Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in men and women: How do they differ and how to recognize the subtle signals the body sends?

The number of people with sexually transmitted diseases in Slovakia is growing - treatment is most successful when detected early

The number of people infected with sexually transmitted diseases is increasing in Slovakia. In 2021, the NCZI recorded 294 cases of syphilis, which represented a year-on-year increase of 76% compared to 2020 (167 patients) (2). In 2022, 443 people were already infected, i.e. 50.7% more than in 2021 – this is one of the highest values ​​monitored since 2004 (3). As for gonorrhea, it was recorded in 414 cases in 2022, which was only a slight decrease compared to 424 patients in 2021 (4). In 2022, Slovak laboratories recorded 1,252 cases of other, mainly sexually transmitted diseases, of which 1,067 cases were chlamydia infections, which, together with syphilis and gonorrhea, is the most common sexually transmitted disease (4).

The success of treatment depends on early detection of the disease, so it is important to detect the essential symptoms at an early stage, i.e. before they have time to develop in full force. Read what silent signals your infected body is sending you and when it is time to pay attention. If you notice any of the following symptoms, do not hesitate to get tested using our EXPERT package, which helps detect genital herpes, HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis B and C.

Symptoms of Genital Herpes

Most infected people have no symptoms or only very mild ones, but they can still spread the virus. The symptoms are the same in both men and women, the only difference is in the location. Possible symptoms include:

In men:

• Painful blisters on the penis, scrotum, anus, thighs, or buttocks.
• Painful ulcers that develop after the blisters burst.
• Pain when urinating (especially if the blisters are in the urethra).
• Itching, burning, or pain where the blisters later appear.
• Swollen groin glands.
• General fatigue, fever, and muscle aches during the initial infection (5) (6).

With repeated exposure, symptoms tend to be milder and last for a shorter period. Some men experience psychological discomfort and anxiety due to stigmatization.

In women:

• Blisters and sores on the labia, vagina, cervix, inner thighs, or anus.
• Severe pain when urinating (especially when the area is near the urethra).
• Vaginal discharge, swelling, and redness.
• Itching, burning, and pain where the blisters later appear.
• Swollen groin glands.
• Generalized fatigue, fever, and muscle aches during the initial infection (5) (6).

Genital herpes cannot be completely cured because the virus remains in the body in a latent (inactive) form and can reactivate at any time. Treatment is aimed at controlling symptoms and shortening the duration of the outbreak with antiviral medications (7) (8).

HIV Symptoms

In the article on HIV symptoms, we described 4 stages of HIV infection, the last of which is AIDS. In the acute phase (in both men and women), flu-like symptoms appear that can easily go unnoticed. These include:

• fever,
• muscle and joint pain,
• cough,
• rash,
• swollen lymph nodes,
• diarrhea,
• night sweats,
• fatigue,
• painful mouth ulcers,

i.e. symptoms accompanying the fight of a healthy immune system with a large amount of virus. The continuous destruction of immune cells can cause some more serious symptoms even in the so-called chronic phase, which is usually asymptomatic. In particular, pneumonia, shingles, yeast infection in the mouth (thrush) and weight loss appear. Typical symptoms of the fourth stage (= AIDS) include:

• extreme sweating,
• chills,
• persistently recurring fever,
• persistent diarrhea,
• swollen lymph nodes,
• white patches or lesions on the tongue and in the mouth,
• fatigue and weakness,
• rapid weight loss,
• painful skin rash.

Although AIDS itself cannot be cured, modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) can effectively suppress the multiplication of the HIV virus, restore immune function, and significantly prolong life after the onset of the disease. Early diagnosis and lifelong treatment are important (9).

Symptoms of Chlamydia

Chlamydia infection is asymptomatic in most infected people, as is the case with many sexually transmitted diseases. Symptoms, when they do appear, are similar in both men and women, and result from genital involvement. They include:

In women:

• vaginal discharge,
• bleeding between periods,
• bleeding after intercourse,
• lower abdominal pain,
• pain or burning when urinating,
• pain during sex.

In men:

• pus or watery/milky discharge from the penis,
• pain and burning in the penis area,
• swollen and tender testicles.

Common symptoms of non-genital involvement, resulting from contact with semen or vaginal fluid, include:

• anal pain, discharge, and/or bleeding,
• eye redness, discharge, pain,
• sore throat.

Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. Treatment is usually quick and effective if the infection is caught early – untreated people are at risk of serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility (especially in women) and ectopic pregnancy, and inflammation of the testicles in men (10) (11).

Symptoms of gonorrhea

Gonorrhea primarily affects the mucous membranes of the urethra, female genitals, anus, pharynx, and in some people, the conjunctiva of the eyes. Many infected people – especially women – have no obvious symptoms, but they can still spread the infection. When symptoms do appear, they appear about 2 to 14 days after infection in men and about 10 days after infection in women (12).

In men:

• cutting and burning when urinating,
• purulent discharge from the penis (whitish, yellowish, or greenish),
• redness and swelling of the urethral opening,
• pain or swelling of the testicles (epididymitis) (13) (14).

In women:

• vaginal discharge (yellowish and foul-smelling),
• burning or pain when urinating,
• bleeding between periods or after intercourse,
• pain in the lower abdomen or during intercourse.

Gonorrhea is treated with antibiotics, but in recent years the emergence of antibiotic resistance has become an increasing problem. In uncomplicated infections, treatment is usually quick and effective - symptoms usually disappear within a few days. However, it is essential that the sexual partner is also treated, otherwise there is a risk of reinfection. After treatment, it is recommended to abstain from sexual intercourse for at least 7 days and have a follow-up test (13) (14) (15).

Symptoms of Syphilis

In the article about syphilis, you can read that experts recognize four stages of the disease (primary, secondary, latent and tertiary), each of which is characterized by different specific symptoms. These are similar in both men and women.

Symptoms in the primary stage include:

• a small round rash - a hard boil (genital area, tongue or anus),
• painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits.

Symptoms in the secondary stage include:

• a rash all over the body, including the palms and soles,
• raised blisters filled with fluid,
• fever,
• sore throat,
• muscle pain and fatigue.

In the latent stage:

Both primary and secondary symptoms disappear, but the bacteria survive in the body and continue to multiply.

Symptoms in the tertiary stage include:

• blindness,
• deafness,
• mental health disorders,
• memory loss,
• soft tissue and bone destruction,
• heart and aorta damage,
• neurosyphilis, which is an infection of the brain or spinal cord.

Syphilis is treated with antibiotics. Early treatment is highly effective – the sooner the infection is caught, the lower the risk of permanent consequences such as damage to the heart, brain or nervous system (16).

Symptoms of acute hepatitis B

Some people who are infected have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. However, it can sometimes progress to a more serious illness that requires hospitalization. Symptoms, if they occur, include:

In both men and women:

• fatigue and weakness,
• joint and muscle pain,
• loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting,
• pain in the right lower rib cage (liver area),
• dark urine and light stools,
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) (17) (18).

No specific antiviral drugs are given for acute hepatitis B – the body usually copes with the infection on its own. Treatment is supportive (rest, hydration, nutrition) and long-term (requires regular monitoring of liver function). In some sick people, it can progress to chronic infection, especially in children. It is difficult to completely cure chronic infection, but the goal is to prevent the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer (19).

Symptoms of Hepatitis C

In both men and women:

Acute hepatitis C (within 6 months of infection) is usually asymptomatic. When symptoms are present in the acute phase, they usually include:

• fatigue, joint and muscle pain,
• nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss,
• jaundice,
• fever,
• pain in the right lower quadrant (liver involvement),
• dark urine, light-colored stools (20) (21).

Acute hepatitis C can progress to chronic hepatitis C in some patients. Unlike hepatitis B, hepatitis C can be completely cured in most patients. The earlier the infection is detected, the lower the risk of permanent liver damage. Therefore, early diagnosis is crucial (22) (23).