This might be a sensitive subject for some, but one we must talk about. Analingus is the oral and anal sex act in which a person stimulates the anus of another by using their mouth, including lips, tongue, or teeth. It is also called anal–oral contact and anal–oral sex; colloquial names include rimming, rim job, eating ass, tossing salad, eating out, taking the dirt road, etc.

Rimming is an excellent method of foreplay before anal sex. The oral stimulation of the anus, along with the large amounts of saliva, lubricates the bottom’s rectum and helps him relax and enjoy being penetrated more. For the rimmer, giving a rim job is sexually stimulating, just like other types of oral pleasures (READ: cock sucking), and sends waves of pleasure through the penile shaft. As the saying goes, “you should lick it before you stick it.”

Rimming is also performed intermittently between anal sex and afterward. This is known to not only provide further lubrication for penetration but also soothes and comforts the bottom’s anus. Further, when condoms are not used for anal sex, and the top ejaculates inside of the bottom, it is not uncommon for him to feltch out his semen.

If you would like some essential tips for how to perform a proper rim job, click here. This article is about any risks and hazards that may come from sticking your tongue where the sun don’t shine. Rimming itself isn’t the risk; contact with fecal matter (shit) poses the potential harm. Remember, there is ALWAYS some level of “risk” in everything we do, and only you can decide where your line is and when not to cross it.

NOTE: Many guys infected with the illnesses below are usually asymptomatic, meaning they show no physical symptoms and may not know they are infected. Which means you won’t know they are infected either. If you show any signs listed below, seek medical care quickly, and don’t go out and play until you get the all-clear from your medical provider.

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Shigella is a serious gut infection causing severe, prolonged diarrhea and stomach cramps. Among gay and bisexual men, Shigella is usually passed on through the fecal-oral route during sex, either directly or via unwashed hands – only a tiny amount of bacteria can spread the infection. Symptoms often develop around 1 to 3 days after sex, including:

  • frequent and explosive diarrhea lasting more than 48 hours
  • stomach cramps
  • feeling feverish with flu-like symptoms
  • some people report vomiting
  • feeling weak and tired (accompanying the gastrointestinal symptoms)

Men experiencing Shigella symptoms are advised to visit their GP or a clinic, mention Shigella, and request a stool sample test. The infection is treatable with antibiotics. The risk of infection can be reduced by avoiding oral contact with feces during sex, washing hands thoroughly, and showering after sex.

NOTE ON PREVENTION: Some readers have asked if taking bismuth subsalicylate, otherwise known as Pepto-Bismol, will work as a prevention aid. We have no idea as no studies have been done on gay male rimming, but we guess it couldn’t hurt as it is known to prevent diarrhea. In all cases, we still recommend caution and basic hygiene steps before and after rimming.

Hepatitis A/B can also be transmitted through rimming, as it lives within fecal matter. But to be fair, any form of contact with feces can transmit this nasty illness, so always wash your hands after sex and in general! Most of all, make sure you’ve been vaccinated for BOTH of these strains.

Amebiasis is transmitted primarily by the fecal-oral route, most commonly from contaminated drinking water or unsanitary food handling. Amebiasis is caused by E. histolytica, which is often found in the stool of homosexual men and is the most common intestinal parasite seen in gay communities worldwide. Sexual behavior such as anilingus or fellatio after anal-genital intercourse can lead to infection.

Cryptosporidiosis can cause diarrhea in human hosts who have ingested as few as ten microscopic oocysts (egg-like structures made of chitin, the same protein that forms the exoskeletons of ants and other insects) contained in feces or contaminated water. After ingesting an infectious dose of Cryptosporidium oocysts, symptoms could appear within three weeks, including a brief bout of diarrhea. However, people with weakened immune systems (HIV) could experience severe, life-threatening diarrhea.

Giardia is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia, also known as Giardia intestinalis. It is one of the most common parasites that affect gay men. The symptoms of giardia include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas, and nausea. Doctors diagnose intestinal parasites and bacteria through a stool culture, which involves collecting your stool with a kit your doctor provides. It’s not fun, and it sounds messy. Still, there are so many different types of parasites, amoebas, and bacteria that properly identifying the organism is essential to choosing the correct medication.

HPV may also be transmitted through anilingus. The Human Papillomavirus is not only the most commonly transmitted STD in the world, but it also sits right across the aisle from HIV as far as public controversy is concerned. Unfortunately, most doctors are not well trained in detecting or treating gay males for this disease, which leaves you to do the heavy lifting on this matter. There is a vaccine for HPV, but depending on how old you are, if you have ever had sexual activity, and where you live, it may be difficult, expensive, and even impossible to receive. The truth is that most sexually active people will contract HPV at some point in their lifetime. But don’t worry! For most, this STD will go away on its own without causing any long-term problems. The bad news is that if you do develop symptoms, they can be pretty nasty, complicated, and time-consuming to get rid of. 

MPox (Monkeypox) is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus, meaning it’s caused by germs that spread between animals and people; it appears similar to smallpox, although significantly less deadly. Initial symptoms of the Monkeypox virus include fever, headache, myalgia, fatigue, and swelling of the lymph nodes. After one to two days, lesions, or a rash, may develop first in the mouth and later on the face and extremities, such as the palms and soles. The most effective prevention method to date has been vaccinations. Those under 45 are more at risk for Monkeypox because most of us did not receive the Smallpox vaccination that older generations did.

TMVII is a SKIN infection, similar in transmission to Mpox, but it is a fungus, not a virus. Many medical providers commonly misdiagnose it. Infections are treatable but generally require 6-12 WEEKS of oral antifungal therapy. NOT traditional antifungal medications or creams. There are no preventive medications available.

Felching

Felching is defined as sexual behavior that involves sucking or eating semen out of someone’s anus or rectum. Studies indicate that the practice of felching appears to be a common practice among certain subpopulations of men who have sex with men (MSM).

For those who do not use condoms for anal sex, felching can be a natural progression, but it DOES NOT come with any added risks beyond basic ass-to-mouth rimming.

Talking to your Doctor

This is one of the times you will be glad that you have forged a good working relationship with your GP. Discussing with a stranger or someone that does not know that you are gay that you believe you ingested a parasite from munching on some dude’s starfish is not the way you probably want to spend your morning. Especially if it began with explosive diarrhea, but this is also the time for you to make some tough decisions. Either you can tell him the truth and let him take a stool sample and prescribe medication, or you can take the chance that he will figure it out on his own. We are not going to tell you to come out to your doctor/nurse, but we will suggest you think well in advance about what type of relationship you would like with your GP before you need to discuss your sexual activities.

A few final words about this sexual act:

Rimming has been around since Adam met Steve. It is very commonly practiced, and not just in porn. Yes, good boys do rim, and great men rim well. Rimming is no more dirty or disgusting than any other type of gay male sex. As stated above, there are some possible risks of infections with eating ass, but most are very treatable after a small bout of tummy troubles. If you use your big head first, you can avoid many of these issues.

Finally, we are not going to discuss douching or anal hygiene (your butt-hole shaving routines are your own business: GO BEARS!) for the reasons mentioned in the linked article. Also because it will not help reduce risk. It only takes a minimal amount of bacteria or tiny parasites to cause an infection. But we will say that shit does happen in life and sex, and it is tough to totally avoid. Get vaccinated, stay healthy, wash your hands and ass, and then eat all the buffet offers.

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