How Do You Know When You Have An STD?

The answer is quite simple. There are numerous signs and symptoms, which can tell us if a person has a sexually transmitted disease or not. A person should be careful and open minded as some of these signs and symptoms may also present with other diseases, which are not sexually transmitted.

An STD is a type of disease that is fairly common around the world in males and females both who are in the reproductive age. It occurs in an individual when one participates in unprotected sexual intercourse with an already infected person. The disease spreads not only via the sexual route, it may also spread through skin to skin contact, sharing personal objects like razors, towels and other clothing. IV drug abusers may also contract the disease when there is sharing of needles and syringes; this method is fairly common in teenagers who use recreational drugs.

When a STD occurs there are different signs and symptoms produced in both the genders, if these symptoms are seen in any individual, the person should report to a hospital immediately to get tested for diseases. The clinician will run certain diagnostic procedures to check for any kind of sexually transmitted infections.

The signs and symptoms that help to know if you have an STD

Symptoms Seen In Men

There is pain (mild to moderate) when a person voids urine (Micturition). This is many times the first symptom that comes to notice and may also be the only symptom. This is regularly seen in patients suffering from gonorrhea, chlamydial infection and trichomoniasis.
Pain while engaging in coitus (pain may be present while ejaculating).
Genital manifestations: These include swelling, inflammation, redness, itching (seen in cases of scabies), rashes may also be present.

In all the genital manifestations if discharge is seen from the urethra, it usually is due to a sexually transmitted infection.

If sores, vesicles or blisters like structures are visible on the penis or around the genital region.

Presence of skin eruptions like warts on the skin.
Flu-like symptoms that have been present for a long duration.
Chronic sore throat (Chronic pharyngitis). Seen in cases of gonorrhea when the pathological agent disseminates to the pharynx.
Severe body ache and joint pain
Rectal and anal pain this may or may not be associated with bleeding.
Presence of blisters, rashes, sores in the anal region.

Symptoms Seen In Women

Symptoms in females are more complicated in females compared to males and if the disease is left untreated dreadful complications like infertility.

Pain while voiding urine. Sometimes burning sensation may also be present
Genital manifestations – These include, discharge which is seen in a fair amount of females who have an STD. Color and consistency differs in female to female, it may be thick or thin and whitish, cream or green in color.
Pelvic Pain – Pelvic region is quite painful and pain increases when a woman engages in sexual intercourse.
Presence of sores, vesicles, lesions, bumps on the vagina are indicative of an infection.

Sometimes all these may also be associated with rashes which is usually present near the groin region rarely on other body parts.

If flu-like symptoms persist for a long duration of time.
Sore throat which is not resolving even on taking medications.
There is pain in the joints.
PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)
Rectal and anal pain, this may or may not be associated with bleeding.
Presence of blisters, rashes, sores in the anal region.

These symptoms are not visible in all the cases of STD. Many times the person may be asymptomatic and the disease is diagnosed in later stages and thus, resolution takes much time in these cases. Especially, in women who are asymptomatic for STDs are at an increased risk for PID and Infertility.

So, a person who is sexually active or is in contact with a person who has been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease may look for these clinical features to know, if the person has an STD. One should keep in mind that the occurrence of these symptoms is just indicative not conclusive as for that various clinical tests have to performed by the physician to certify whether a person has an STD or not.

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How Do You Know When You Have An STD?