If you are sexually active and are experiencing some form of discomfort, including symptoms that point towards flu, do not be so quick to brush it under the rug as a lot of Sexually Transmitted Diseases can have symptoms that mimic those of the flu. If you are experiencing symptoms like a fever or a sore throat or body aches, these symptoms could point to some serious issues that you unknowingly might be dealing with in the form of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Therefore it gets all the more important to not ignore these signs and see a health care provider as soon as possible. Ignoring these signs now could later give birth to something very serious, and so it is better if you take care of it while you can.
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Shady Symptoms of a Sexually Transmitted Disease
The below symptoms do not always mean that someone has a Sexually Transmitted Disease, but sometimes they can be a sign of an STD that has moved to the next stage. Many of the symptoms experienced point towards a viral infection or the ones that are associated with Gonorrhea and Chlamydia.
These types of Sexually Transmitted Diseases might not show any symptoms initially, but when they do, it is better to get yourself checked immediately. No matter how insignificant the symptoms might look like it is always a better idea to get yourself tested for any possible serious issues as it is much easier to cure and manage the disease if it is caught earlier.
Symptoms Associated With Cold like Vomiting, Fatigue, Fever, etc.
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Vomiting
Vomiting can be a sign of Hepatitis A, Hepatitis C, HIV, and syphilis. Do not ignore it as if you do, and you run the risk of helping the pathogen to progress and spread more aggressively through your body.
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Headaches
HIV, Syphilis, and Herpes are notorious for causing headaches. A lot of people consider headaches nothing more than an inconvenience; popping an Aspirin might give you some relief, but continuous headaches may be a sign of something serious, like a Sexually Transmitted Disease.
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Fatigue
In the later stages of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, people often complain about being extremely tired. Along with these infections, fatigue can also be caused by Hepatitis A, B, or C. Associating fatigue with having a busy lifestyle is not a good idea as it can be a symptom of a Sexually Transmitted Disease. The best thing to do in this case is to get yourself checked.
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Fever
Fever happens when the body is trying to battle an infection, it is most commonly seen as a sign of the seasonal flu, but fever can also be a sign of a Sexually Transmitted Diseases like Herpes, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, HIV, etc.
Pain in the Abdominal Area Along with Joint and Lower Back Pain
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Pain in the Abdominal Area
Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, if left to progress, can infect the pelvis area and cause PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. If the condition is not taken care of early, it can cause infertility, ectopic pregnancy, pain in the pelvic area and can even infect the ovaries or the fallopian tubes and result in a tubo-ovarian abscess. Pain in the abdominal area is more pronounced when infections like Gonorrhea and Chlamydia have progressed to a later stage.
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Joint pain
Experiencing pain in joints can be a sign that a person has infections like HIV, Hepatitis B, or syphilis that have progressed. Joint pain caused by infections like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea is known as Venereal Arthritis or Gonococcal Arthritis. This type of arthritis is caused when the infection is not nipped in the bud. As it progresses in the body, it attacks the joints. If it is not taken care of on time, it can lead to other serious complications like complete deformity, permanent damage to the joints, joint inflammation, and very painful joints.
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Lower Back Pain
Experiencing pain in the lower back can mean that you are suffering from Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, or Herpes Prodrome. Herpes Prodrome is characterized by extreme bodily pain, indicating that a person is about to have a herpes outbreak. The pain usually occurs in the thighs, knees, feet, or the lower back. During Herpes Prodrome, even if a person is not showing any symptoms, he or she is still capable of giving it to someone else. It is the time when a person is most likely to spread it to someone else.
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Inflamed Testicles, Sore Throat or Inflamed Lymph Nodes
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Inflamed Testicles
Also known as Orchitis, it is mainly experienced due to infections like Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Syphilis. The transmission of bacteria causes it through the bloodstream. Orchitis is characterized by extreme pain and discomfort in either of the two testicles, along with them turning red or purple in color. Additionally, they might feel a bit heavy, and there might also be traces of blood in the seminal fluid.
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Sore Throat
A Sore Throat might mean that a person is suffering from Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Herpes, or Chlamydia. Almost all of these infections lead to developing throat infections after engaging in Oral sex. Most people take sore throats very lightly, which is exactly the opposite of what you should do. If someone is having a sore throat that does not go away along with difficulty in swallowing, they should immediately see a doctor.
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Infection Of The Eye
Sexually transmitted diseases like Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia have a very bad reputation for causing eye infections. It can happen either directly or indirectly. Directly, by coming into direct contact with the STD source and indirectly, by getting the Sexually Transmitted Infection on your fingers or hands and then touching your eyes or the face. Eye infections, if they are not treated on time, can lead to other serious conditions and might cause blindness, both permanent and partial, along with developing conjunctivitis.
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Rash On The Body
If you develop a rash after engaging in unprotected sex with someone, you should get yourself checked as it can be a sign of a Sexually Transmitted Disease. Sexually Transmitted Diseases like HIV and Syphilis can cause the development of rashes on your body.
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Painful Bowel Movements Along With Diarrhea
Suffering from Diarrhea is mostly associated with having eaten something that the body could not digest. However, Diarrhea, along with Painful Bowel Movements, can also be caused by Sexually transmitted Diseases like Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HIV, and Herpes.
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Lymph Nodes That Are Inflamed
Infections like Herpes, Chlamydia, HIV, Syphilis, and Gonorrhea can cause lymph nodes to swell.
Some very common symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Diseases that you should not ignore:
Below are some of the symptoms that are almost always immediately associated with having a Sexually Transmitted Disease. If anyone is experiencing any one or a combination of these symptoms along with the less common ones, they should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
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Bleeding Between Periods and Unusual Discharge
Sexually transmitted diseases like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, when they progress to a later stage, cause women to experience bleeding or spotting in between their periods. If this is ignored, it can cause infections of the uterus along with developing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or PID.
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Noticing Unusual Discharge
If you notice an abnormal and unusual discharge coming from your vagina, rectum, or the penis, you should get yourself checked as it can be a sign of a Sexually Transmitted Disease. Having an unusual discharge can be a sign of Trichomoniasis, Bacterial Vaginosis, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea.
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The appearance of Bumps, Warts, Sores, and Lesions
If you are experiencing the appearance of warts, lesions, sores, and bumps in and around your private parts, you should see a doctor without any delay. Bumps, warts, and lesions can be a symptom of a lot of Sexually transmitted diseases like HPV, HIV, Syphilis, and Herpes. Whether they cause pain or not, you should not brush these under the rug and should immediately get checked.
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Pain During Urination and Frequent Urination
Infections like Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomoniasis, and Urinary Tract Infections cause you to feel the need to go to the bathroom frequently or cause you to experience pain while urinating. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is best to not ignore these as it needs immediate medical attention.
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Itching
Experiencing itching around your genitals can be a sign of genital warts, Chlamydia, Trichomoniasis, Gonorrhea, Herpes, or Pubic Lice. Again ignoring these signs will only lead to serious complications and so consulting a doctor early should be your immediate move.
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Pain during sex
Having sex should not be painful. If you are experiencing pain while engaging in sex, it could mean that you have Sexually Transmitted diseases like Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, or Chlamydia. Getting tested is your only option to ascertain if you really have a Sexually Transmitted Disease or not.
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The Bottom Line
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, most of them do not cause any signs or symptoms and so ignoring the early signs that look like the ones associated with the seasonal flu can prove to be very dangerous in the long run. In order to protect yourself along with your partner, it is imperative to not ignore these early signs and get yourself and your partner checked by a doctor.
Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov
- National Center for Biotechnology Information : ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:
