Many STIs use bacteria or viruses that rely on the thin skin of the throat and the anus (anilingus). These areas have the same kind of skin as the penis, labia, and vagina.
Luckily, safe sex means taking steps to avoid contact with genital fluids, like using protection and communicating openly. It also means regularly testing with LetsGetChecked’s range of at-home STD tests.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia, which is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is a sexually transmitted disease (STI) that can be spread by oral sex. It is a common infection that affects people of all ages and genders. It is especially important for young people to get tested for and treated for chlamydia. This is because it is one of the most common STDs that causes reproductive complications, including infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). It can also cause infections in the throat and anal area. In addition, if a woman with chlamydia becomes pregnant, she can spread the infection to her baby during delivery. This can lead to pneumonia and other serious health issues in the newborn.
People can get chlamydia by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has it. It can also spread through kissing, sharing toothbrushes and tampons, and other types of intimate contact. Symptoms of chlamydia usually appear 1-3 weeks after having sexual contact with an infected person. They may include pain during sex, changes in vaginal discharge and symptoms of a urinary tract infection (like burning when you pee or a feeling like you need to pee often). Chlamydia in the throat can cause a sore throat or white spots on the tonsils. Doctors can test for chlamydia in the throat by doing a throat swab. They can also screen for it as part of a regular STI screening.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that affects both men and women. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, from sores in the genitals to pain, discharge and swelling in the mouth or throat. It can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in women, which may interfere with fertility. In pregnant women, untreated gonorrhea can cause birth defects and premature delivery. In some cases, it can even cause eye problems for infants born to infected mothers, including blindness.
Some people with gonorrhea have no symptoms, so they may not realize they are infected. Infections in the urethra and vagina are harder to detect, but can be prevented by using a condom with every sexual encounter.
The most accurate way to diagnose gonorrhea is with DNA tests, such as the ligase chain reaction test. These tests are more precise than cultures, which require samples to be grown in a lab dish. They can be done on urine samples, which are easier to get than samples from the genitals.
If you have a rash and think you might have gonorrhea, contact an STD clinic right away. You will receive treatment with antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Your doctor will also give you instructions for your recent sex partners to make sure they get tested and treated. This will help keep the bacteria from spreading to other parts of your body and creating more serious complications.
Syphilis
Syphilis can be spread by skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal or oral sex. It can also be spread by touching an open sore on the genitals, lips, mouth or rectum of another person who has syphilis. People can also catch syphilis by getting infected by an infected mother during pregnancy. Syphilis can cause severe health problems in later stages of the disease, including heart disease, mental illness and blindness.
The first sign of syphilis is a painless sore or blister called a chancre. These sores may appear on the lips, tongue, genitals, rectum, or the foreskin of the penis. They may also show up on the skin of the arms, chest, or body. They may look like an ingrown hair or a small cut. Chancres can occur 10 to 90 days after infection and last up to three weeks. They are often round and hard.
If you have a chancre, it is important to talk to your doctor and get treated. It’s also important to tell current and past sexual partners about your chancre. Your doctor can help you decide who to tell and can provide advice and sample emails, text messages and letters that you can use to tell your sexual partners about your syphilis. This will make it easier for your sexual partners to get tested and treated if they are infected with syphilis, too.
Herpes
Oral herpes is spread through a person’s saliva when they touch an area that has herpes on it, such as a lip, mouth or throat sore. It can also be spread when a person kisses someone who has herpes on their lips or mouth.
Herpes is one of the most common STDs. It’s also highly contagious and can cause severe symptoms in the throat, mouth and genitals. It can also lead to genital warts and scabs.
The herpes simplex virus is the most common type of herpes and can be spread by oral sex. It’s a viral infection that causes cold sores and sores in the throat, mouth or tongue. It can also infect the genitals, anus or rectum.
Some herpes treatments can be used to manage the symptoms. Some of these can even help prevent outbreaks, but it’s important to follow the instructions provided by a doctor. It’s also important to use a condom during oral sex and avoid touching the anus or genitals if either partner has a herpes sore.
Fortunately, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis can all be treated with antibiotics. It’s important to get screened regularly for these infections so that they can be diagnosed early and treated as soon as possible. To do this, visit a Planned Parenthood health center or find an STD clinic near you.