Why You Shouldn’t WebMD STD Symptoms

Why You Shouldn’t WebMD STD Symptoms

Everyone gets sick from time to time. Of course, you don’t go see your doctor for every little ailment you experience, though. Men of a certain age are especially finicky about scheduling doctor’s appointments –– still, most of the time things work out. You feel better and your symptoms dissipate and you move on with your life.

Except, sometimes things don’t work out.

If you’ve been feeling ill for a few days in a row or more you may be tempted to consult WebMD or a similar website to try and determine what you’re dealing with. And while this can be helpful in identifying certain issues, it can lead to a whole heap of trouble if you’ve contracted an STD. That’s because certain STD symptoms won’t register in sites like WebMD for what they really are. Instead, the site is likely to misdiagnose them as the flu or a similar malady.

The problem is that few people willingly seek out STD testing. It’s understandable; after all, no one wants to deal with having an STD. But not addressing the problem is only going to exacerbate it. Which makes a misdiagnosis at an early stage of an STD’s development all the more damaging. Indeed, both Gonorrhea and Chlamydia can be characterized by lower abdominal pain, fevers, or painful bowel movements. And most frighteningly, early symptoms of HIV are nearly indistinguishable from a common bout of influenza. They include (but are not limited to): fever, sore throat, headaches, fatigue, and diarrhea.

Another common misconception about STDs is that they only manifest themselves on or around the genitals. This is simply not true. So even if you haven’t experienced any irregularities in urination or menstruation, it doesn’t mean you’re STD-free. Plus, many STDs can remain asymptomatic for a long period of time. Therefore it’s imperative for you and for those you care about that you test yourself regularly –– especially if you engage with multiple partners.