How Do You Know If Your Partner Has An STD?

Let’s be honest, most people who engage in unprotected sex don’t believe that they’ll get an STD. Most people think based on their first impressions, risk assessment, and level of intoxication that they’d be able to tell if their partner had an STD. There isn’t a consensus about what signs or clues you should look for before jumping into bed. So, how do you know if a partner as an STD?

The Down and Dirty Guide

The only way to be 100% certain you and your partner are clean is to get tested for STDs. However, there are some signs and symptoms you can look for that may be useful if you are worried that your partner, or potential partner, has an STD. It is important to remember that most of the common STDs present no signs or symptoms.

Questions to ask yourself about your partner:

Does this person have bumps around the genitals or mouth?

-Bumps, warts, blisters, pimples, or sores can be caused by: HSV-1/HSV (oral or genital herpes), mollusum contagiosum, or HPV

-Scabs around the areas could imply the bumps have started healing

Does this person have a sore throat?

-A sore throat can be caused by: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, or HPV

Does this person have chronic flu-like symptoms?

-Chills, fever, swollen joints, fatigue, and nausea can all be signs of: HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis

Does this person have any sort of rash?

-A rash on the soles of the feet or palms of the hands can be caused by the second stage of syphilis

Does this person have pink eye?

-Conjunctivitis can be caused by: gonorrhea, chlamydia, or herpes

Does this person have a job in a high-risk field?

-OB/GYNs

-Nurses, physicians, EMTs, and first responders

-Aid workers

-Janitorial Staff

-Works in the sex industry

There are many other possible signs that someone has an STD, but without the proper testing, there is no way to be absolutely sure. What could be mistaken for a bump or wart could just be an ingrown hair. It can also be difficult to tell what is normal and abnormal discharge. Burning during urination could be a sign of a number of things including a UTI while itching in the genital area could be a result of an allergic reaction to a new laundry detergent. The exact opposite could be the case too. Something that seems completely non-sexual, like an armpit rash, could be the first sign of an infection.

So to answer the question, how do you know if a partner has an STD, the only way to be certain is to get tested.

myLAB Box™ offers at home STD testing kits for couples. Our Love Box is a specially curated box that includes two 8-panel testing kits. Even if you are in a loving, committed relationship getting tested it important to your sexual health.

We offer at home tests for:  

·     Chlamydia

·     Gonorrhea

·     Hepatitis C

·     HIV

·     Herpes

·     Syphilis

·     Trichomoniasis

Can you sleep with someone with an STD and not get it? Learn about this question here.