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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.

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What to do if

STI Treatment (37)

I’m currently away from home on overseas deployment.Three weeks ago I went to a bar, picked up a prostitute, and we had protected vaginal sex.The next morning, my penis really hurt. I figured it was down to being a little drunk and not fully hard whilst having sex, so that and the condom friction did some nerve ending damage. Anyway, three weeks later, it’s still sore.I have no discharge, it doesn’t hurt when I pee, there are no sores there, so I’m writing off an STD. I’ve taken 1g Azithromycin and 400mg Cefixme as a precaution anyway.Any clue what this could be causing the problem?

Hi,

Thanks for writing.

Without doing an assessment in person it’s hard to give you a specific answer, but I can give you some general information.

If you used a condom (and there wasn’t any penetration before the condom went on, and it was still intact when you withdrew) then we would say the chance of getting an STI is very low.

Did you receive unprotected oral the same night? It’s possible to get an STI from the back of someone’s throat… Or, did you have any unprotected sex in the last 3-6 months? Sometimes it can take a while for STIs to show up but we only notice it after new encounter…

If you had unprotected oral or other recent unprotected sex, then there’s still a possibility your symptoms are caused by an STI. Not all STIs cause discharge or pain when we pee.

If you haven’t had any unprotected oral or other recent sex, I would say the chance you have some soft tissue/ nerve damage seems likely. Friction injuries are quiet common, and usually resolve on their own. Our doctor says to compare it to an ankle sprain—for some people it can take 6 weeks for things to feel normal again.

It’s not a bad idea to have taken the Azithromycin and Cefixime, and I’m glad you were able to access that. Did the medication help with the pain? If you feel better after the meds we can assume there was an STI component to your symptoms.

If your pain is persisting after taking the meds, I would continue to monitor it. Likely it will resolve on its own in a few more weeks. However, if your pain worsens, or you notice new swelling, or pain in your scrotum (testes), then I would recommend going to see a health care professional right away.

Please let us know if this answers your question or if you need any additional information.

Health Nurse

This answer was posted on September 28, 2017.

Hey , me and my partner ‘ So I got treatment for a STI ‘ came back for one ‘ and we had oral contact ‘ is it possible I might have it again .

Hi

I am not sure if I fully understand your question. I take it you were positive for an STI, had treatment and then had sex with an untreated partner. Let me know if I got that wrong.

If the person you had sex with was not treated, depending on the STI it could be in their throat and could pass with oral contact. Given this it is possible that it could be passed back to you.

I would suggest getting in touch with the clinic who did the testing for you or the public health people that contacted you. They would know what STI you had and would be able to give you the best info on what to do.

After getting treatment for STI like gonorrhea and chlamydia you are usually good to go after 1 week. You just need to be careful if having sex with an untreated partner as most STI do not show symptoms and can pass with oral sex, you wouldn’t know if they had it or if it was passed back to you. With these STI just wait 1 week after your partner has been treated before having sex.

If someone had syphilis it would be the same expect people need to wait for 2 weeks before having sex.

I find in these situations if there is any doubt we usually suggest both people get treated again or we do a retest in a few weeks (time period depends on the STI and testing method)

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.

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.

is it true that if you get chlamydia, you can cure it in the vaginal area but it still remains in the gut and can reinfect you? is there no way to get it out of the body completely?

Hi

I have not heard of chlamydia doing that.

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and is a curable STI (leave’s the body completely) when treated with antibiotics.

It is common for people to have no symptoms when they have chlamydia. This means it is very important that sexual partners are treated for chlamydia as well so that the chlamydia is not passed back to the person who has already been treated.

For more information on chlamydia have a look at our chlamydia page.

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 7, 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.

Is there a cure or even a pill for hpv

Hi

The Human papillomavirus (HPV) is very common and most people never get any visible symptoms. We find that most people get rid of the virus within 18 months. Usually it comes and goes without the person ever knowing.

Currently there is no pill available to treat HPV but there are treatments available if someone has had their body affected by HPV e.g. they have genital warts, changes to their cervix etc…

There is also a vaccine available that will protect people from the most common types of HPV that affect the genital area. Have a look at this link for more information.

Also have a look at our HPV page for more information.

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 March 8, 2016.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

Hi Nurse I have a small painless lump near the beginning of my penis. Could this be an STI?

Unfortunately we cannot diagnose online. The only way to know for sure if this bump is cause by an STI is to have it checked by a health care provider. They will be able to take a full health history from you and do any testing that may be needed.

You can use our “Find a clinic” function to locate 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 August 9, 2015.

This answer was updated on February 7, 2022.

Can a woman get rid of warts

Hi

Yes, woman can get rid of genital warts.

Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus and are very common. They are similar to other warts that people can get on other parts of their body.

There are a number of different ways to treat genital warts e.g. liquid nitrogen (freezing), Aldara cream etc… Just talk with the health professional you see to work out what treatment would be best for you.

Have a look at our genital wart page for more information.

Also have a look at our genital warts client handout

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 March 31, 2015.

This answer was updated on March 2, 2023.

Can you have sex with a condom within the 7 days you while taking antibiotic treatment for the chlamydia or gonorrhea?

The short answer is no.

To be on the safe side we recommend that you do not have any sex until:

  • one week after your 1-day treatment; or your 7-day treatment is complete;

and

  • your sex partner(s) have also been treated, even if their test results are negative;
  • your symptoms are now gone.

While condoms reduce the chance of passing chlamydia and gonorrhea, there is still a possibility of passing them even when a condom is used.

Even after you start taking treatment for chlamydia and/or gonorrhea, you can still pass them within the first 7 days. It takes 7 days for the medication to treat these infections. Only after 7 days is the chance of passing these infections gone.

Even if your partner is taking treatment at the same time as you, we still recommend you do not have sex until after 7 days. The treatment won’t work if someone is re-exposed to chlamydia and/or gonorrhea within those 7 days.

If you cannot avoid having sex for 7 days, then using a condom will help lower the chance of passing the STI to your partners and/or getting the infection again, but there is no guarantee.

It is also important to avoid sex when you have chlamydia and/or gonorrhea because they can increase your chance of getting HIV. Once the chlamydia and/or gonorrhea is gone, the HIV risk returns to normal.

If you did have sex during the 7 days, then we recommend that you talk to your health care provider, or return to the clinic where you got the treatment. In some situations, they will recommend that you and your partner(s) be re-treated, or suggest that you come back for a follow-up test in 4 weeks to check if the infection is gone.

Have a look at our web pages on ‘Chlamydia’ and ‘Gonorrhea’ for additional information.

Resources

This answer was posted on December 10, 2014.

This answer was updated on August 16, 2022.

Hi there, I was diagnosed with gonorrhea and when the doctor prescribed me medication, he gave me three other medications for other types of STIs (like chlamydia) as well. What is the purpose of this and will it impact the effects of the ghonorrhea medication? Is it also more likely that I could get a yeast infection from that?

Hi

I don’t know what medication you were given but I know in Canada we also give treatment for chlamydia when we treat gonorrhea.

The main reasons this is done is because currently they believe that using two medications that work different ways will improve the treatment result and possibly delay the medication becoming resistance to gonorrhea in the future. They also find it is common for chlamydia to be found with the gonorrhea as well.

There is a chance that antibiotics can cause a yeast infection, I don’t know if having the two antibiotics increases the risk when compared to just having the one antibiotic.

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 4, 2014.