Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases can develop within a few days or weeks, but sometimes they do not appear until months or even years later.
Chlamydia
To illustrate, symptoms of chlamydia usually appear after 1 to 3 weeks but can start much later.
Symptoms of Chlamydia
- Discharge from the vagina or penis,
- Pain when passing urine
- Vaginal bleeding (between periods or after sex),
- Lower abdominal pain in women and testicular pain in men.
Unfortunately, about 50% of men and 70% of women who are infected do not have any symptoms.
Genital Herpes
Another example is that of genital herpes, where the symptoms can appear after 4 to 7 days but might not start until months or years later.
Symptoms of Genital Herpes
- Small, painful blisters around the genitals
- Pain when passing urine,
- A tingling, or itching around the genitals.
Most people do not have any symptoms when first infected.
For many individuals, it can be quite anxiety-provoking as it is hard to tell if the symptoms of STD would ever appear. There is a lot of uncertainty. The tests for STD are accurate but there is a point in repeating the tests some time down the road. It will be good to see a doctor regularly so that he can monitor your condition for you. Many patients develop health anxiety disorder following their fears of contracting STD. You may also find it useful to seek counseling and advice from a mental health professional. The body and the mind are inter-connected; it is important to treat both the body and the mind.
