If you believe you may have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), we applaud you for being here. When you take charge of your sexual health and seek treatment if necessary, you’re not only taking care of yourself but also preventing the spread of STIs. 

One of our main goals is to help you know your status so that you can seek medical treatment should you need to. (That's why we offer a range of at-home comprehensive STI Test Kits!)

So today, we will be looking at the most common STIs—what they are and their various symptoms in men and women. We will also highlight the similarities and differences in STI symptomology in penis owners and vagina owners. In this article, we use “women” to mean people with a vagina and “men” to mean people with a penis. However, we recognise that not all women have a vagina, and not all men have a penis. 

 

Chlamydia 

 

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection passed on through unprotected sex (without a condom). It’s one of the most common STDs in the U.K., especially among sexually active teens and young adults. This is why the NHS recommends getting tested for chlamydia once a year if you’re having casual sex or have any new partners.

Chlamydia is a curable sexually transmitted infection; more than 95% of people will be cured with a simple course of antibiotics.

Symptoms of Chlamydia in Men

 

• Some cases may be asymptomatic 
• Urethral pain and burning
• White, cloudy, or watery discharge from the tip of the penis
• Pain or a burning sensation when urinating
• Testicular pain

Symptoms of Chlamydia in Women

 

• Most cases are asymptomatic
• An increase or change in vaginal discharge 
• Bleeding after sex and in between periods
• Pain in the lower abdomen 
• Pain or a burning sensation when urinating 
• Painful intercourse

Syphilis

 

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause significant health problems if not treated. It’s spread by direct contact with a syphilis sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It can also spread from a pregnant person to their unborn baby. 

Syphilis is an STD that develops in stages (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary), and each stage comes with different symptoms. 

If syphilis is treated in its early stages, it is unlikely to cause any long-term problems. However, if treated late, permanent and/or life-threatening problems may develop.

Symptoms of Syphilis in Men

 

• Stage 1 (primary phase): firm, round, and painless sores or ulcers around the penis, scrotum, anus, rectum, or mouth
• Stage 2 (secondary phase): rash, ulcers, fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, unexplained hair loss, headache, weight loss, muscle aches, fatigue 
• Stage 3: latent stage: asymptomatic
• Stage 4 (tertiary stage): damage to hearing and vision, muscle weakness, confusion, tinnitus, dizziness, symptoms associated with organ damage (depending on the organ)

Symptoms of Syphilis in Women

 

• Stage 1 (primary phase): firm, round, and painless sores or ulcers around the vagina, anus, rectum, or mouth
• Stage 2 (secondary phase): rash, ulcers, fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, unexplained hair loss, headache, weight loss, muscle aches, fatigue 
• Stage 3 (latent stage): asymptomatic 
• Stage 4 (tertiary stage): damage to hearing and vision, muscle weakness, confusion, tinnitus, dizziness, symptoms associated with organ damage (depending on the organ)

Gonorrhoea

 

Gonorrhoea is an STI caused by the bacteria Neisseria Gonorrhoea. This bacteria is usually found in discharge from the penis and in vaginal fluid. 

It can spread between partners through unprotected vaginal, oral, or anal sex and the sharing of sex toys (without them being covered with a new condom each time they’re used).

Gonorrhoea is a curable STD, and treatment is usually a single antibiotic injection or antibiotic tablet. 

Symptoms of Gonorrhoea in Men

 

• Unusual discharge (white, yellow, or green) from the tip of the penis 
• Burning or painful urination
• Swelling of the foreskin 
• Pain or tenderness in the testicles
• Discharge from the rectum

Symptoms of Gonorrhoea in Women

 

• Unusual discharge
• Burning or painful urination
• Pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen 
• Bleeding between periods 
• Bleeding during or after sex
• Discharge from the rectum

Trichomoniasis

 

Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease which often has no symptoms. In fact, up to half of those with trichomoniasis won’t develop any symptoms (yet can still spread the infection to others).

It’s caused by a parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis (a protozoan parasite), and is spread by direct sexual contact (without a condom).

Trichomoniasis is a curable STI and is usually treated with a course of antibiotics.

Symptoms of Trichomoniasis in Men

 

• Discharge from the penis (often white or yellow)
• Pain or discomfort when urinating 
• Soreness, swelling, and redness around the head of the penis or foreskin
• Needing to urinate more frequently than usual

 

Symptoms of Trichomoniasis in Women

 

• Abnormal discharge (can be thick, thin, frothy, or yellow-green)
• Unpleasant odour (often a fishy smell)
• Soreness, swelling, and redness around the vagina or vulva
• Pain during sex
• Pain or discomfort when urinating 
• Lower abdominal discomfort or pain

 

HPV

 

HPV stands for human papillomavirus—one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. There are over 100 types of HPV, some of which are known to cause genital warts. Some strains of HPV are associated with the development of cancers.

HPV is spread via vaginal, anal, or oral sex and can also be spread through close skin-to-skin contact (such as during sex).

Unfortunately, there is no cure for HPV, but usually, the infection is spontaneously cleared on its own. If it does not clear up, there are treatments for problems that may arise because of HPV, such as genital warts and cervical cancer. 

One can also take preventative measures against HPV by getting the 3-dose HPV vaccine.

 

Symptoms of HPV in Men

 

• Many cases of HPV are asymptomatic
• Genital warts on the shaft of the penis, scrotum, anus or around the groin
• Rarely, infections can lead to penile or anal cancer

Symptoms of HPV in Women

 

• Many cases of HPV are asymptomatic
• Genital warts in and around the vagina, vulva, cervix, anus or groin
• Rarely, infections can lead to cancer of the cervix, vagina or vulva.

Herpes

 

Herpes, more specially known as the herpes simplex virus (HSV), is a common STI of which there are two types:

Type 1 (HSV-1) is mostly spread by oral contact (such as kissing) and commonly causes infections around the mouth in the form of “cold sores”. HSV-1 can also cause genital herpes.

Type 2 (HSV-2) is more often spread by sexual contact and also causes genital herpes.

Herpes can also be spread through non-sexual behaviours such as touching an infected area or coming into contact with contaminated saliva. Herpes does not live for long outside of the body, which means you can’t get it from inanimate objects.

Herpes is incurable, but there are ways to prevent and manage outbreaks, such as antiviral medication and creams for pain.

Symptoms of Herpes in Men

 

• Tingling, itchy and/or painful sensations in the affected areas
• Small red bumps or blisters that often emit a clear or yellow liquid
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Flu-like symptoms such as fever and fatigue
• Pain or difficulty passing urine 
• Penile discharge

Symptoms of Herpes in Women

 

• Tingling, itchy and/or painful sensations in the affected areas
• Small red bumps or blisters that often emit a clear or yellow liquid
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Flu-like symptoms such as fever and fatigue
• Pain or difficulty passing urine 
• Penile discharge

HIV

 

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system. When HIV is not treated, it becomes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), which makes the body more susceptible to other infections and diseases.

HIV is spread in body fluids, such as blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal fluids. It can also be spread from mother to baby and when sharing needles with HIV-infected people.

HIV is an incurable infection but can be controlled with antiretroviral therapy (ART). This reduces the amount of HIV in your body, often leaving it undetectable and, therefore, unable to be transmitted to others, including to an unborn child.

Symptoms of HIV in Men

 

Primary HIV (occur within the first 6 weeks of contracting HIV)

• No symptoms
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Rash
• Feeling excessively tired
• Joint or muscle pains
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Ulcers around the mouth, genitals or anus
• Night sweats

Other symptoms of HIV infection include:

• Thrush infections of the mouth or genitals
• Weight loss
• Frequent infections, e.g. chest infections or herpes outbreaks
• Cough
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain
• Changes in sexual function, e.g. erectile dysfunction or low libido

Symptoms of HIV in Women

 

Primary HIV (occur within the first 6 weeks of contracting HIV)

• No symptoms
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Rash
• Feeling excessively tired
• Joint or muscle pains
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Ulcers around the mouth, genitals or anus
• Night sweats

Other symptoms of HIV infection include:

• Thrush infections of the mouth or genitals
• Weight loss
• Frequent infections, e.g. chest infections or herpes outbreaks
• Cough
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain
• Changes in sexual function, e.g. low libido
• Changes to periods (e.g. irregular periods)
• Fertility problems

Summary of STI Symptoms in Men vs Women

 

Many STIs have similar or the same symptoms in both men and women; however, there are some key differences:

• Women are less likely to have symptoms than men - for example, chlamydia infection is asymptomatic in up to 70% of women!
• Men are more likely to notice symptoms such as discharge, whereas, in vagina owners, an unusual discharge may be mistaken for a normal vaginal discharge.
• Men are more likely to notice skin changes, such as ulcers and warts, as the penis is more readily visible than the vulva.
• Changes inside the vagina, such as ulcers or warts, may not be able to be visualised by women. 
• Unusual discharge in women is often assumed to be, e.g. a thrush infection, which women often self-treat with over-the-counter remedies.
• Women are more likely than men to experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, as their reproductive tract extends into the pelvis, unlike men. 
• Women attend more healthcare appointments than men, for example, for smear tests or contraceptives, where they may be offered STI screening, so asymptomatic infections may be picked up more readily. 

So it’s good to be up to speed on STI symptoms and the subtle differences between men and women. If you are worried about STI symptoms, we recommend seeing a healthcare professional. If you just want to check your status, we offer a range of at-home STI Test Kits!)