Understanding Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD): A Guidebook to Better Sexual Health (Women) by Dr Tan and Partners - HTML preview

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The Signs & Symptoms of STI

Many STDs can infect you and yet show no symptoms. Or they may stay in your body for months to years before they show any symptoms.

You cannot determine that your partner has no STDs just because he or she also has no symptoms. If you have been infected with an STD and show no symptoms you can still pass it on to your partner.

Chlamydia

This is the commonest STD in Singapore. Unfortunately, 40% to 60% of people do not show any symptoms. Even when symptoms do appear, they are often mild and disappear quickly. The common symptoms are pain passing urine, abnormal discharge from the vagina.

Gonorrhea

The symptoms can occur as early as 2 days after exposure but in some women it might take months to show symptoms. In 10% of women there are no symptoms at all. The common symptoms are pain passing urine and a discharge from the vagina.

NSU

It very commonly causes no symptoms at all. The common symptoms are mild discomfort passing urine or a mild discharge.

Herpes

It can infect a women for years without showing any symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms are so mild they go unnoticed. For people who do get symptoms, the first time is the worst.

The common symptoms are painful blisters that burst to form painful ulcers. This is usually preceded by a flu-like illness, itching, tingling and pain in the genital area. The first episode is usually very painful and can last up to 3 weeks without treatment.

Hepatitis A, B and C

Some people never develop any symptoms. Or the symptoms are so mild that they go unnoticed. The common symptoms are nausea, loss of appetite, fever, itching, yellowing of the skin or eyes. Smokers sometimes lose their urge to smoke.

Syphilis

Its symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed.

The first sign occurs between 9 to 90 days after exposure. It is a painless ulcer where the Syphilis entered the body. It can be on the vagina, rectum, tongue or lips. The ulcer disappears without any treatment which gives patients a false sense of security.

Years later it will surface again as a rash all over the body and fever. If at the time it is still not treated it will affect the brain and major blood vessels of the body causing severe illnesses.

Molluscum Contagiosum

It commonly appears as discrete pearly round lesions on the skin. They are completely painless but might be itchy.

HPV

It commonly appears as skin colored cauliflower like lumps on the skin.

Scabies and Lice

It commonly causes a lot of itching especially at night. Under good lighting and magnification you can actually catch the Scabies which look like translucent tiny insects.

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