Reviewed by Physician Brandon Yew and Dr Angelica L Dumapit

Do You Have STD Symptoms? Take This Quiz To Find Out

Published June 6, 2023| 7 min read

STD symptoms can appear if you've recently had unprotected sex, anal sex or oral sex. Learn how to treat your symptoms here.

Talking to a doctor about std symptoms min scaled

STD symptoms may occur after having unprotected sex or oral sex. Some symptoms develop right away while others may take weeks or even months to appear.

When left untreated, STDs can affect your sexual and reproductive health. If you catch one, there is a higher risk of developing complications, such as infertility, pregnancy complications, cancer, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Did you know that one in five Americans had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in 2018? That’s 20 percent of the population! This number is expected to grow due to new infections and emerging outbreaks, as well as the re-emergence of neglected STDs.

This quiz can help you determine what STD you may have based on your symptoms. Read on to learn tips for protecting yourself in the future and healing naturally if you do become infected.

Do You Have STD Symptoms?

Take the quiz below to help determine if you’ve developed an STI and the next steps to manage the condition.

What Do My Quiz Answers Mean?

A young man handing a condom to a young woman in bed — Wearing a condom is one of the best ways to protect against STD symptoms.

Identifying STD symptoms is an important first step in getting properly treated. Let’s find out what your answers suggest.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1 and 2

It’s possible that you’ve developed a genital herpes infection.

Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) and blood tests are the most reliable options for diagnosing the condition.
Blood tests can help identify IgG antibodies, which appear after infection and stays in your blood permanently.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a NAAT that tells if you’re infected with type 1 or 2 herpes simplex virus (HSV). It’s also used to diagnose a COVID-19 infection.

Treatment for genital herpes STD symptoms

The symptoms of genital herpes usually clear up on their own. You can take several steps to support the healing of an affected area. These include:

Cleaning with salt water to keep the blisters from infection
Applying an ice pack wrapped in a cloth
Applying petroleum jelly or a pain-killing cream (5% lidocaine)
Washing your hands before and after you apply the cream or jelly
Pouring water over your genitals while you urinate
You can relieve pain in an affected area. Antiviral medications taken within five days of infection will help calm genital herpes symptoms.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1 and 3

You’ve likely come into contact with the human papillomavirus (HPV). A healthcare provider will examine your body for warts to diagnose the condition.

A pap smear may be recommended to detect the presence of cancerous or pre-cancerous cells. Be mindful that the virus changes cells in the cervix, increasing the chances of cancer.

Healthcare providers can also use colposcopy to diagnose cervical cancer. A lighted instrument will be utilized to magnify the cervix and enable the removal of abnormal cells. These cells will then be tested for signs of cancer or pre-cancer.

Treatment for HPV STD symptoms

It’s impossible to treat HPV directly, but possible to prevent its onset. Getting the HPV vaccine is the best way to protect yourself against infection.

The use of latex condoms or dental dams stops the mouth from coming into contact with the penis, vagina, or anus.

To get rid of warts and remove abnormal cells in the cervix, you can use the following:

Cryosurgery
Electrocautery
Laser therapy
Prescription cream
Trichloroacetic acid
Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)
Cold knife cone biopsy

If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1 and 4

If you test positive for Syphilis, your doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic.

Syphilis is the most likely reason behind your symptoms. Two tests can help discover if you have antibodies associated with the STI. These are a Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test and a Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test.

The former requires a blood sample from a vein in your arm while the latter involves the extraction of cerebrospinal fluid from the space in-between two spinal vertebrae.

If these tests show that you have antibodies that fight syphilis, you may be asked to undergo further tests to confirm a diagnosis.

Treatment for syphilis STD symptoms

Early intervention using prescription antibiotics can cure the condition. Latex condoms significantly decrease risk but won’t guarantee you’re free from a future syphilis infection.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1 and 5

It’s almost certain that you have chlamydia. Testing a urine sample and fluid swabs from the urethra, vagina, and rectum can help diagnose the condition.

Treatment for chlamydia STD symptoms

A healthcare provider will provide antibiotics to treat chlamydia. These can be prescribed as a one-time dose or a medication that needs to be taken daily for seven days.

Like HPV and syphilis, latex condoms may help lower but not eliminate the risk of the condition’s onset. Repeat infection is common, so it’s advisable to get tested again about 3 months after treatment.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1 and 6

All signs point to hepatitis B onset. A healthcare provider will use three methods to certify that you’ve been infected. These are blood tests, a liver biopsy, and an abdominal liver ultrasound.

Treatment for hepatitis B STD symptoms

Acute infections generally resolve with IV fluids, nutrition, and pain relief. Chronic infections will see you using medications to slow the virus’s ability to multiply in your body, thus suppressing swelling and liver damage.

If you answered ‘Yes’ to questions 1, 5, and 7

A doctor handing a container to a patient for a urine sample — A urine sample can help detect if you have a gonorrhea infection.

There’s a high chance that you’ve got a gonorrhea infection. Symptoms include an itchy, scratchy, or sore throat, trouble swallowing, anal discharge that itches, and pain when you go to the bathroom.

A healthcare provider can adopt the NAAT method to affirm a diagnosis. A urine sample or urethral, endocervical, or vaginal specimens are needed for the test.

Treatment for gonorrhea STD symptoms

The common treatment recommendation is a single dose of 500mg of intramuscular Ceftriaxone. If you have a chlamydia co-infection, a healthcare provider may propose using an oral medication called doxycycline to take twice daily for seven days.

Alternative Treatments For STD Symptoms

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it’s believed that STDs originate from external factors.

“Genital infections are often caused by infectious pathogenic Fire and Dampness. The system of medicine will not only be used to alleviate the symptoms of your specific condition. It’ll also focus on eliminating pathogens, healing wounds, and strengthening your immune system.”

Senior TCM Physician Brandon Yew.

Some of the herbal formulas that can complement the clinical treatment of different STDs include:

Long Dan Xie Gan Tang
Si Miao Tang
Bi Xie Shen Shi Tang

Research shows that Lingzhi may help protect against cancer cells formed by HPV. It may also help boost immunity to protect against viral infections.

Similarly, you can also stimulate a few acupoints, such as:

On the lateral side of the mid-arm crease, at midpoint between biceps and the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.

On the dorsum of the foot between the 1st and 2nd toe, 0.5 cun proximal to the web margin at the junction of the red and white skin.

Located lateral to the pubic tubercle, in the inguinal groove.

When the knee is flexed, on the medial aspect of the thigh, the point is 3-fingers-breadth above the mediosuperior border of the patella, on the bulge of the medial portion of quadriceps femoris muscle.

Located about a hand width below the bellow button.

On the anterior median line of the lower abdomen, 1.5 finger width below the umbilicus

Qu chi (LI11)
Xing jian (LR2)

Ji mai (LR12)
Xue hai (SP10)
Guan yuan (CVRN4)
Qi hai (CVRN6)

Use TCM And Western Medicine To Treat STD Symptoms

Combining clinical and traditional remedies can ease the pain and discomfort associated with an STD. Speak to a licensed TCM practitioner to learn if potential contraindications may occur and avoid self-medicating.

“STDs are highly infectious, no matter how strong the immunity a person possesses. The best prevention is to avoid promiscuity and have protected sex. If your partner is infected, avoid sex completely until he or she has recovered.”

Senior TCM Physician Brandon Yew