STD Symptoms in a Female

Sexually transmitted diseases often present no symptoms at all in a woman, which is both a blessing and a curse. It is quite possible to be infected with an STD and not feel anything. Due to the lack of symptoms, STDs may be diagnosed after a woman has been infected for quite some time. Consequently, an STD is passed to someone else as the woman infected keeps having unprotected sex. In addition, a woman may think that STD symptoms are caused by a different medical problem, such as a yeast infection or razor burn.

The Facts

• According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 30 different sexually transmitted diseases. Unsurprisingly, these various STDs produce diverse symptoms. Sexually active women are most at risk of contracting human papillomavirus (HPV), genital herpes and chlamydia.

Types

• There are approximately 40 strains of HPV that are transmitted sexually. A few of these strains cause cervical cancer in women while other strains cause genital warts. Most people infected with HPV show no symptoms, especially with the cancer-causing strain. Small bumps may appear in the genital area in a person infected with the more low-risk type of HPV. These bumps vary in appearance and may be smooth, raised, clustered together or a single bump. They can be found anywhere in the genital region including the anus and vulva. It is still possible for a woman to be infected with this strain of HPV and exhibit no symptoms.

  Genital herpes may or may not produce symptoms in an infected woman. If symptoms do appear, they typically produce pain or itching in the genital area within a few weeks of exposure. Tiny, reddish-colored bumps, blisters or sores also may appear in the genital and anal regions. These blisters or sores will burst and turn into ulcers that ooze and bleed. Scabs will then form and the sore will begin to heal. Often, the symptoms are so mild that they are overlooked. In general, the first outbreak of herpes is the worst and often the only outbreak. Flu-like symptoms also may be present during the initial outbreak of genital herpes.

  Like genital herpes, chlamydia symptoms are often mild and undetected. A bacterial infection in the genital tract, chlamydia often presents no symptoms at all in women, especially in the early stages of infection. If symptoms arise, women will notice them within three weeks of exposure. Pain during intercourse, vaginal discharge, pain in the lower abdomen and pain during urination are the most common symptoms of chlamydia.

Effects

• Sexually transmitted diseases may have permanent effects on a woman's body or no effect at all. As previously noted, many sexually transmitted diseases will present no symptoms and cause no harm to a woman's body. Others however, can cause permanent damage to the body including but not limited to, increased risk of certain cancers, brain, liver and heart damage, infertility and even death. If symptoms resembling an STD appear, a woman should seek immediate medical attention to begin treatment.

Misconceptions

• Due to lack of awareness and the shame associated with STDs, women are often unclear of the signs and symptoms associated with these infections. Many people think that if an STD was present in the body, there would be telltale signs like itching, burning or bumps. This is not the case, however. A large number of STDs will show no symptoms at all while still doing harm to a woman's body. It should never be assumed that an STD is not present simply because of the lack of symptoms.

Treatment

• Although many STDs cannot be cured, the symptoms can be treated. Topical creams, prescription medications and various over the counter medications are used to treat various STD symptoms. Home remedies for treating certain STDs in women include ice packs on the infected area, warm baths and natural topical ointments.