Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can pose a serious threat to your sexual health, not to mention your overall wellbeing. But how do you know if an STI has affected your wellness? The Mayo Clinic warns, ‘You could have an STI and be asymptomatic — without any signs or symptoms. In fact, this happens with a lot of STIs. Even though you have no symptoms, you’re still at risk of passing the infection along to your sex partners. That’s why it’s important to use protection, such as a condom, during sex. And visit your doctor on a regular basis for STI screening, so you can identify a potential infection and get treated for it before passing it along to someone else.’ However, some STIs do appear with certain symptoms. So what do you watch out for?
1. Chlamydia: According to the Mayo Clinic, ‘Chlamydia is a bacterial infection of your genital tract. Chlamydia may be difficult for you to detect because early-stage infections often cause few or no signs and symptoms. When they do occur, they usually start one to three weeks after you’ve been exposed to chlamydia. Even when signs and symptoms do occur, they’re often mild and passing, making them easy to overlook.’ The signs and symptoms of chlamydia include:
- Painful urination
- Lower abdominal pain
- Vaginal discharge in women
- Discharge from the penis in men
- Pain during sexual intercourse in women
- Testicular pain in men
2. Gonorrhoea: ‘Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection of your genital tract,’ the Mayo Clinic explains. ‘The first gonorrhoea symptoms generally appear within two to 10 days after exposure. However, some people may be infected for months before signs or symptoms occur.’ You may have developed gonorrhoea if you experience:
- Thick, cloudy or bloody discharge from the penis or vagina
- Pain or burning sensation when urinating
- Abnormal menstrual bleeding
- Painful, swollen testicles
- Painful bowel movements
- Anal itching
3. Trichomoniasis: The Mayo Clinic details, ‘Trichomoniasis is a common STI caused by a microscopic, one-celled parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. This organism spreads during sexual intercourse with someone who already has the infection. The organism usually infects the urinary tract in men, but often causes no symptoms in men. Trichomoniasis typically infects the vagina in women. When trichomoniasis causes symptoms, they may range from mild irritation to severe inflammation.’ Signs and symptoms may include:
- Clear, white, greenish or yellowish vaginal discharge
- Discharge from the penis
- Strong vaginal odour
- Vaginal itching or irritation
- Itching or irritation inside the penis
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Painful urination
4. HIV: ‘HIV is an infection with the human immunodeficiency virus,’ the Mayo Clinic notes. ‘HIV interferes with your body’s ability to effectively fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi that cause disease, and it can lead to AIDS, a chronic, life-threatening disease. When first infected with HIV, you may have no symptoms at all. Some people develop a flu-like illness, usually two to six weeks after being infected…These early signs and symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. During this period, you are very infectious.’ The early HIV signs and symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph glands
- Rash
- Fatigue
The Mayo Clinic points out, ‘More persistent or severe symptoms of HIV infection may not appear for 10 years or more after the initial infection. As the virus continues to multiply and destroy immune cells, you may develop mild infections or chronic signs and symptoms.’ These include:
- Swollen lymph nodes — often one of the first signs of HIV infection
- Diarrhoea
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Cough and shortness of breath
The signs and symptoms of later stage HIV infection include:
- Persistent, unexplained fatigue
- Soaking night sweats
- Shaking chills or fever higher than 100.4 F (38 C) for several weeks
- Swelling of lymph nodes for more than three months
- Chronic diarrhoea
- Persistent headaches
- Unusual, opportunistic infections
Comments are closed.