towel and put on new condom and continued with the sex. I kept changing the condom every time I changed position. The girl that I was with told me that she was clean. How worried should I be that I might have catched something ? Can I go and get tested imidiuatly or do I have to wait for the symptoms to show then get tested ? If I do go get tested imidiuatly can the doctors know imidiuatly if I have catched something or do I have to wait?

Hi there,

Thanks for your question.

It is difficult to say how worried you should be, as with any kind of sex there is always a risk for getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Condoms do make sex safer though.
To get to know your chances of getting an STI, take a look at this chart: http://smartsexresource.com/about-stis/know-your-chances-0
You will see that all STIs mentioned in the chart are easily passed with condomless vaginal sex.

As for testing, it is best to wait at least 2 weeks before you get tested. All STIs have a window period, or the time it takes for the infection to show up on testing, and the window periods can vary with each infection. So, testing done immediately after a riskier event will not be accurate.

When someone does become infected with an STI, they often do not have any symptoms. So it’s a good idea to get tested regularly or when a riskier event happens, such as a condom breaking.

Here is more information on ‘when to test’ and ‘window periods.’
http://smartsexresource.com/get-tested/when-to-test

Please let us know if this has been helpful or if you have any further questions.

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on September 11, 2016.

Hi I was wondering how long it takes for herpes to new full on outbreak. I have this red mark on the shaft of my penis. It’s on the tip when foreskin is over penis. It loOKs rash like and sometimes itches. The thing is sometimes it looks worse sometimes better. I’ve had it for about two weeks now. And it showed up after a risky interaction. I went to a doctor and he said it doesn’t look like anything but couldnt swab it because it was Sunday. So I was at ease. Then it came back worse so I went again. But this time doctor said it was nothing because it was barely visible when I went. Does this sound like herpes? I don’t know what to do. It is bothering me enough to be irritating. But doctors brush it off. What can I do?

We find that symptoms to the herpes simplex virus (HSV) can show up 2-21 days with an average of 6 days after it has been passed to you. It is also common for people to get no symptoms when HSV is passed to them.

The difficult thing with herpes is that some people get the classic outbreak of fluid filled blisters and open sores but at other times it can be milder and hardly noticeable. On the other hand it is really common to get normal blemishes on the penis for example things like pimples, friction wear from sex and masturbation, mild yeast infections under the foreskin etc..

The new HSV PCR swab tests are really good at picking up herpes. It sounds like you are really concerned that this symptom you are having could be HSV. If you still have the symptoms I would recommend going to an STI clinic or get a second opinion from another doctor, if in doubt to what is going on they could just do a HSV swab test to see if it is HSV or not.

Have a look at our clinic finder if you are looking for a clinic in your area.

Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.

Health Nurse

For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.

This answer was posted on September 8, 2016.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

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STI Symptoms (136)

After I performed oral sex on my boyfriend, I had an uncomfortable bump inside my cheek. what can it be?

I have sore on the hard of my penis

I went to the doctors today and they checked me up.. saying there’s nothing wrong but I foun a bump on my side lip of my vagina.. im scared

I am recently widowed and was not sexually active for 3 years I had unprotected sex with a semi stranger and now 3x weeks later i feel flu symptom should i get tested

I am Genital Herpes positive but the only symptom I have had is vulvar burning sensation all the time every day and night. could I have an additionnal STI? Thak you for your excellent site.