Penile Rash and STDs in Men: Causes, Types, Symptoms and More

Penile Rashes in Men and STDs - STDTestGuru

Sexually Transmitted Diseases can show adverse reactions and symptoms. In men, the symptoms include penile rashes, genital discharge, pain in the testicle, and some more common signs like fever and sore throat. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO),  STDs are spread all across the world, and it is estimated that each day 1 million new cases are recorded. The US has a major toll of STD cases among the young generations, who fall between the age of 15-24.

What are STDs?

Talking about the different types of STDs, the following are the most commonly reported STD that can be highly contagious –

  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • HPV
  • Trichomoniasis

Symptoms of STDs

The signs of the STDs like penile rashes do not tend to pop up in the initial phase, this is the major caveat of STD as it allows the possibility of spreading to others on a mass scale without any knowledge in the first place. Following are some of the commonly seen symptoms of STDs –

Symptoms in women

  • Unusual vaginal discharge
  • Painful urination
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding

Symptoms in men

  • Thick penile discharge
  • Burning sensation while urinating
  • Swollen testicles
  • Anal itching
  • Irritation inside the penis
  • Painful bowel movements

Common symptoms

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhea
  • Joint pain
  • Jaundice
  • Sore throat
  • Dry cough
  • Night sweat
  • Fatigue

All the above symptoms can vary between individuals and some can also have more severe signs of the above and some can not even see the signs unless several weeks have been passed since the initial exposure.

STDs that cannot be cured
STD: Incurable and Curable STD, Symptoms in men and women

What STDs Can Cause Penile Rashes?

There are a dozen types of STDs that have ravaged the lives of individuals like Herpes and HIV as they are incurable to date. However, not all STDs causes penile rashes in men, only three of the STDs shows penile rashes as STD symptoms, they are –

  • Syphilis
  • Herpes
  • HPV

All the above STDs are highly contagious and can spread from one person to another easily via sexual contact.

Syphilis in Men

Syphilis is caused by Treponema Pallidum bacteria that progresses in 3 different stages, namely primary, secondary and tertiary stages. Symptoms of Syphilis include headache, fatigue, fever, weight loss, hair loss, pain in the joints, sores/rashes in the mouth, anus, penis/vagina. Leaving syphilis untreated can result in a neurological disorder like brain stroke, seizures, and hallucinations. Syphilis can only sometimes reveal the penile rash symptoms and/or other symptoms, they tend to be low-key in the first two stages. Most people get to know that they have Syphilis only at the end-stage.

Herpes in Men

Herpes is caused by a virus called Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), which can be divided into two types according to the nature of the infection. Oral Herpes and Genital Herpes are the distinctions, where the name itself suggests, if you see symptoms around the genitals, then it is termed genital herpes and oral symptoms are referred to as oral herpes. Both of them are naught and can lead to health complications and even long-term consequences. Symptoms of herpes include sores, swollen lymph nodes in the groin, muscle aches, fever, and rashes that can be around genitals, penile in men, and also around the mouth (if it is oral herpes).

HPV in Men

Human Papilloma Virus is a special type of STD that causes warts that look like small flesh outgrown on the skins, typically around the genitals or oral cavity. These warts are generally painless, but these can also resemble a common skin problem like different types of pimples. Don’t wait for it to go away and take necessary steps like testing and diagnosing to curb it in the initial phase. Women can also get infected with HPV, in fact, women are the most cases in the HPV toll in the United States. HPV is not completely curable, you can only suppress the spread of warts with antibiotics and reduce other symptoms.

How to Treat STDs?

If you suspect that you have been exposed to STDs in the past, then it is highly recommended to get screened for STDs. Treating STDs can be a tricky part because all the STDs exhibit more or less the same symptoms. Once you get tested for an STD as per the symptoms that you have, and if you are tested positive, your doctor shall prescribe medicines.

Symptoms like penile rashes are caused by Syphilis, Herpes, and/or HPV infections where all three have different treatment procedures. Syphilis is caused by bacteria that can be killed treated with the help of antibiotics and other drugs meant for them. If you are diagnosed with Herpes or HPV which are caused by different type of viruses then you shall be provided with anti-retroviral drugs that help reduce the symptoms and suppresses the activity of the virus, thus slowing the spread of the STDs. Keep a note that these anti-retroviral drugs only help to reduce symptoms and not to treat them completely.

Can STDs be Cured?

This is a complicated query that many individuals ask. Sexually Transmitted Diseases need to be detected first in the early stages to get rid of them completely without any severe consequences. When it gets lapsed, it can cause adverse health problems that can last long even you are cured of the disease – like if left untreated STDs can lead to infertility, Poly Cystic Oraviran Syndrome (PCOS), and similar other problems.

Bacteria causing STDs like Chlamydia and Syphilis can be cured with the help of medicinal drugs taken over the due course as prescribed. On the other hand, there are incurable STDs that are caused by viruses like HIV and Herpes that are highly contagious and cannot be completed cured.

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