The first symptoms may appear after 2 to 6 weeks. Duke points out that HIV and hepatitis are viral infections such as a cold or the flu, so the body's immune system responds to infections in a similar way. Especially in the case of hepatitis B, which most people don't know they have, it can feel much like the flu. Please note that these services are not intended for any emergency medical situation.
If you have a serious or life-threatening condition that may require hospitalization, such as, but not limited to, high fever, high or low blood pressure, serious active infection, such as COVID, chest pain, shortness of breath, severe pain, or stroke-like symptoms, call 911 immediately or go to a nearby emergency center as soon as possible. Not all symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases are unique to STDs. This means that many viral or bacterial infections that wreak havoc on your body may be creating symptoms that could go unnoticed or confused with the flu. Many flu symptoms are interchangeable with symptoms caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea.
Although they are often considered asymptomatic in their early stages, the subtlety of flu-like symptoms often goes unnoticed or unrecognized. He adds that the sexually transmitted disease most likely to resemble a cold is actually HIV, but that others, such as hepatitis, may have similar symptoms. If your cold and flu-like symptoms don't improve in two weeks despite taking medication, or if you've changed sexual partners in the past month, you should definitely get tested for HIV. During an initial episode, you may have flu-like signs and symptoms, such as headache, muscle aches and fever, as well as swollen lymph nodes in your groin.
Some symptoms of STDs are terribly similar to cold symptoms, so you don't necessarily have to eliminate all fever and pain. While these symptoms are generally not related to STDs, they may suggest that an STD has advanced and is now creating problems in the body. Although HIV and hepatitis are the STDs most commonly associated with cold and flu symptoms, I spoke with Dr. Fever always suggests that the body is trying to fight an infection, but many people don't know that the infection could be the result of a rapidly spreading STD.
If you're unusually tired and are also sexually active, start thinking about getting tested for STDs and STIs. As I watch Gilmore Girls for the umpteenth time, I don't exactly think about the cold-like symptoms of STDs. Tami Prince, gynecologist and obstetrician and owner of the Women's Health and Wellness Center of Georgia, LLC, explains to Elite Daily: The common cold, also known as upper respiratory tract infection (URI), is caused by rhinovirus, so any STDs that are also caused by a virus can mimic cold symptoms. Read this list if you're sexually active and have some common symptoms that may look like allergy, cold, or flu symptoms, but could be symptoms disguised as STDs.
Cindy Duke, gynecologist and obstetrician and medical director of the Nevada Fertility Institute, who says there is another STI that could look like gonorrhea, but only if left untreated.
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