Hi, Anon. Welcome to EmpowHer. I'm so glad you found us.
I'm sorry that you're worried about STDs, let's see if we can find you some information that will help. The short answer is yes, you can have an STD and not know about it.
First, here's a page of information about the various STDs, their basic symptoms and links to each one:
It is possible that you are dealing with chlamydia, the most common STD in the United States. It's bacterial, and is treated with antibiotics. One of the symptoms in men is a discharge from the penis. And yes, you can have it for a while and not know it -- in fact, it's sometimes called the "silent disease" for that reason. Here's a page on it:
"Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.
"In women, the bacteria initially infect the cervix and the urethra (urine canal). Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), some women still have no signs or symptoms; others have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Chlamydial infection of the cervix can spread to the rectum.
"Men with signs or symptoms might have a discharge from their penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Men might also have burning and itching around the opening of the penis. Pain and swelling in the testicles are uncommon."
Or you might be dealing with Gonorrhea, which also can stay in your system without symptoms. One of its symptoms in men is also a discharge from the penis. Here's the CDC page on it:
Please call your doctor and have yourself tested; if the test results are positive, they'll give you antibiotics and your husband will want to be tested as well. Untreated STDs can hurt your reproductive tract, uterus and fallopian tubes, and sometimes will develop into pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Comment Reply
Hi, Anon. Welcome to EmpowHer. I'm so glad you found us.
I'm sorry that you're worried about STDs, let's see if we can find you some information that will help. The short answer is yes, you can have an STD and not know about it.
First, here's a page of information about the various STDs, their basic symptoms and links to each one:
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/stds/a/04_std_symptoms.htm
It is possible that you are dealing with chlamydia, the most common STD in the United States. It's bacterial, and is treated with antibiotics. One of the symptoms in men is a discharge from the penis. And yes, you can have it for a while and not know it -- in fact, it's sometimes called the "silent disease" for that reason. Here's a page on it:
https://www.empowher.com/media/reference/chlamydia
and here is the CDC's page on chlamydia:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/Chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm
Here's an excerpt from the CDC page:
"Chlamydia is known as a "silent" disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.
"In women, the bacteria initially infect the cervix and the urethra (urine canal). Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), some women still have no signs or symptoms; others have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Chlamydial infection of the cervix can spread to the rectum.
"Men with signs or symptoms might have a discharge from their penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Men might also have burning and itching around the opening of the penis. Pain and swelling in the testicles are uncommon."
Or you might be dealing with Gonorrhea, which also can stay in your system without symptoms. One of its symptoms in men is also a discharge from the penis. Here's the CDC page on it:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm
Please call your doctor and have yourself tested; if the test results are positive, they'll give you antibiotics and your husband will want to be tested as well. Untreated STDs can hurt your reproductive tract, uterus and fallopian tubes, and sometimes will develop into pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
May 13, 2009 - 10:07amThis Comment
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