Syphilis the great mimic: Forgotten but not gone
Can Getting Semen In Your Eye Cause An STI? And 13 Other FAQs
Things to considerGetting semen in your eye is further proof that sometimes things just don't go as planned.
Beyond being alarmed at the fact you have semen in your eye, you may be wondering about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other infectious conditions.
Fortunately, we've got you covered! Here's how to clean up the mess, tips to soothe any irritation, when to consider STI testing, and more.
Can I rub it off?No, don't touch your eye. You could spread the fluid to other areas of your body or further embed it in your eye.
How do I get it out?Follow these tips from the World Health Organization for getting bodily fluids out of your eye:
Note that while your first instinct may be to wash the eye out with soap and water, don't. You don't need soap or other disinfectants to get the semen out, just water or saline.
Are stinging and blurry vision normal?Yes! Your eye tissue is incredibly delicate, and semen has several components that act as irritants. This includes acids, enzymes, zinc, chlorine, and sugars.
How long will redness last?Redness and inflammation are the body's natural response to irritants.
Whether it's dust, semen, or whatever else, getting a foreign object in your eye can cause redness.
Ideally, it'll go away within 24 hours of exposure.
Is there anything I can do to find relief?Keep flushing your eye out with over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops, water, or saline solutions.
You can also apply warm or cool compresses over your eyes to soothe irritation. A soft washcloth dampened with water is perfect.
Taking OTC pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) can help, too.
Whatever you do, don't rub your eye. It'll only make redness worse.
What if my symptoms don't fade?If your eye is getting redder, continuously watering, or increasing in pain, call an eye doctor. These could be signs of an eye infection.
Otherwise, wait until about 24 hours have passed and see how you're doing. If you don't see any improvement, it's time to consult a medical professional.
Can this cause a stye or another eye condition?It's possible. Here's what to watch for.
StyeA stye is a form of eye inflammation. Styes are usually triggered by the presence of Staphylococcus bacteria in the eye.
With that in mind, it's really unlikely that getting semen in your eye will cause a stye.
If you do develop one, it's probably not from the semen itself but from all the itching and scratching you did afterward.
These disruptions may have allowed bacteria to invade your eye.
ConjunctivitisYou can get conjunctivitis (pink eye) from some bacteria in semen.
This includes STI bacteria, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
Common symptoms include:
If this sounds familiar, see a doctor or other healthcare provider for a diagnosis. You may need antibiotic eye drops.
What about HIV?It's possible to contract HIV from getting semen in your eye, but it's not a common transmission source.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the risk for contracting HIV by the type of exposure. The greatest risk, for example, is receiving a blood transfusion from someone who has the virus.
The CDC doesn't have an official estimate on the risk of transmission from semen to the eye. However, they do place the risk of "throwing body fluids" like semen as "negligible."
What if the person who ejaculated has HIV?Don't panic. It's very, very unlikely that you could contract HIV as a result of semen in your eye.
If it would help put your mind at ease, you could take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medicine to truly minimize your risk.
PEP is a prescription antiretroviral that helps prevent the virus from multiplying in your body.
The medication must be taken within 72 hours after potential HIV exposure, so talk to a doctor or emergency care provider as soon as possible.
What about STIs?In theory, you can get an STI from getting semen in your eye. In practice, it doesn't happen a lot.
HerpesIf your partner is experiencing an active herpes outbreak, you're at greater risk for contracting the infection.
When the herpes virus affects the eye, it's known as ocular herpes.
If left untreated, ocular herpes can lead to a serious infection that affects the cornea and vision.
Symptoms may include:
Although there isn't a cure for the herpes virus, you can manage symptoms with anti-inflammatory eye drops and oral antiviral medication.
ChlamydiaThere isn't a lot of data on the rate of transmission of chlamydia due to semen in the eye, but it's a known route.
Symptoms may include:
Antibiotic eye drops can treat it.
GonorrheaThis isn't a common route for transmission, but it's possible.
Symptoms may include:
Oral and eye-drop antibiotics can treat it.
SyphilisThis isn't a common route for transmission, but it's possible.
If left untreated, ocular syphilis can lead to blindness.
Symptoms may include:
Oral and eye-drop antibiotics can treat it.
Hepatitis B and CAlthough hepatitis B and C are primarily transmitted through blood, transmission via semen is possible.
Symptoms may include:
Oral or injectable antibiotics can treat these conditions.
Pubic licePubic lice live outside the body, so they shouldn't be in semen.
However, the lice can get in your eyelashes if you get too close to someone who has them.
Symptoms may include:
Yes. Unless your partner has recently been tested and can show you the results, get tested just to be sure.
Antibiotic or antiviral medication can successfully treat many STIs.
When should I get tested?It's a good idea to get tested about three months after the semen got in your eye.
Testing earlier than this could result in a false positive or false negative.
Make sure you're tested for:
It ultimately depends on whether you're experiencing symptoms and, if so, what they are.
If your eye is affected, your provider will examine your eye with a special microscope.
They may also put drops in your eye to get a closer look at your cornea.
In rare cases, they may swab or take a tiny sample of eye tissue for further testing.
If you aren't having any eye symptoms, the testing process will be the same as usual. Your provider may take a saliva, blood, or tissue sample.
Is treatment available?Yes. Your options for treatment depend on the diagnosis.
Some infections, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, are treated with antibiotics.
Other conditions, such as herpes, don't have a cure, but symptoms can be successfully managed.
The bottom lineOftentimes, the burning or stinging you feel in your eye is the most serious side effect of getting semen in your eye.
However, it's possible to contract certain STIs or develop pink eye as a result of semen exposure.
See a healthcare provider if you aren't sure of your partner's STI status or if discomfort persists. They can review your symptoms and advise you on any next steps.
What Does It Mean If You Have Spotting Instead Of Your Period?
Light periods or spotting instead of a period are also signs of excess stress. This stress can be physical, meaning too much exercise, strict dieting, or severe illness. It can also be emotional, which may be due to big life events, such as divorce, a death in the family, or an important work deadline.
If you think stress is impacting your cycle, consider trying to find more ways to relax. Engaging in regular activity may help, such as:
5 Reasons Why You Have A Sore Throat But No Fever
Sore throats are incredibly common, accounting for about 4% of visits to family practitioners.
The majority of sore throats are caused by viruses, which can raise your body temperature slightly, but usually not enough to cause a fever (100.4 °F or more).
Sore throat without fever can also be caused by allergies, reflux, STIs, behaviors like yelling or singing, and environmental irritants.
In most cases a sore throat with no fever is nothing to be worried about. "Generally a sore throat without fever is less of a concern than a sore throat with fever," says Hiten Patel, MD, a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Here are five common causes of a sore throat that don't typically cause fever.
1. Common coldOne of the most common causes of sore throat without fever is the common cold. If you have a cold, you might experience other symptoms including:
How to feel better: Common colds will resolve on their own in 7-10 days. Resting, drinking hot tea with honey, or taking ibuprofen for pain can help control symptoms, Patel says.
2. TonsillitisTonsillitis is the swelling of the tonsils, which are those lumps of tissue at the back of the throat. The inflammation, or swelling, is most commonly caused by a viral infection, but it can also be due to a bacterial infection.
Tonsillitis is most common in children under 2, although it can happen in adults as well. If you or your child have tonsillitis, you might notice these symptoms:
Fever with tonsillitis is possible, but unlikely, Patel says.
How to feel better: Viral tonsillitis resolves on its own within 3-5 days, says Patel. Use ibuprofen to control pain and eat soothing foods like popsicles or warm tea. If you or your child have difficulty swallowing or have repeated episodes of tonsillitis, see a doctor. If you have frequent episodes of severe tonsillitis that don't respond to treatment, a doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy, or the removal of your tonsils — though this procedure is done less often today compared to years prior.
Quick Tip: Other viral or bacterial illnesses including strep throat, influenza, COVID, mononucleosis, and hand, foot and mouth disease can also cause sore throats, but if you have any of those illnesses you'll likely have a fever as well, Patel says.
3. AllergiesSeasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever, can cause a sore throat with no fever. This happens because of postnasal drip, or mucus from the nose dropping down the throat and irritating it. Allergies can cause a sore throat without fever in kids or adults, says Patel.
If your sore throat is caused by allergies, you'll likely notice that it occurs after you're exposed to triggers like pollen or pet dander.
The other symptoms of allergies include:
How to feel better: The best way to control allergies is by avoiding your triggers where possible, by taking actions like keeping windows closed when allergy counts are high. If you still experience symptoms, use an antihistamine or steroid nasal spray to help control nasal symptoms, which will decrease post-nasal drip to your throat, Patel says.
4. Acid refluxIf you have a persistent sore throat without a fever, it could be caused by acid reflux, says Patel. Reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), happens when stomach contents come up through the esophagus into the throat and mouth. When this happens, it can irritate your throat.
Reflux can happen on occasion, or frequently. It's more common in adults, pregnant people, and overweight people, although anyone can experience reflux.
If you have a sore throat caused by reflux, you'll likely notice other symptoms, including:
These symptoms might get worse when you eat certain foods, like acidic or spicy foods, or when you lie down, says Patel.
How to feel better: Lifestyle changes like adjusting your diet and losing weight can help with chronic reflux. For mild or occasional bouts of reflux, antacids can help, but you shouldn't use them every day. If your reflux happens frequently, you should see a doctor, says Jim Keany, MD, co-director of the emergency department at Providence Mission Hospital.
5. STIsCertain STIs can also cause a sore throat, particularly if you've had an oral exposure to the virus.
"To many people's surprise, sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and herpes can also cause sore throat," says Keany.
A sore throat can also be one of the first symptoms of HIV infection, appearing weeks after exposure. If you have HIV, you may or may not experience a fever.
Oftentimes, STIs have no symptoms. However, you might notice symptoms including:
How to feel better: STIs often require treatment with antibiotics or other antiviral medication. If you suspect your sore throat is linked to an STI, talk with your doctor about testing. Regular STI screenings are part of routine care for all sexually-active people.
When to see a doctorUsually, a sore throat without fever will go away on its own, so Keany recommends waiting a few days before seeking medical care as long as your symptoms are mild.
However, you should seek immediate medical care if you have:
If your symptoms do not improve within a week or if you frequently experience sore throats with no fever, see your doctor, says Patel.
Insider's takeawayOccasionally, sore throat without fever can indicate an underlying health issue, like reflux, allergies, or post nasal drip. Other times, it can be from a more serious infection like an STI that requires medical treatment.
In most cases, a sore throat with no fever is due to an infection or other conditions that will resolve on their own and is not a medical concern, says Patel.
Using ibuprofen to manage pain and sipping warm water with honey can help relieve symptoms until your sore throat goes away, usually within a week.
"This is usually self-resolving and will improve without any treatment," Patel says.
Kelly Burch has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade. She's particularly interested in how finances impact the most intimate parts of a person's life, from educational and reproductive choices to love, immigration, or estate planning. Kelly has written about these topics personally and explored them with experts, including entrepreneurs, multi-millionaires, financial planners, and more.Kelly is a first-generation college graduate and homeowner who integrates her personal experience creating financial stability into her reporting. She's a career journalist, with work appearing in "The Washington Post," "The Chicago Tribune," "Boston Magazine" and more.Kelly lives in rural New Hampshire with her husband, two children, and two dogs. When she's not behind her desk, she can be found getting lost in the mountains and lakes around her home. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter, or learn more here. Read more Read less
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