Sexually Transmitted diseases are conditions that spread from one person to another through sexual contact, most commonly through unprotected sex having vaginal, anal, or oral sex. STDs are also called as venereal disease (VD). Some STDs may also transmit via sharing needles and breastfeeding.
If you suspect that you or your partner may have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD), it is vital to get checked for STDs and know for sure, or else serious health complications will be on your way. STDs exhibit various symptoms and signs in men and women. When it comes to bruising on your skin, not all STDs cause bruising.
In this article, we explain in detail the types of STDs that cause bruising, other symptoms of STDs, how to get tested for STDs, and at-home testing kit options.
- What is bruising?
- Do STDs cause bruising?
- What are the types of STDs that cause bruising and itching?
- HIV and bruising
- Does Syphilis cause bruising?
- Does Trichomoniasis cause bruising?
- Other causes of bruising
- How is STD treated?
- How to get checked for STD?
- Is there an STD home test kit available?
- How much does an STD test cost?
- Providers Locations
Book STD package covering HIV, Herpes, and Chlamydia – STDs that cause bruising
We have identified the top STD testing options across the US – center visit as well as a home test kit. Below are the top three options and the pricing for the STD testing.
Name of our Partner Labs | Book Online |
STD Check Labs
| Starting from
(Panel of 10 STDs is cheaper than getting tested for STDs that cause bruising individually) |
LetsGetChecked(Home Test Kit)
| Starting from
(Panel of 8 STDs is cheaper than getting tested for STDs that cause bruising individually) |
HealthLabs
| Starting from$139 (Panel of 10 STDs is cheaper than getting tested for STDs that cause bruising individually) |
What is bruising?
Bruises are black and blue marks which is a common skin injury. Bruises result in discoloration of the skin which is due to the blood from the damaged blood cells beneath the skin collecting near the surface of the skin. Bruising can occur at any age, as it is a consequence of trauma – a cut or a blow to an area of the body.
Sometimes bruising on your skin aches and most people see it as harmless or painless. While bruises on the skin may not seem to be a major issue, but, it’s important to know the underlying cause and get appropriate treatment options to avoid any serious health complications in the future.
Symptoms of a Bruise
- Initially, a fresh bruise is reddish in color. After a few hours, it will then turn blue or dark purple, then yellow or green after a few days as it heals.
- A bruise might be painful in the initial few hours or few days, typically the pain fades away as time progress with the fading of the bruising.
Do STDs cause bruising?
STDs are infections that spread via sexual contact or genital touching. There are more than 20 types of STDs caused by various microorganisms such as parasites, bacteria, & viruses. Generally, not all STDs cause bruising on your skin. Only HIV/AIDS infection shows bruising as a sign, in fact, the bruising may occur for no reason. However, Herpes and Syphilis are STDs that can cause dry skin, itching all over the body, and other rashes/redness.
Following are the most commonly seen symptoms of STDs in men and women.
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
STD that causes bruising: HIV
It is important to know what is HIV/AIDS before diving into the reason why this STD in specific causes bruising symptoms. HIV is also a common sexually transmitted disease, where 38 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and 690,000 people have deceased due to HIV/AIDS in 2019, according to a study from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The HIV virus progresses in three stages. Initially in the first or second stage bruising on your skin is not seen. Other symptoms like cough, fever, headache, and muscle pain are experienced. It is vital to get checked for HIV as a proactive measure to improve your immune system to fight the virus. If untreated or undiagnosed, your immune system loses the battle against the virus, and the HIV starts engulfing the CD4 T cells also commonly known as White Blood Cells, and starts manipulating in mass. Even during the second stage, some people do not experience any symptoms, and doctors call this the asymptomatic period or chronic HIV infection.
Without any diagnosis and treatment, the virus keeps manipulating in silence leading to AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) which is the third and deadliest stage. The number of CD4 cells has dropped and thus you are open to getting infected by other infections easily.
- Being tired all the time
- Swollen lymph nodes in your neck or groin
- Fever that lasts more than 10 days
- Night sweats
- Weight loss with no obvious reason
- Purplish spots on your skin that don’t go away
- Shortness of breath
- Severe, long-lasting diarrhea
- Yeast infections in your mouth, throat, or vagina
- Bruises or bleeding for no reason
As the disease progresses, bruising becomes more common for no reason as your immune system cannot fight the foreign substances invading. Read more on HIV RNA early detection test here.
Does Syphilis cause bruising?
Syphilis is an STD that is caused by Treponema pallidum bacteria. Similar to HIV, Syphilis STDs also progress in 4 stages namely primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary stages. The most commonly seen symptoms of syphilis in both men and women are rashes like a painless sore that appears on the genitals and groin areas in both sexes. Typically, they cause rashes/sores but not bruising.
Does Chlamydia cause bruising?
Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD in the US. According to the CDC, nearly 3 million people are diagnosed with Chlamydia in the United States every year. Chlamydia STD is characterized by penile/vaginal discharge, pain or bleeding while urinating, urge to urinate, itching, bleeding or mucus discharge in the rectum, redness or itching in the eye, sore throat, cough, or fever. Therefore, there are no reported cases of having bruises on the skin due to chlamydia STD. Chlamydia can cause itching but not bruising.
Other causes of bruising
It is not always STDs when it comes to bruising on your skin. If you’re not an avid sex player, then the following are some of the other chances of having a bruise or discoloration of your skin.
- Intense exercise
- Medication
- Nutrient deficiency
- Diabetes
- Von Willebrand disease – a genetic disorder that affects your blood’s ability to clot.
- Thrombophilia – your blood has an increased tendency to clot. This condition occurs when your body makes too much or too little clotting chemicals.
- Chemotherapy
- Cushing’s syndrome
However, if you have multiple sex partners and sexually active, then the above causes are to be unlikely. You may have contracted STDs through unprotected sex. Get tested as early as possible, because when it comes to STDs and HIV, the sooner the diagnosis and treatment, the better you can recover.
How are STDs treated?
Bacterial STDs can be treated with antibiotics if treatment begins at an early stage. Unfortunately, viral STDs like HIV cannot be cured, but you can control symptoms with daily medications. If you are given antibiotics to treat STDs, 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.
If you suspect your partner having STD-related bruising and other symptoms, but thinking or hoping your partner doesn’t have is no protection — you need to know for sure by having your partner tested for STDs. This way you can protect yourself and start diagnosis for your partner at an early stage avoiding major health complications.
How to get checked 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 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 is CLIA – Certified also offers an at-home STD test kit at an affordable price across the U.S.
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
$111.75 |
HealthLabs
| Starting from$24 |
Providers location
STD tests can be done in any of the following states either at the provider’s location or at home. To know the STD test cost in these locations, 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 insurance in order to ensure your privacy. However, they will provide you with 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, a 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.
Reference: STDs that cause bruising
