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)

Does oral herpes always tingly and burning sensation I may have had herpes under my top lip and under my bottom lip and no fluid filled blisters

Thanks for your question. Many people do not get any symptoms of herpes and would not even know that they carry it around their mouth. The symptoms of oral herpes can range from and include a crack in the skin, a small rash, a cluster of small painful blisters, a yellow crusting of the affected lip skin. Some people feel the tingling burning sensation just before a cold sore appears but not everyone feels this. Health Nurse

This answer was posted on September 7, 2016.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

My boyfriend and I got treated for chlamydia a week ago. I had this symptoms just like when you have a yeast infection. My down there was extremely itchy (I would scratch it here and there as the itchiness were unbearable), had a burning sensation and was secreting white cottage like things. It was one of the most uncomfortable moments of my life. I’ve felt better for the past couple days and plus our 7 day treatment is done. But why do I still feel burning discomfort during intercourse? Is it that I’m not cured yet or could it have been from the scratching that I did and maybe my vagina needed some time to heal?

Hi there,

Thanks for your question. I’m sorry to hear you have felt so uncomfortable lately.

The symptoms you’re describing do sound a lot like a yeast infection. In women, symptoms include vaginal itchiness, dryness, pain and increased discharge that can be thick and looks somewhat like cottage cheese. It is very common to feel discomfort in your vagina during intercourse as well as on your vulva (the outer genital area) when you have a yeast infection.

Please take a look at the information about Yeast from our A-Z Topics:

http://smartsexresource.com/topics/yeast

The main information about treatment from that page includes, “Treatment options for yeast include creams or tablets that are inserted into the vagina, creams that can be used on the skin in both men and women, and pills that can be taken by mouth. In BC, treatments can be bought at the pharmacy and a prescription is not needed.”

I would recommend trying some yeast treatment, more specifically the vaginal insert options, you can buy yourself at the pharmacy. You can also use the topical cream on your vulva (outer genital area) to relieve the itchiness and discomfort. You might find you experience some relief of your symptoms very quickly. If you do not find relief, I would encourage you to see your family doctor or visit a walk in clinic to have them assess you.

I hope this information helps and you find relief soon.

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on July 27, 2016.

Hi I’m 14 and I think I migt have chlamydia… I think it’salmost been two years now..I want to go and get it treated but I’m afraid that my mom might think I had sex with someone, but I’m virgin. How should I tell my mom that I have chlamydia? (*I am not comfortable talking to her about these kind of subjects..)Thank you!

I would suggest that you go see a health professional first to see if you do have chlamydia. It’s easy to test for as you don’t even need a physical exam, you would just need to provide a urine sample.

Also there is no need to tell your mother if you don’t want to. You would be able to discuss your concerns with a health professional and get a chlamydia test without telling her. The health professional would keep your information confidential. Also if it is a subject you find difficult to talk about with your mother but you want to, the health professional you see could help you with ways to do this.

I am also wondering why you think you have chlamydia if you have not had sex. Talking with a health professional about why you believe you have chlamydia would be helpful if you are having any symptoms that are bothering you.

Also have a look at our “Know your chances” web page, it provides information on your chances of getting or passing an STI depending on how you are having sex. It will show you the most common ways chlamydia is passed. With what you have written it sounds like you have not had penetrative sex. In some situations it is still possible to pass chlamydia if sexual fluids come in contact with the vagina, male urethra (pee tube) or the rectum.

I would recommend going to a youth clinic if you have one in your area. Just have a look at our clinic finder, select the city you are in and it will give you a list of all the clinics that offer STI testing as well as the youth clinics 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 July 6, 2016.

I found out I had chlamydia for over a year and received a one week treatment of antibiotics doxycycline and one cefixime. I took those in January and the previous symptom -bleeding between periods was completely gone in March and April. I went for a urine test in April to make sure it was gone and it was negative. I’m bleeding again and my last period ended a week ago and I’m not on birth control and haven’t had a partner. Could it be that I have PID or something else?

It can be common for woman to have spotting or bleeding between periods with chlamydia, but there are other conditions that are non-STI that can cause this as well e.g. changes in hormone levels, stress etc…

I would recommend going to see a health care provider, they would be able to talk to you about your medical history and do some testing to see what could be causing the problem.

It doesn’t sound like PID (Pelvic inflammatory disease) as the most common symptom with PID is pain in the lower abdomen, but I have seen some woman in the past that only had the lower abdomen pain when the cervix was moved during the PID check. Given this it would be good for the healthcare provider to do a PID check just to make sure. Here is a link for more information about PID.

It doesn’t sound like chlamydia would be causing the bleeding as you were treated for this and your follow up test was negative. It also sounds like you have not had sex since the follow up test; let me know if I got this wrong.

Let us know if you need help finding 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 May 11, 2016.

I had sex with a guy Monday night and we were both pretty drunk and he took the condom off and I didn’t realize at first. Ever since every time I go to the washroom there’s a small amount of brownish liquid I think might be blood (kinda like the end of a period). I thought at first it would just go away but it’s Friday night and still happening. I looked it up online and someone was saying it happened to her friend and it was chlamidia so now I’m freaking out. I know it’s not smart to look stuff up online because it could be a million things but I don’t know what it is and I’m scared

I don’t know your full medical and sexual history so I am unable to give specific information about what could be happening, but I can give you some general information based on what you have written.

It is possible that an STI like chlamydia could cause symptoms like this, but at the same time these symptoms can be caused by non-STI things as well. Hormone levels, birth control side effects etc…

I would just recommend going to see a health care professional that could review your medical/sexual history, do an exam and do some testing for you.

Let us know if you need help finding a clinic in your area or have a look at our clinic finder.

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 April 29, 2016.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

Hello there. Seven weeks ago I had a protected sexual encounter (heterosexual – I am male) with someone who may be HSV2 positive. I have displayed none of the “classic” symptoms, however I have had a flare-up of my hemorrhoids recently (3 weeks post encounter). I saw my doctor and he confirmed my external hemorrhoids…however recommended against HSV testing as I did not exhibit “classic” symptoms. I’ve read alot on the internet how herpes can masquerade as hemorrhoids – but no great detail about how. As well, I’ve noticed recently (7 weeks post encounter) a slight rash on my buttocks as well as what I would usually assume to be an ingrown hair (I am quite hirsute). At this point I believe it may just be my anxiety, but any direction would be greatly appreciated.

It’s great that you went to a health professional to discuss your symptoms. It’s common for people not to notice any symptoms if the herpes simplex virus (HSV) is passed to them. If someone did get HSV symptoms it can appear as the classic clear fluid filled blisters or on some people they may show up as small sores that are barely noticeable.

I don’t know your past medical or sexual history but the sex you have described would have a low chance of passing HSV to you for a number of reasons. It’s unknown if the person has HSV, you used a condom; the person was not having a HSV outbreak.

Hemorrhoids, ingrown hairs and rashes are common conditions for people to have and are mainly caused by non-STI conditions.

The health professional you saw would be the best person to assess if it’s worth taking a HSV swab from the area. This means it can be a bit of a judgement call as to whether it’s worth doing a HSV test. If you are still concerned you could always get a second opinion from a place that specialises in HSV like an STI clinic. As most STI don’t show symptoms we always recommend that people go for STI testing on a regular basis if there is a chance something could have passed.

Have a look at our “Know your chances” web page, it provides information on your chances of getting or passing an STI depending on how you are having sex.

Have a look at our HSV page for more information on HSV.

Have a look at our worry page for some helpful tips when being worried about STI.

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

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on March 29, 2016.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

Hello again i am having some women problems . I went to a mountain with snow and sat there in the snow and remained wet for 5 hours or more until we went back to my room . My vaginal health was allright till then , mine and my lover ones . We moved back and i was expecting my cycle to come , he calls me one day and told me his penis had white stuff on it and it was red . He went for a diagnose and he had candida albicans and treated it same with me , my cycle came and i was all over red irritated my skin was red , my vulva , i went to my gyno terrififed since i never had experienced something like that , she gave me a cream which it made it better but not cured it , it came back vaginal itching and redness , I go to see a dermatologist he gave me some antibiotichs and a cream to cure it, but it did not work !! my vulva had candida albicans and the other doctor i went to gave me ovulas to cure me from inside which ok maybe was the antibiotics thats why it came back , But even now after 2 weeks of cure i am still looking down at my vulva it is red !!!! I got scared if this could have anything to do with hiv . i got 10 hiv tests all negatives up to 9 months last exposure so i assume i am in clear but what else could this be ? I am going crazy just thinking how to deal with it . I have candida albicans on my vulva too which is causing all my redness , what kind of creams medication or home made can i do to get rid of it ? It has been damaged more during all those creams i used , antibiotics i got . 4 doctors didnt find any solution . Do you think i need another hiv test even after 9 months negative one ? My boyfriend candida is cured with one cream only but me ?

Hello and thanks for your question. The symptoms you describe are not HIV symptoms. If you tested for HIV at 3 months post exposure then your negative HIV test result covers the window period and is considered accurate. If you have been diagnosed with candida albicans or yeast, then at the pharmacy you can buy the recommended clotrimazole or Canesten treatment that includes an oral medication and a vaginal cream that is applied nightly. This combined treatment is very effective. Health Nurse

This answer was posted on March 25, 2016.

Hi I’m a 20 year old female. About a month ago I had sex with a guy that I casually had sex with every so often. With my stupidity I never used a condom with him because thats how much I liked him. I went to his house that night and his friend was there. We got drunk and the last thing I remember was allowing his friend to perform oral sex on me while the 3 of us were in his bed. When I woke up the next morning his friend had left and we had unprotected sex. I felt a bit of pain for a few days. This was nothing unusual since the sex was rough. 5 days later I ended up having sex with another guy and we used condoms. About 1-2 days after that I started to feel major pain in my vagina, I felt dizzy and had painful urination. I decided to take a mirror to my vagina. When i opened my labia, on what I believe is the inside skin of the vagina were red lesions and no where else. It looked like the vaginal opening was swollen and some discharge. I went to the walk-in clinic literally right after seeing that. The doctor looked at it and said she thought it was herpes so she took a swab at the lesions. No swabs were taken on or outside of the labia because their weren’t any noticeable lesions. I told both partners about it. I took 3 pills a day for 10 days and by the 5th day I could pee again and felt normal. My tests came back not showing anything. 1-2 weeks later the guy I had sex with had broken out in blisters in his pelvic area.. He got them tested at 2 different clinics and both came back as genital herpes HSV 2. He took medication for it but it didnt go away as fast for him as mine did. I’m wondering if I do have genital herpes since it did look like it and my partner ended up getting it. And if I have to tell people I have genital herpes. I have told people about the situation and its confusing. I’m also trying to figure out the who the originator was. The guy who I had last memory of performing oral sex on me and could’ve had sex with me for all I know or my casual guy friend that a see from time to time. I really don’t believe they’d get a blood test done since you have to pay for it. They were “asymptomatic”. Please help.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is very common. Most people who have it never get any symptoms and are unaware that they have it. It can still be passed to someone else when the person is not having symptoms as the virus will shed on the skin from time to time. For example if the person has cold sores it will shed in the mouth area and can be passed with kissing and oral sex. When on the genitals it will shed in the genital area and can be passed when having genital contact.

What you describe sounds like a HSV outbreak but it is difficult to say as your swab test was negative. The old HSV culture tests we used to use a few years ago would sometimes show a negative result when the person had HSV, but the new HSV PCR tests we use today are very sensitive. If someone is having an outbreak and has moist lesion it is very unlikely that the HSV PCR test would show a negative result if it was HSV that was causing the problem.

As HSV is very common it’s possible that your partner already had HSV 2 or had it pass to him from another partner. It’s difficult to know for sure, if people do get a primary outbreak e.g. HSV is passed to them and they develop symptoms straight away. They usually get symptoms in 2-21 days, but many people who have HSV never get symptoms that they notice or get a non-primary outbreak. This is when someone has HSV, did not have any symptoms when it was passed to them but they get there first noticeable outbreak much later.

I am glad to hear that you are feeling better and there is always the possibility that something else was causing your symptoms. I would not say that it is HSV until you have a positive test. As it is common for HSV to reoccur I would recommend getting another HSV swab test done if you ever get symptoms again. If you never get symptoms again you can always chat to the health professional you saw about getting a HSV blood test if you would like to know your status.

We find that the best way to test for HSV is by taking a swab from the sores as this will tell you what type it is and where it is. There is blood tests available to check for HSV but it will not tell you were it is on the body. Many people I see at the clinic think they have been tested for HSV or that if they have no symptoms they don’t have HSV.

As HSV is very common, most people do not get symptoms and it is not a standard test offered when STI testing, it can be really difficult to work out where it came from and how long someone has had it.

Condoms do reduce the chance of HSV passing but since it can pass to areas not covered by the condom, there is still as chance of it passing when condoms are used.

To lower the chances of passing or getting HSV:
• Condoms and dental dams may help to prevent HSV
• You can still be sexual when you have an outbreak, but take care to avoid skin-to-skin contact in the area of the sore (this would mean not having oral sex when you have a sore on the mouth, but genital contact is fine)
• Consider antiviral medication if you have frequent outbreaks

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 21, 2016.

I have small red kindof pimple looking growths in my pubic region. They cannot be popped soo there is no puss or anything inside and idea what these could be?

It’s difficult to say what could be causing the growths in your pubic region.

There are growths that can be caused by STI like genital warts, but there are many growths that are non STI related like irritation to the skin, infections of the hair follicles, cysts etc…

Having bumps on the genitals is a common concern that brings people to the STI clinic. A health care provider would be able to have a look at the bumps and give you a good idea of what could be causing them. All your information is kept private when you visit a medical clinic.

Let us know if you need help finding a clinic in your area or you could also have a look at our clinic finder.

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 October 20, 2015.

I am having viginial bleeding during and after sex with a condom. It is more than trace amounts of blood.This is the 4th time with has happened. There is no pain or dryness during the intercourse but there is a little soreness afterwards. He does go fairly deep and I do have some fairly hard orgasms, which is what I assumed the slight soreness was caused by. When I don’t use a condom there is no bleeding or soreness uness I am close to my menstrual cycle. Also all STI tests came back negative 4 months ago. Could be a slight allergy to the condom or irritation of my episiotomy scar? Or is this something that I need to go to my gyno to check out asap?

It is difficult to diagnose medical conditions over the internet but I can give you some suggestions on what to do next.

There are a few different things that can cause vaginal bleeding. It seems that your vaginal bleeding happens at specific times; during sex when condoms are used or at certain times in your menstrual cycle.

It’s difficult to know if it could be an irritation from the condoms/lube or something else that is causing the problem. Given that it has happened 4 times I would recommend that you see your health care provider about this. They would be able to look at your complete medical and sexual history to see what could be causing the problem. It always helps when someone has the complete history for example what medication or birth control are you taking, past physical trauma to the vagina (episiotomy) etc…

I am not sure what STI tests you had but it is always a good idea to make sure chlamydia or gonorrhea are not causing the problem with vaginal bleeding. Your healthcare provider could see what tests you had done in the past and do these if necessary.

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 October 18, 2015.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

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STI Symptoms (136)

Does oral herpes always tingly and burning sensation I may have had herpes under my top lip and under my bottom lip and no fluid filled blisters

I have small red kindof pimple looking growths in my pubic region. They cannot be popped soo there is no puss or anything inside and idea what these could be?