Safe Sex Worries: When to Test for HIV

I am a 25-year-old guy. I had sex with my girlfriend 3 weeks back and now I am little worried about the possibility of having contracted HIV-AIDS. I used a condom but my friend says I might still be affected. When can I go for a test?

If you used a condom, your chances of contracting an HIV infection are minimal. However, you run the risk if you indulged in mouth-to-mouth kissing or oral-genital sex. The best way to know the status is to undergo a blood test known as ‘NA / RNA PCR Test.’ This test can indicate the presence or absence of the infection approximately 72 hours after a sexual contact.

I am a 25-year-old male and have the following problems: 1) Burning sensation in penis and testes during sex. 2) Low sperm count. 3) My testes hang lower than normal and the size is quite big. Do you think I have a serious illness?

You may be having a condition known as Hydrocele. In this condition there is an accumulation of fluid in the tunica vaginalis, the most internal of membranes containing a testicle. The accumulation can be a marker of physical trauma, infection or tumor, but the cause is generally unknown. Your low sperm count may be due to this. The burning sensation may be due to some infection in your Urogenital system. You may be having either Prostatitis (Infection/inflammation of the Prostate gland) or Urethritis (infection /inflammation of the urinary passage). This can also account for your poor sperm quality. You need to be assessed thoroughly. Consult a doctor in person.

The writer is a sexologist. Mail him at dr.narayana@deccanmail.com