In people with a uterus, chlamydia or gonorrhea can sometimes lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection affecting the upper reproductive tract. Symptoms may include lower abdominal pain, pain during sex, unusual discharge, fever, or bleeding between periods. Some people have mild symptoms or none at all.
PID is important to recognize because delayed treatment can increase the risk of long-term complications, including chronic pelvic pain, fertility problems, and ectopic pregnancy. These outcomes
do not occur in everyone, and prompt medical care can help reduce the risk.
In people with a penis, certain STIs can cause inflammation of the epididymis, a structure beside the testicle that stores and transports sperm. This can lead to pain, tenderness, and swelling. Similar symptoms can occur for reasons unrelated to an STI.
Sudden, severe testicular pain requires emergency evaluation. One possible cause is testicular torsion, in which the blood supply to the testicle becomes twisted. It is a time-sensitive emergency and should not be assumed to be an infection.
