Sexually Transmitted Diseases can cause multiple symptoms that include body rashes, genital discharge, fever, and many more. It is crucial to detect and diagnose STDs in the very initial stages to avoid consequences. Body rashes can also take different forms depending on the type of STD you have acquired.
What are STDs?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases also known as STIs or STDs are the most stigmatized infections we have. People often hide away when they find out they have been diagnosed with an STD. However, that is highly controversial. More and more people are randomly having intimacy with unknown people and STD cases are through the roof. It is important to disclose your sexual history to your partner and get screened for STDs if you suspect having one.
These infections have one thing in common – they spread through sex. Be it anal, vaginal, or oral, all are still transmissible. It is estimated that we have more than a couple of dozen types of STDs. However, the symptoms can be different for most of them. Only a handful of 5 types of STDs are a major threat as they are spread widely. They include
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- HIV
- Herpes
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than a million cases are recorded each day across the globe and yet the actual number can be quite higher as most people do not report their symptoms or get diagnosed.
Symptoms of STDs
Signs of STDs can be difficult to differentiate and often the symptoms do not show up even after multiple days after the initial exposure. If you are sexually active, having intimacy more often with multiple numbers of partners, then it can be quite tricky to find who was the actual spreader. As the symptoms can also take several weeks, this is the most common reason for the STDs to be widespread as the active individuals keep on spreading the diseases even without knowing they have got infected with an STD.
Following are the most common symptoms and signs of STDs in men and women:-
Symptoms in women
- Unusual vaginal discharge
- Pain during urination
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
Symptoms in men
- Thick penile discharge
- Burning sensation while urinating
- Swelling and pain in the testicles
- Itching in the anus
- Irritation in the penis
- Painful bowel movements
Common symptoms
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Headache
- Pain in the joints
- Jaundice
- Diarrhea
- Cough
- Unusual night sweat
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
What STDs cause body rashes?
As we mentioned before, the STD symptoms can vary depending on your symptoms. Body rashes are caused by following by the following three types of STDs –
- Syphilis
- Genital Herpes
- HIV
All of the above STDs cause symptoms by different causing agents and the symptoms progress in multiple stages, especially for syphilis and HIV.
Syphilis and body rash
Syphilis is caused by a pathogen called “Treponema Pallidum” bacteria that causes severe complications in the long run if not treated in its initial phases. Unlike other STDs, Syphilis bacteria manipulate slowly and cause three phases as it progresses steadily. The phases are named primary, secondary and tertiary phases.
In the primary symptoms, the bacteria is inside you but do not typically show any symptoms and may show a mild symptom of flu-like signs such as fever. But they can disappear without any treatment, however, the bacteria is still inside and slowly manipulating leading to the secondary stage. It is during this stage of syphilis, skin rash on the body, especially on the genitals and mouth starts to appear. Sores of syphilis is also known as a chancre and you can get one on your genitals if you have come in contact with your partner’s chance. Syphilis rashes are not itchy or painful.
As the disease progresses and becomes severe, syphilis symptoms may include:
- Rash marked by red or reddish-brown, including your palms and soles
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Soreness and aching
In the final stage, where most people tend to notice the symptoms as the signs do not show up early, the following are the symptoms to keep an eye on –
- Numbness
- Paralysis
- Blindness
- Dementia
- Lack of coordination
Syphilis can not only cause body rashes, but it can also lead to severe health complications focused on the neural system and can leave devastating irreversible impacts. Thus, it is highly recommended to get tested for Syphilis at the very earliest if you experience any of the above symptoms.
Genital herpes and body rashes
Genital herpes is a highly common STD that is caused by Herpes Simplex Virus. This is one of the incurable STDs and is also widespread. Unlike Syphilis, genital herpes can cause itching, pain, and skin rash in your genital area.
Genital herpes rashes on the body can typically be seen on the following:
- Penis
- Vulva
- Scrotum
- Anus
- Buttocks and thighs
- Urethra
Besides, the above symptoms, here are a few more signs of herpes that you need to keep an eye on.
HIV and body rashes
HIV is a very commonly known STD. This is also one of the fiercest and incurable STDs to date. Generally, HIV doesn’t cause body rashes, but the nature of the infection is very complex as the virus attacks the white blood cells which are crucial for immunity, thus tweaking your immune system causing infections to occur easily. Body rashes are a common sign along with fever and other flu-like normal symptoms that can be caught easily as the HIV virus has damaged your WBCs. Here are more signs and symptoms of HIV.
Can these STDs be treated?
STDs are more complex than any other infection. These diseases have multiple causing agents and diagnoses can be difficult for the virus-based ones. If you have body rash and other STD symptoms, seek for quick diagnosis, so that your situation can be assessed and addressed correctly. STDs that are caused by bacteria such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea can be cured with the help of antibiotics that can help cure the symptoms completely.
What happens if STD symptoms are left untreated?
Leaving STD symptoms like body rash untreated may lead to severe consequences in the long run. Women can face PID, which is a Pelvic Inflammatory Disease that damages the female reproductive system. Both men and women who have untreated STD can suffer from Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and infertility if left for a long time. Some STDs can open up the doors to getting infected by other STDs like untreated Chlamydia can lead to HIV/AIDS which can further lead to other health diseases like cancer or tuberculosis.