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STDs  (Expert Forum)
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HIV transmission through fingering and masturbation
Answered by
H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. -
University of Washington Seattle - WA
This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, Warts, Yeast Infection.All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
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MedHelp Member's Question

HIV transmission through fingering and masturbation

by Jasper123, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
Hi about three and a half weeks ago I had brief sexual encounter with a stripper.In which I fingered her with my left hand for a biref moment while simultaneously I was masturbating with my right hand.My penis was covered by a paper towel (like kitchen towel).For a split second I touched the base of my penis, on the paper covering the penis, with the left hand (one I was using for fingering, then immediately I removed the left hand from there.)The paper was given by the stripper(I don't know whether that can carry the virus).Then after the act I took all the care not to touch the penis with my left hand until I went to the restroom and cleaned both hands with soap and then peed. As far as I remember I had not cuts or wounds on my hand, may be some dry skin around cuticles. Now I'm extremely stressed and don't know my risk of HIV.Could you please tell me.



Past three weeks have been extremely stressful, and I now have ulcer in lower layer of tongue, sometimes chest pain and muscle pain.No fever though.



Please throw some light on my situation.



Thanks a lot.

Justin123
Doctor's Answer

by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Dec 01, 2005 12:00AM
The risk of catching HIV from that exposure is zero, zilch, nada, nichevo.  Do I make myself clear?  Your symptoms do not suggest HIV; and anyway, symptoms never are a reliable indicator of infection.  Have an HIV test if you want still more reassurance; the result will be negative.



Good luck--  HHH, MD
Member Comments (14)

by moet, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
Let's just say I would trade places with you ;)



You have no risk and chest pain is anxiety no doubt!!

by Imdumb, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
To: justin and Dr HHH
Doc - you should put a message at the top of the forum that reads "FINGERING AND MUTUAL MASTURBATION IS ZERO RISK FOR ANY STD". Since this topic comes up at least once a day.



Justin, no one ever gets stds by fingering and masturbating.

by Jasper123, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
To: Dr HHH
So Doctor,

Please tell me in the light of this exposure, do I need to take an HIV test, if so when.



Sorry for asking , it might sound silly but in my state of mind, I had to ask this question to put a closure.



Thanks again for reading and answering my question.



Regards

Jasper



P.S: Just to let you know I also have occassional pain in the neck.

by ryn21, Dec 01, 2005 12:00AM
I highly doubt that Dr. Handsfield would suggest testing due to the exposure you have mentioned.  He stated that the risk was zero, therefore no reason for testing, no reason for worrying. Take care.

by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Dec 01, 2005 12:00AM
To: jasper123
See the last sentence of my original reply.  You don't need HIV testing, but some people with your level of anxiety simply will not or cannot accept that the risk is truly zero and want to prove they aren't infected.  So it's up to you.



HHH, MD

by Jasper123, Dec 02, 2005 12:00AM
Can anyone give a link or suggestion as to how to find a HIV specialist in and around Washington DC. Please.Before I take the test to curb my anxieties I would like to talk to a specialist.Too bad Doc HHH is in Seattle otherwise I would have been to his clinic rightway.We need Doc HHH in DC too.



Can someone help please.

by monkeyflower, Dec 02, 2005 12:00AM
I don't think you need a HIV specialist; instead, I think you need to consider seeing a therapist. Your exposure was literally ZERO risk as Dr. Handsfield and others have pointed out. Your anxiety is getting the better of you.

by Jasper123, Dec 02, 2005 12:00AM
Hi over past two days I have developed a dull pain in the back of my neck and along the sides and shoulder area.The pain sometime increases and then subsides.Does it happen when the glands in the neck tend to swell or is pure stress.

by JohnnyV, Dec 02, 2005 12:00AM
To: Jasper/Justin
I hope I can prevail where others haven't been able to convince you that you're at zero risk. If you go down and search through old threads, I'm probably the most conservative person on this forum. I've objected to many statements like the cliché that any act of unprotected vaginal or anal sex is less risky than "being struck by lightning" or less likely to transmit HIV than "the odds of winning the lottery." If there were any risk to you at all, sincerely, I would be the one to naysay everyone else in a thread and tell you, "you can never be too sure -- go get tested at 6 weeks, and then go again at 12 weeks for good measure." You never have to worry about me going easy on you for the sake of making you feel better.



YOU HAVE NO RISK OF HIV. Forget any comparison to getting struck by lightning or winning the lottery, they're all irrelevant. Unless you've done something else on the side that you're not mentioning here, then YOU HAVE ZERO RISK. DON'T GET TESTED. DON'T GO LOOKING UP ANY MORE INFO ON THE WEB. GO OUT AND LIVE YOUR BEAUTIFUL LIFE FOR ALL ITS BEAUTY.



I would add a little caveat though, Jasper -- Don't take these messages as a green light to go having casual unprotected sex with women. People on the forum have at times stated that heterosexual men have almost no chance of getting HIV no matter how many women they sleep with, and I regret that those statements circulate because I think they are dangerously misleading. The reason that you have zero risk is because you can't get HIV from fingering someone and masturbating; it's not because you're straight and you were dealing sexually with a woman. If you had had vaginal or anal sex with this woman, I would not be telling you to relax at all; I would tell you to schedule an HIV test and just try to relax through the tension of the testing period. You're fine as of now, so get a box of condoms and stay that way, my friend.



J

by Jasper123, Dec 05, 2005 12:00AM
Thanks everybody for your comments.It eased my mind to a large extent.Just as JonnyV has reminded me if there is anything in the side, one more thing , the stripper actually used some kind of lubricant in her vagina before I fingered her. Naturally before fingering my hand first came in contact with the lubricant in and around the vagina. Does that cause any change in the risk level ?

by JohnnyV, Dec 06, 2005 12:00AM
To: jasper
No.

by kennyL, Dec 13, 2005 12:00AM
I also have a question here. Hope someone can help me out. I was doing mutual masterbation with another folk some days back when he cummed onto my thumb.



Unfortunately, I forgot that about a week ago, I got bitten by a mosquito and i scratched till it bled a little. So there is a little small red mark/dot on my thumb (perhaps some dried blood) that resembles the little small red wound mark that you get after you get pricked by a syringe.



Do you think I will get HIV because of that?



Hope someone can give me some advice. Really scared now ....



Thanks!

by Jasper123, Dec 13, 2005 12:00AM
Guys,

Just to put this nagging anxiety to an end, I'm going to take the test next week.From all your assurances I hope I will get a negative result.But off late my anxiety