Ladies Beware: Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Girls / women

Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Girls / women

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are incredibly common. Every year, more than 19 million new infections occur in the United States, according to the Office on Women’s Health. Even more people remain undiagnosed. So many people have STDs without knowing it that
scientists refer to these diseases as “the hidden epidemic.”

One of the reasons many people don’t know they are infected is that many STDs do not have any symptoms. 

Most STDs don’t produce symptoms or, if they do, result in vague or generic flu-like symptoms that could be the result of many different conditions. It can be difficult to determine the cause of symptoms due to an STD without getting tested. Women are more likely than men to suffer symptoms such as bumps, itching, or burning urination due to a sexually transmitted disease/infection, especially in the genital region. Without those first noticeable signs of an STD, infections often go unnoticed and untreated, which can cause long-lasting or even irreversible effects if left untreated.

Common STD symptoms in women:

• No symptoms
• Discharge (thick or thin, milky white, yellow, or green leakage from the vagina)
• Vaginal itching
• Vaginal blisters or blisters in the genital area (the region covered by underwear)
• Vaginal rash or rash in the genital area
• Burning urination
• Painful urination
• Pain during intercourse

Less common STD symptoms in women:

• Bleeding or spotting between menstrual cycles
• Painless ulcers on the vagina
• Pelvic pain
• Lower back pain
• Fever
• Nausea
• Sore throat (after oral sex)
• Swelling of the joints (knee, elbow, etc.)
• Rectal pain, bleeding, or discharge (after receiving anal sex)

When symptoms do occur, they typically appear within days or weeks of exposure to an STD. Often, symptoms never appear or go unnoticed. Even if an infection never results in obvious symptoms, the STD can still be transmitted and progress into a more serious condition that may result in irreversible side effects. Regular comprehensive STD testing is the only way to guarantee a clean bill of sexual health. It is especially important to get tested for STDs after risky or unprotected sexual contact.