Oral STD Symptoms

In today's world, where people are sexually active, that too at a very young age, sexually transmitted diseases are very common. STDs are diseases or infections which get transmitted from one partner to the other through oral, anal and vaginal sex. Research shows that over 65 million people in the US are infected with STD, and other countries are definitely not far behind. Moreover, people between the age groups of 16 to 26 years are more prone to get infected by STDs. However, many people feel that oral sex is a safe sex and doesn't hold any risks for getting STDs. But the fact is that chances of getting an STD due to oral sex are high, though they are slimmer than the chances of transmission due to vaginal or anal sex. Also, the symptoms are not very obvious, so as a result, most people are unaware that they have been infected by an STD.

Symptoms of an Oral STD

Herpes
Herpes or genital herpes, is a common oral sexually transmitted disease caused by different strains of herpes virus and is transmitted through close contact with the mucus covered linings of the oral, vaginal or genital skin. The common herpes symptoms include:

• Small, red open blisters on the genitals and in the mouth
• Pain or itching around the genital area, buttocks and inner thighs
• Swollen lymph nodes in the groin region
• Low-grade fever and headache

Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial infection which gets easily transmitted through oral sex. The disease mainly affects the genital areas as well as the mucus membranes in the mouth. The common symptoms of syphilis are:

• Small, painful sores on the infected region like genital area, buttocks, tongue or lips
• Enlarged and swollen lymph nodes
• Red skin rashes and small reddish brown sores all over the body
• Sore throat, one of the common STD symptoms in the mouth
• Fever and headaches

Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is one of the oldest STDs which gets transmitted via oral, vaginal or anal sex. It is a bacterial infection, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria, that thrives only on moist places in the body like vagina, cervix, rectum and even back of the throat. Gonorrhea symptoms include:

• Pain and swelling of the genitals
• Thick, cloudy or bloody secretion from the penis or vagina
• Burning or itching in the genital areas
• Pain or burning sensation while urinating
• Frequent urination
• Pain during sexual intercourse

HPV and Genital Warts
Genital warts are another common type of oral STD which is caused by HPV (human papillomavirus). The warts usually develop in the mouth or throat of the person who had oral sex with an infected person. In women, they may also grow on the vulva, cervix, and the area surrounding the vagina and anus. While in men, they may develop at the tip or shaft of the penis, scrotum and anus. The various signs and symptoms of genital warts include:

• Pain and bleeding during intercourse
• Swelling in the genital area
• Itching or burning sensation in the genital area
• Wart like bumps in the mouth or on the lips

Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a common STD caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis which is found in the cervix, urethra, rectum and even throat. The symptoms usually appear several days to weeks after contact. These symptoms include:

• Increased vaginal discharge
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Burning or itching sensation while urinating
• Frequent urination

Hepatitis
Hepatitis A, B or C are basically viral infections caused due to inflammation of the liver. Oral or anal contact with the infected person can definitely increase the risks of having hepatitis A and B. The common symptoms of hepatitis are:

• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever
• Muscle ache and joint pain

Oral STD symptoms are not easily recognizable and usually show up after a week or so. However, the only way to prevent them is to practice safe sex, i.e. using condoms and by not having multiple sex partners.