Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are on the rise in the United States. The 2022 STD Surveillance Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reflected that cases of two common STDs, chlamydia and syphilis, have skyrocketed.
These statistics — and the fact that an untreated STD can cause serious illness — are why it’s critical to familiarize yourself with STD symptoms so you can seek care as early as possible.
Nu Wave Medical Center offers STD testing and treatment, and Dr. Gurprit Sekhon’s attention and care are unequaled. She’s dedicated to educating patients about their STD risk, prevention, the importance of getting tested, and more.
Many STDs produce symptoms that can be seen and felt. Here are five red flags to watch for.
STDs can cause different types of genital pain, but all need to be given attention.
Herpes causes painful sores in your genital area, while trichomoniasis can cause women to experience pain while urinating or having sex. Chlamydia can also lead to pain for women when they urinate, and men might feel a burning sensation when they urinate, as well as swelling of the scrotum. Gonorrhea causes genital pain in both men and women.
Though itching isn’t pain exactly, repeated scratching can irritate the genitals, and both trichomoniasis and herpes cause itching in men and women. Women may also suffer from vaginal itchiness if they’re living with chlamydia.
Though HIV can take years to cause noticeable symptoms, people coping with the condition may suffer from painful swollen lymph nodes.
Syphilis can lead to headaches and joint pain in men and women, and herpes is associated with body aches. Sore throat is a symptom of both chlamydia and gonorrhea, and chlamydia can cause lower abdominal pain for women.
You can also see STD symptoms on your skin. With herpes, in addition to painful genital sores, infectious blisters can form in the vaginal area, on the penis, around the anus, and on the mouth.
Body rashes, and a rash on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, can point to syphilis.
Other STDs that cause rashes are herpes, HIV, gonorrhea, and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Some STDs, such as gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HIV, and hepatitis B, cause flu-like symptoms, including fever and fatigue.
Syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV can also cause vomiting and diarrhea.
If you notice any genital discharge, it may be caused by an STD. Women affected by gonorrhea can experience white, yellow, green, or bloody vaginal discharge, and men may notice a thick yellow discharge from their penis.
Chlamydia causes a milky discharge from the penis and yellow vaginal discharge in women. A trichomoniasis symptom in men is penile discharge, and women produce an odoriferous, thick, yellow-green frothy vaginal discharge.
Many people may be living with an STD and have no idea. Being asymptomatic is particularly worrisome because those affected don’t seek testing or treatment and put their partners at risk for contracting an STD.
The statistics are sobering. For people affected by chlamydia, 75% of women and 50% of men show no symptoms. With gonorrhea, 10% of men and 50% of women don’t experience symptoms.
No wonder why an alarming 20 million people are being diagnosed with STDs each year.
A conversation about your sexual health is standard practice when you get your yearly wellness exam at Nu Wave Medical Center, and Dr. Sekhon prioritizes education about safe sex, prevention, and testing for all her patients.
STD testing at Nu Wave is quick and comfortable, and our on-site lab allows you to get your results quickly.
If your STD test comes back positive, Dr. Sekhon talks to you about how best to treat it. Some STDs are curable, and for the ones that aren’t, such as HIV, there are treatments that Dr. Sekhon can recommend that manage them effectively.
Getting treated for an STD early is vital, because the longer you go untreated, the higher your risk for serious complications like infertility, certain cancers, or dementia.
Schedule an appointment to get tested for STDs by calling our conveniently located Panama City Beach office at 850-493-6948.
