Sexually Transmitted Diseases are also known as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) that are contracted by sexual contact, including oral sex. There are more than 30 different types of STDs and nearly 8 of them are the most commonly reported STDs around the world. Some STDs are more likely to infect the oral and the throat than others. If you had unprotected sex and had gum disease or any other oral wound then there is a high chance of contracting a Sexually Transmitted Disease.
In this article, we explain in detail on the STDs symptoms, sore throat causing STDs, how to get tested for STDs, STD testing cost near you, and at-home STD testing kit.
- Do STDs Cause Sore Throat?
- When can STD Symptoms Appear?
- What Types of STDs Cause Sore Throat?
- What are the signs of STDs on the mouth?
- STD Sores in the Throat
- STD Sores Around the Mouth
- How to Get Checked for STDs?
- Is there a Home Test Kit Available for STDs?
- STD Testing Cost in the US
- Providers Location
Do STDs Cause Sore Throat?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases are increasing year after year around the globe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are nearly 20 million new cases of STDs that are reported each year in the US alone. STDs often show symptoms that affect your entire body including flu-like symptoms i.e, fever, cough, and fatigue. STDs also have the potential to affect the oral cavity and the throat.
STDs that cause sore throat symptoms are most commonly due to oral sex. The symptoms of certain STDs like Oral Chlamydia and Oral Herpes are exhibited around the mouth causing mouth sores, sore throat, and pain to swallow.
When can STD Symptoms Appear?
STD symptoms may appear anytime between 10 to 90 days after the initial exposure from unprotected sex. It is also worth mentioning that, most people do not experience any symptoms for several weeks and tend to spread the infection unknowingly to other sex partners. This is one of the prime reasons for wide-spread cases of STDs across the US, especially among the youth, where most of the STD cases are reported under the age group of 15 – 24.
Thus is it vital for everyone who is sexually active to get screened for STDs at least once every 6 months to be on the safer side. It is common to feel ashamed to get tested and diagnosed for STDs, however, getting tested and playing it safe is far better than not getting treated and having serious health complications. In the case of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) it is always said that the sooner you take steps to diagnose, the better you are to get treated early.
What Types of STDs Cause Sore Throat?
If you are an avid sex player having multiple partners, then sore throat is not to be taken lightly. Sore throat symptoms may be an indication that you are affected with any of the following STDs –
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Oral Herpes
- HIV
- HPV
- Mononucleosis
All of these diseases have the potential to cause pharyngeal or throat infections due to oral sex. A sore throat or trouble swallowing is usually seen as just a mild annoyance, but it’s nothing to be taken lightly. Get screened for STDs to know the cause for sure.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of the most commonly reported STDs in the US. Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia Trachomatis. Chlamydia can be spread from one person to another via oral sex, however, it is more likely to contract via anal or vaginal sex. Sore throat is a common symptom when you had oral sex with a Chlamydia infected person. It can also affect the genitals, urinary tract, and rectum.
It can be easily cured with antibiotics, however, this can be said only if the diagnosis and treatment are taken at an early stage. If left untreated, it can lead to health complications like infertility and epididymitis.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is caused due to a bacteria called Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. Gonorrhea STD can affect mucous membranes, including those in your mouth and throat. According to the CDC reports, there are more than 1.14 million cases of Gonorrhea cases reported each year. This STD can cause oral symptoms such as soreness or burning in your throat, and in rare cases, swollen glands and white spots in your mouth can also be seen.
Gonorrhea infection is difficult to detect and often confused with flu and can go undiagnosed. It is vital to get checked for STDs at an early stage. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), heart valve damage, or inflammation of the lining of the brain or spinal cord. Gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotics.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: Syphilis
Similar to Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is treatable in its initial stage. Syphilis STD has been on the rise since the year 2005. Unlike Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, Syphilis progresses in three phases – namely, primary, secondary and final stage. Sore throat, chancres (sores) on lips, the tip of the tongue, or at the back of your mouth near your tonsils are some of the symptoms seen in the Syphilis primary stage.
Syphilis sores on the mouth usually start as small red patches and grow into larger, open sores that can be red, yellow, or gray in color which is highly contagious and painful. Most of the time, the sores may go away after a certain period of time, but you still have syphilis bacteria (Treponema Pallidum) and can contract to others via sexual contact. If left untreated, syphilis can cause long-term damage to your heart, brain, and other neurological disorders.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: Oral Herpes
Unlike Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, Herpes is a viral infection caused by Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Herpes STD is categorized into two different types, based on the infection site. Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) is associated with cold sores and mouth lesions. HSV-1 is termed Oral Herpes. On the other hand, Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2) generally infected the genital area, HSA-2 is also known as Genital Herpes. Both the strains are extremely contagious and have no complete cure.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are more than 3.7 billion people under age 50 around the world affected with Oral Herpes. Herpes can be passed between the genitals and the mouth through saliva, during oral sex. Symptoms of oral herpes are blisters in your mouth (clear, pink, red, yellow, or gray in color), sore throat, pain while eating or swallowing, fever and fatigue.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: HIV
HIV is the most famous of all STDs. Human Immuno Deficiency Virus is the cause of HIV infection. According to the latest estimates, there were 1.2 million people living in the United States with HIV, and 1 in 7 do not know they have HIV.
Symptoms of HIV include sore throat, fever, cough, swollen lymph nodes, skin rash, headache, and upset stomach. As the disease progress more severe symptoms are seen. Read more about HIV symptoms here and HIV RNA early testing here.
HIV is a viral STD, that cannot be cured. However, antiviral drugs will be prescribed to reduce the symptoms and lower the probability of transmitting the virus to other sex partners. It is very important to get tested for HIV, else it may lead to AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) where the immune system is completely broken by the virus, and your body can easily catch other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and cancer.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: HPV
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the one of most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States, with nearly 14 million new cases each year. HPV viral STD has the tendency to primarily infect the mouth and throat. There are more than 40 different types of HOV strains, some high-risk strains particularly HPV-16, are associated with cancers of the head and neck. Around 9,000 cases of HPV-related head and neck cancers are diagnosed each year. The CDC estimated that these cancers are four times are more commonly seen in men than in women.
Low-risk HPV strains may cause warts in your mouth or throat. Other HPV symptoms include sore throat, warts around the genital area. There is no cure for HPV infection, however, there is a vaccine to prevent getting infected from certain HPV strains.
STDs that cause Sore Throat: Mononucleosis
According to the University of Michigan, Mononucleosis tend to cause persistent sore throat symptom. Mononucleosis or Monospot disease is caused by Espin-bar-virus (EBV). Monospot disease is also commonly known as the “kissing disease” as the virus is easily transmitted via kissing. If you suspect of having mono disease, don’t kiss anyone or share things like drinking glasses, eating utensils, or toothbrushes.
What are the Signs of STDs on the Mouth?
STD symptoms may vary from person to person, some may have all the following STD symptoms on the mouth and some may experience a few. There are chanced in some individuals where no symptoms will be exhibited but the bacteria stay low profile and start manipulating overtime.
STD Sores Around the Mouth
- Sores in the mouth, which may be painless
- Lesions (cold sores) and fever blisters around the mouth
- Sores on the tongue
STD Sores in the Throat
- Sore throat and difficulty swallowing
- Redness with white spots resembling strep throat
How are STDs treated?
Bacterial STDs can be treated with antibiotics if treatment begins at an early stage. Unfortunately, viral STDs are not cured, but you can control symptoms by daily medications. If your given antibiotics to treat STD, you should take all of the drugs prescribed by your physician, even though you stop showing symptoms. Also, avoid taking someone else’s medication to cure your infection; this will lead to severe difficulties to diagnose.
How to get tested for STDs?
There are different forms of tests to get diagnosed with STDs. Firstly, your physician may ask you to take any of the following tests like using a cotton swab in the infected area such as mouth, throat, vagina, anus, or penis or may be asked to take a blood sample or a urine sample. The test shall be taken based on the medical and sexual history you have and the symptoms you experience.
Is there an STD home test kit available?
There are STD home test kits available to get tested at home. You can order an STD test kit online from one of our testing providers. Order your STD home test kit now! All you need to do is follow the instructions mentioned on the testing kit and post it back. STD home test kit requires a simple oral swab collection and an easy finger-prick blood spot collection and the results will be mailed to you within 2 to 5 business days.
It is mostly preferred by people who have who do not have time from their everyday schedule, taking an appointment, and visiting the testing lab. Also, those who are not convenient in having an awkward conversation to answer questions about their sexual history with a medical physician in the lab can prefer a home testing kit.
How much is the cost of the STD test?
There are many options available for the STD home test kit, but we have identified the best and the most affordable home test kit providers and have listed them out for our readers. One of our STD testing providers who are CLIA – Certified is located across the U.S., and offers an at-home STD test kit at an affordable price.
The following table shows the STD home test kit and STD testing cost at 3 of our partner laboratories (CLIA – Certified) network located across the U.S.
Name of our Partner Labs | Book Online |
STD Check Labs
| Starting from
|
LetsGetChecked(Home Test Kit)
| Starting from
$74.25 |
HealthLabs
| Starting from$24 |
Providers location
STD tests can be done in any of the following states either at the provider’s location or home. To know the STD testing cost, check the above table.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
Will insurance cover my STD testing cost?
No. Generally providers do not accept the insurance in order to ensure your privacy. However, they will provide you a receipt for insurance reimbursement purposes.
How should I book my appointment for STD testing?
You can choose the most suitable provider from above and make an appointment by following the instructions mentioned by them.
Can I cancel my lab test order?
Yes, you can cancel your lab test order anytime before your testing. A refund will be initiated after deducting the cancellation fee. However, cancellation is at the discretion of the provider.
Do the providers offer result interpretations?
Yes, few providers may provide doctor consultation who will take you through the results and provide clarification if needed.
How do I receive my report?
In order to ensure your privacy, the test report will be mailed to you by the provider.
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