What It Means When You Have A Sore Throat After Having Sex

Having sex is a form of stress relief, a way to bond with your partner, and let's face it, loads of fun when done well. However, with the concern of sexually transmitted infections, also known as STIs, you could think that oral sex, pleasuring your partner by putting your mouth, tongue, or lips on their genitals or anus (as opposed to penetrative sex), could help protect you from disease. 

But experts will tell you otherwise. In fact, a sore throat could often be one of the warning signs that you've contracted an oral STI. But before we go there, there's something else that a sore throat after sex could be indicative of, especially if the symptom comes on relatively soon after intercourse. As explained by physician assistant Asia Sullivan (via Giddy), a sore throat could simply mean you've contracted strep throat or the common cold from your partner while kissing them and being intimate with them. It could also mean your throat is slightly damaged due to the friction that comes with oral sex. "The posterior pharynx [back of the throat] is sensitive, and the mucosal tissue can be irritated from the contact," shared Sullivan. Not such a surprising thing to happen to your health after sex. 

But as we mentioned before, STIs, especially gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and even HIV can manifest as a sore throat too, some of which is directly related to transmission via oral sex and others regular penetrative sex. More on that below. 

One of the most common STIs in the U.S., gonorrhea, might sometimes not cause symptoms. But when it does, it typically presents with vaginal discharge, discharge from the penis, painful urination, painful sex, bleeding that's not related to your periods, lower abdominal pain, or testicular swelling. When it comes to oral sex, gonorrhea can present as a sore and inflamed (red) throat, swollen lymph nodes, and fever. 

Chlamydia in the throat will show up with symptoms such as a sore throat, pus in the tonsils, painful swallowing, mouth pain, mouth sores, and sores around the lip. However, it is less likely than chlamydia of the genitals,

In the case of syphilis (contracted via penetrative sex), the warning signs are often broken into primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages. What starts off as genital sores turns into an itchy rash, accompanied by wart-like mouth sores, hair loss, fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, weight loss, and finally, even damage to your brain, nerves, eyes, heart, liver, bones, and joints. If you're experiencing a sore throat (which may happen in the secondary stage), this might mean you've contracted syphilis via oral sex. 

With HPV, a sore throat occurs with oral transmission. The same can be said for herpes esophagitis, which is herpes of the throat. 

With HIV, you have to have an open wound in your mouth while performing oral sex to be able to contract the virus. However, HIV symptoms (from regular penetrative sex) include a sore throat as well, along with other flu-like signs of fever, muscle aches, chills, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and night sweats. 

Since some STIs don't always present symptoms and it's difficult to tell if your sore throat has to do with an oral transmission or penetrative sex, it goes without saying that it's important to be aware of any throat-related symptoms that arise after sex. 

Experts recommend reaching out to your healthcare professional if you have a sore throat after sex, especially if it's accompanied by any of the other symptoms (apart from the warning signs of the common cold or strep throat) we mentioned above. Plus, if you have any doubts as to whether your partner had an STI during sexual contact, whether penetrative or oral, this is all the more reason to visit a doctor's office. Testing for STIs could vary depending on what infection your healthcare provider suspects, but typically, they'd involve blood tests, urine tests, throat swabs, and viral cultures, to name a few. 

Preventing a sore throat after sex might be as simple as practicing safe sex, even if you're only going to perform oral sex on one another during intimate time. Health professionals advise the use of flavored condoms, dental dams, regular testing for STIs, and open and honest communication with your partner before engaging in any sexual activity. Now that you know all about sore throats after sex, perhaps you'd like to learn about why you feel nauseous after sex.