Common STI Symptoms in Men

Last week, we examined the major STD symptoms women experience, so now let’s take a look at the most common STI symptoms in men.

Who is In More Danger? Men or Women?

That’s sort of an unfair question. Most sexually transmitted infections and diseases can affect men and women differently. Men tend to suffer from fewer complications than women.  For example, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can cause significant consequences related to pregnancy. Women must take extra precautions to avoid passing infections to their children. That doesn’t mean that men are completely off the hook though! STIs are nondiscriminatory. They affect both men and women, and everyone should get tested regardless of gender assignment.

STIs are an ever-present problem in the United States. Sexually transmitted disease and infection rates are on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis have all shown substantial increases since 2014. HIV is on the rise as well!

Know The Most Common STI Symptoms in Men

Simply put, the most common STI symptoms in men vary on a case-by-case basis. Each infection carries a unique set of symptoms that men should be on the lookout for. This article would become gigantic if we ran down the list of all possible signs of infection. Instead, below is a list of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.

Click on each name for further information about that specific STD’s signs to look out for:

• • Chlamydia

• • Gonorrhea

• • Trichomoniasis

• • Genital Herpes

• • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

• • Syphilis

• • Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma

• • HIV

  • Hepatitis C

Additionally, the myLAB Box blog is a wealth of information about the particular symptoms for any of these common infections. You can find even more answers by speaking with our customer service team or by perusing our page of Frequently Asked Questions.

How Often Should I Get Tested?

Many STIs can be deceptively hard to track with the naked eye. Spots and growths that seem like an innocuous pimple or ingrown hair may actually be signs of a recent infection. You may never know the difference until your symptoms worsen. That’s unless you are being regularly screened for STIs, of course. If an infection is left untreated, it can quickly become quite serious.

Routine testing should be everyone’s first and best line of defense. This is the only way to take full control of your sexual health. It’s generally a good idea to get tested for STDs at least once each year, but it is recommended that all sexually active adults screen every 3-6 months.

Fortunately, testing is easier than ever before now that you can be screened from the comfort of your home, so there is no excuse for not staying on schedule with your testing routine. myLAB Box tests for all of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Its simple home STD testing process allows you to test any time, and from any place.

Test for More Than Just HIV

The CDC recently reported that half of the adults in the United States between the ages of 18 and 44 have never been tested for any sexually transmitted infection beyond HIV. What’s worse, many people will get tested only once in their lifetime. Often, these individuals will incorrectly consider this one negative result to be a permanent “all-clear” for their overall sexual health.

It is critical that all of us recognize the STI symptoms listed above, and test for a full spectrum of possible infections on a regular basis regardless of whether or not these signs are visible. myLAB Box offers tests for the most common infections in the United States, listed above.

Inside every myLAB Box at-home test package, you’ll find:

• • The urine, vaginal swab and/or blood sample collection kit

• • Easy to follow instructions

• • A postage paid return envelope to send your samples in for testing

• • Free 2-way shipping

• • Fast and easy access to your results online

• A complementary telemedicine consultation* with a medical professional in your state (in the event you test positive)

*Available in states that allow telemedicine. And most of them do!

While we’re discussing the importance of being thoroughly screened, there are also added factors that can put certain men at a greater risk of contracting an infection. These can include having sex with a new person or having more than one sex partner since your last test. Gay men and transgender individuals are typically at higher risk for certain infections as well.

Smash the Stigma

Don’t feel ashamed about testing for sexually transmitted infections. STIs are a simple fact of life. Our sexual health is often under attack and as we’ve seen, STI symptoms in men can be difficult to detect. Knowing what to look for and where to test for STDs has never been more important than it is today.

myLAB Box makes the testing process as simple as possible. You can even bundle tests together to make it even more convenient. Our Safe Box, Uber Box or Total Box test the four, seven or ten most common STDs, respectively.

While most STDs are curable, leaving an infection untreated can have serious consequences. This is why it is always good to learn about STD signs and listen to what your body is telling you. Feel free to ask us any questions you may have! At myLAB Box, we believe in empowering our customers to take total control over their sexual health.

Reviewed by Luis Ferdinand M. Papa, MD, MHA