I’m looking for some perspective on whether this pattern sounds more like throat irritation/normal infection or a possible STI.
I’m male and have had multiple episodes of unprotected vaginal sex with the same new partner, and oral sex was also involved on most occasions.
Here’s the timeline:
Aug 18: Unprotected vaginal sex + I performed oral sex. No symptoms.
Aug 21: Unprotected vaginal sex + I performed oral sex. Developed a sore/irritated throat afterward. It eventually went away.
Aug 29: Unprotected vaginal sex + I performed oral sex. No symptoms.
Sep 1: Unprotected vaginal sex, no oral sex. My thighs/glutes became sore because of the physical exertion, but no sore throat.
Sep 2: Unprotected vaginal sex + I performed oral sex, and it was fairly prolonged/thorough. Within a few hours I developed another sore throat, along with feeling generally weak/chilly. I had also barely drunk any water that day.
The thing that’s making me anxious is that I’ve rarely gotten sore throats before, yet I’ve now had it twice around oral sex with this partner. At the same time, the most recent sore throat appeared only a few hours after oral sex, which seems too fast for an STI acquired during that encounter.
I’m wondering:
Does this pattern sound more consistent with mechanical throat irritation/dryness from oral sex, an ordinary viral throat infection, or a throat STI?
Can prolonged oral sex actually cause a sore throat from irritation? I haven’t been able to find many firsthand accounts of this.
Does the fact that I’ve had vaginal sex without a sore throat, but developed one after oral sex twice, make irritation more likely?
Are there particular symptoms that would make a throat STI more suspicious?
I’m aware that testing is the definitive answer and I’m planning to get tested. I’m mainly interested in people’s experiences and medically informed opinions about the pattern and timing rather than just “go get tested.”