The Star (Jamaica)

Did oral sex cause my sore throat?

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Brown asks ‘Check Up’ if she can get sick from having oral sex, even though her partner has no symptoms of an infection and is her only sexual partner.

Since their last sexual contact more than a week ago, when they had oral sex, M. Brown said she has been experienci­ng a sore throat, which is very red and also has some yellow inflammati­on. She says the glands in her neck are also swollen.

She said that they had kissed and her boyfriend was also having a cold at the time.

This could be a Sexually Transmitte­d Infection (STI) contracted from the fluids encountere­d during oral sex, or it could be a streptococ­cal throat infection which she contracted from her boyfriend or from someone else by non-sexual means and the occurrence is coincident­al.

A throat swab sent for culture from M. Brown’s doctor’s office would certainly help to solve this mystery. Up to 90 per cent of people infected with gonorrhoea have little or no signs so her partner not having any signs or symptoms should not deter her from checking for gonorrhoea.

Herpes, gonorrhoea, and yeast infections are caught quite easily during oral sex. Chlamydia can also be caught in this fashion. These infections are easily tested

An oral STI would be associated with the following symptoms: Fever Sore throat Cold sores Tonsilliti­s Swollen glands Protect yourself from contractin­g oral STIs by using a condom and avoiding oral sex when either you or your partner has cuts or sores in the mouth or have recently visited the dentist. If it were to turn out that you do have an STI, you will need more thorough testing for other STIs, which are less visible but which can also be contracted in this manner like syphilis and HIV.

If this were to be the case, your partner would also need to be tested and treated.

Please visit your doctor or nearest clinic now to get treatment and to sort out this matter as soon as possible. for with a culture. Regular sore throat organisms such as group A streptococ­cus are also easily tested for with the same throat swab.

M. Brown, please stop just watching the sore throat. Visit your doctor, and have a throat swab done. Go ahead and take appropriat­ely prescribed medication, which might include antibiotic­s. Don’t start ‘cussing’ the man before you have seen your doctor because something not too serious may be causing the condition, and, even then, if the relationsh­ip is of recent onset, the man may not be aware that he is infected.

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