STD Symptoms: What to Look For
Most of what turns up on this list is nothing serious. But a handful of STDs cause symptoms that look almost identical to completely ordinary things — an ingrown hair, a stress rash, a cold — and the only way to actually tell the difference is testing, not guessing.
Pick the symptom closest to what you're noticing. Each page covers what it usually is, what a few specific STDs look like by comparison, and when it's worth testing rather than waiting it out.
Belly Button Rash
Bump or Pimple on the Penis
Dry, Flaky Skin: Is It an STD?
Flu-Like Symptoms
Hemorrhoids or Genital Warts?
Ingrown Hair or Herpes?
Itchy or Burning Urethra
Jock Itch or an STD?
Lump on the Testicle
Penile Discharge
Rash on the Penis
Rash or Spots on the Hands
Sore Throat
Spots on the Penis
Unusual Bleeding
Vaginal Bumps
Vaginal Burning
Vaginal Odor
These pages describe common patterns, not a diagnosis. If you're at all unsure, a test or a doctor's exam will always be more reliable than comparing symptoms to a description online.