How to Tell if You Have a Sexually Transmitted Disease
By Elizabeth Boskey, Ph.D., About.com Guide
- Sexually Transmitted Disease FAQs
- STD Basics
- Bumps, Sores, and Other Disturbing Signs
- Testing, Testing, STDs
Sexually Transmitted Disease FAQs
Need a quick answer to a question about a sexually transmitted disease? You're in the right place! Here you can find answers to all your most pressing questions about STDs. Find out about risk factors, symptoms, treatment, prevention, and more. It's all right here!
- Sexually Transmitted Disease FAQ
- Viral STD (Herpes, HPV, HIV, Hepatitis) FAQ
- Common Non-Viral STD (Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, etc.) FAQ
- Rare STD (Chancroid, Lymphgranuloma Venerum, MRSA, etc.) FAQ
STD Basics
What is a sexually transmitted disease? How do you get an STD, and how can you find out if you've been infected? Information is a powerful tool in understanding your health and protecting it.
- Do I Have an STD?
- The Most Common Sexually Transmitted Diseases That Should Be on Your Radar
- Major Risk Factors For Acquiring a Sexually Transmitted Disease
- Common Misconceptions About Safer Sex and STDs
- Why Are STDs Socially Stigmatized?
- How Does the Guide Decide What Information Is Good Enough to Share?
- Calculating Your STD Risk Profile
- How Douching Increases Your Risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Does Circumcision Reduce The Risk of HIV?
- Why Young Women are at Increased Risk of Cervical Infection
- The Difference Between Sexually Transmitted and Sexually Associated Diseases
- How Infection With Other STDs Puts You At Increased Risk of Getting HIV
Bumps, Sores, and Other Disturbing Signs
What is that mark that has just appeared on your genitals? Is it a pimple or is it a sexually transmitted disease? Sometimes it's hard to tell what's normal and what you need to be concerned about. The symptoms of STDs are incredibly varied, and not everyone with the same infection will have the same signs. Remember though, that although the articles below will provide you with some useful information, the only way you can find out if something is wrong is to go to a health-care provider.
- The Symptoms of Some Common Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- STD Symptoms - In Pictures
- How Long It Takes Before STD Symptoms Appear
- Symptom Checker
- Cold Sores, Canker Sores, & Chancre : Explaining the Difference
- What Causes Vaginal Itching?
- Diagnosing Vaginal Discharge
Testing, Testing, STDs
There's no way to know you have an STD without getting tested. How do you know when to get tested, and what do you need to be tested for? It varies person by person and disease by disease, but here are some guidelines to get you started.
- Where can I find STD testing?
- Share Your STD Testing Stories!
- Top 10 Reasons Your Doctor May Not Want To Test You For STDs
- But Doesn't My Doctor ALWAYS Test Me for STDs?
- Users Discuss: Doctors Attitudes About Sex
- STD Testing Overview
- How to Talk About STD Testing
- Everything You Need to Know About HIV Testing: Including Where To Find A Test
- STD Screening Guidelines: When To Get Tested
- How Long Should I Wait Before STD Testing?
- Possible Consequences of Not Getting an STD Test
- Urine Testing for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia
- STDs Detectable by Blood Test
- How Accurate is the Herpes Blood Test?
- How Long Before a Herpes Test Turns Positive?
- The Difference Between Herpes IgG and IgM Tests
- Universal HIV Testing
- Planned Parenthood : An Excellent Resource for STD Testing
Pap Smear - Testing for Genital Cancers
It was shocking for most people to learn that many genital cancers - including rectal cancer, cervical cancer, and penile cancer - are usually caused by an STD. Fortunately, there are tests that can catch these cancers, and pre-cancerous changes, early.
- Understanding Pap Smear Guidelines
- Abnormal Pap Smear Results
- Do Pap Smears Test For STDs?
- Does a Positive HPV Test Mean I'll Get Cervical Cancer?
- Taking The LEEP?
- The Anal Pap Test: Who, What, When, & Why
- Cervical Cancer Screening: Do I Need a Pap Smear or an HPV Test?
- What It's Like Getting a Pap Smear
- What It's Like Getting a Pap Smear : User Stories
- Should Pap Smears Be Linked to Oral Contraceptives?
- Pap Smears and Contraception : User Stories
Asymptomatic STDs: The Hidden Epidemic
Perhaps you've heard someone say, "I don't need to get tested for STDs. I'd know if I had one." Perhaps that someone was you. Unfortunately, it simply isn't true -- the vast majority of people with sexually transmitted diseases never know they have them until it's too late. What is too late? It varies for different people. Too late could be when you try to have a child and discover that untreated chlamydia has rendered you infertile, or it could simply be hearing that you've passed on a disease to someone you love.
- No Symptoms Doesn't Mean No Worries
- STD Pictures - Why They Aren't Used for Diagnosis
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Female Infertility
- The Long Term Side Effects of Untreated Chlamydia
- Contact Tracing: A Method For Finding People with Asymptomatic STDs
- Understanding Asymptomatic Shedding
Testing Issues
Sometimes test results are difficult to understand. How can one test tell you that you have a disease when another says that you don't? Not all diagnostic tests are perfect. These articles will help you understand your results when they seem not to make any sense at all.
