This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Many infections that pass through sex cause no symptoms at all. Others cause signs that are easy to mistake for something minor. That is why STD symptoms in men are only part of the picture, and why testing is the only way to know what is going on.

This guide covers the signs the CDC lists for each common infection, why a throat or rectal test is its own test, which symptoms call for a same-day visit, and where to find free or low-cost testing in Dallas.

A note on terms: this page uses "men" to mean anyone with a penis and testicles. The same information applies to cisgender men, transgender women, nonbinary people and anyone else with that anatomy, whatever their partners' genders.

Why symptoms are an unreliable guide

The CDC says that many STIs have mild symptoms or none. A person can carry chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, trichomoniasis or HIV for a long time without noticing anything.

Symptoms can also come and go. A sore may heal on its own while the infection stays in the body. Discharge may stop even though the bacteria remain.

So the useful question is not "do I have symptoms?" It is "when did I last test, and what has changed since then?" A clinician can help answer that.

Signs by infection

The lists below follow CDC patient and clinical pages. A symptom on this list does not mean a person has that infection. Many other conditions, such as urinary tract infections, irritation from friction or skin conditions, can look similar. Only a test can tell the difference.

Chlamydia

The CDC says most people with chlamydia have no symptoms. When men do have symptoms, they can include:

Discharge from the penis
A burning feeling when urinating
Pain and swelling in one or both testicles, which is less common

Chlamydia in the rectum can cause pain, discharge or bleeding. It can also cause no symptoms. Chlamydia is curable with treatment from a clinician.

Gonorrhea

The CDC lists these possible signs of gonorrhea in men:

A white, yellow or green discharge from the penis
Burning with urination
Painful or swollen testicles, which is less common

In the rectum, gonorrhea may cause discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding or painful bowel movements. In the throat, the CDC says it usually causes no symptoms. Some people have a sore throat. Gonorrhea is curable with treatment from a clinician.

Syphilis

The CDC describes syphilis in stages, and the signs differ at each one.

Primary stage: one or more sores, called chancres. They are usually firm, round and painless, which is why they are easy to miss. They can appear on the penis, in the rectum or in the mouth.
Secondary stage: a skin rash, sometimes on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Other signs include sores in the mouth or genital area, fever, swollen lymph nodes, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches and fatigue.
Latent stage: no signs at all, even though the infection is still there.

The CDC says syphilis that goes untreated can later damage the heart, brain, eyes and other organs. Syphilis is curable with treatment from a clinician, and earlier detection generally means simpler care.

Genital herpes

The CDC says most people with genital herpes have no symptoms or very mild ones. When signs appear, they can include blisters or sores on or around the penis, scrotum, buttocks, anus or thighs. Some people feel tingling or itching first. The first outbreak can also come with fever and body aches.

Herpes is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable. A clinician can prescribe medicine that shortens outbreaks and lowers how often they occur.

Trichomoniasis

The CDC says most men with trichomoniasis have no symptoms. Some notice itching or irritation inside the penis, burning after urinating or ejaculating, or discharge. It is curable with treatment from a clinician.

HIV

Some people have a flu-like illness, with fever, chills, rash, sore throat or swollen glands, about two to four weeks after HIV enters the body, according to the CDC. Many people have no early symptoms at all. The only way to know is to test.

HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. The CDC says that with ongoing treatment, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives.

HPV and genital warts

Some types of HPV cause warts on the penis, scrotum, groin or anus. Other types cause no visible signs. The CDC notes that there is no approved HPV test for men that checks for the virus in general. Warts can be seen and diagnosed by a clinician, who can also talk about vaccination. HPV is not curable, though the warts and the health problems HPV can cause are treatable.

Why throat and rectal testing are separate

This part surprises many people. A urine test for chlamydia and gonorrhea checks the urethra, the tube inside the penis. It cannot tell a clinician anything about the throat or the rectum.

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend testing at each site of sexual contact. For men who have receptive oral sex, that means a throat swab. For men who have receptive anal sex, that means a rectal swab. Infections at one site can be present while the other sites test negative.

There are two good reasons this matters:

Throat and rectal infections often cause no symptoms. Without a swab, they can go unnoticed for months.
An untreated infection at one site can be passed on. It can also make it easier to acquire or pass on HIV, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends that sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men be screened at least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV, with chlamydia and gonorrhea testing at the sites of contact. For people with more partners or other factors that raise risk, the CDC suggests screening more often, such as every 3 to 6 months. A clinician can help set the right schedule.

It is fine to tell a clinician exactly which kinds of sex you have. They ask so they can choose the right swabs, not to judge. Clinicians cannot test for what they do not know to look for.

How an STD test for men works

An STD test for men usually uses some combination of these samples, depending on symptoms and the kinds of sex a person has:

A urine sample for chlamydia and gonorrhea
A throat swab, a rectal swab, or both
A blood draw or fingerstick for HIV and syphilis
A swab of a sore or blister, if one is present, for herpes

The CDC lists several kinds of HIV tests, each with a different window period. The window period is the time after an exposure when a test may not yet detect the virus. According to the CDC:

A nucleic acid test can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure.
An antigen/antibody test on blood from a vein can usually detect it 18 to 45 days after exposure.
An antigen/antibody fingerstick test can usually detect it 18 to 90 days after exposure.
Antibody tests can usually detect it 23 to 90 days after exposure.

If a person tests within one of these windows, a clinician may suggest testing again later. For other infections, a clinician can advise on timing after a recent exposure.

When to see a clinician the same day

Most STI concerns are not emergencies, but some situations are worth acting on quickly. Contact a clinician or urgent care the same day, or go to an emergency room, if any of these apply:

Sudden, severe testicle pain. This can have causes unrelated to infection, such as testicular torsion, which needs urgent care. Pain with swelling, redness or fever also deserves a prompt exam.
A possible HIV exposure in the last 72 hours. The CDC says post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, works best when started as soon as possible and within 72 hours. A clinician decides whether it fits and prescribes it. Dallas County Health and Human Services lists nPEP among the services at its Sexual Health Clinic.
A new sore, blister or rash, especially after a recent new partner or a partner who has been diagnosed with an infection.
Eye pain, vision changes, ringing in the ears or hearing changes. The CDC notes that syphilis can affect the eyes and ears, and these signs warrant quick evaluation.
Burning with urination along with fever, chills or back pain. A clinician can sort out whether this is an STI or another kind of infection.
Severe pain, heavy rectal bleeding or high fever at any time.

If you are unsure whether something is urgent, calling a clinic and describing the symptom is a reasonable first step. When symptoms are serious, go to an emergency room.

Dallas context

Texas DSHS publishes county-level numbers for sexually transmitted infections. These counts include everyone, not only men. The most recent county STD figures DSHS has published are from 2022. Dallas County rates were higher than the statewide rates for the same year:

Infection (2022)	Dallas County, per 100,000	Texas, per 100,000
Chlamydia	848.7 (22,073 cases)	519.9
Gonorrhea	411.3 (10,696 cases)	207.0
Syphilis, all stages	162.4 (4,223 cases)	86.6

Source: Texas DSHS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Texas in 2022 (county) and Texas STD Surveillance Report 2022 (state).

For HIV, the Texas DSHS HIV Surveillance Report for 2021 lists 795 new diagnoses in Dallas County, a rate of 30.7 per 100,000, compared with 14.8 per 100,000 for Texas as a whole.

These numbers are not a reason for alarm. They are a reason to treat testing as routine health care. More testing means more infections found early, when they are easiest to treat.

Texas also requires clinicians and labs to report certain infections to public health authorities. According to Texas DSHS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV are on the state's notifiable conditions list. Reporting is how health departments track trends and, where appropriate, help connect partners to care.

Where to get tested in Dallas

Dallas has public, nonprofit and community options. Costs and walk-in rules change, so confirm with the clinic before you go. The full list, with more detail, is on the local testing list, and the cost breakdown is in our guide to STD testing in Dallas, where to get tested and what it costs.

Dallas County Health and Human Services Sexual Health Clinic

The clinic is at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75207. The phone number is (214) 819-1819. The clinic's page lists hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The phone line opens at 7:45 a.m., and the clinic closes at 3:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

The county page lists testing for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and mpox. It also lists treatment for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes outbreaks, along with PrEP and nPEP. Appointments are required, and same-day or next-day appointments are offered. The page says people who need routine testing without symptoms are directed to the DCHHS Mobile Medical Unit. The county page does not list fees. The CDC GetTested listing says Medicaid is accepted and says to contact the organization about eligibility. The page does not list doxy-PEP, so ask the clinic if that matters to you.

More at the DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic page.

Resource Center Health (Nelson-Tebedo clinic)

Resource Center is at 2603 Inwood Rd., Dallas, TX 75235, phone 214.528.2336. Its testing page lists a confidential rapid HIV antibody test, an early HIV RNA test and a syphilis test as free. Gonorrhea and chlamydia testing is listed as free with a $40 office visit. An anonymous HIV antibody screening is listed at $90, and a hepatitis A, B and C panel at $100. The page asks you to request an appointment online and does not mention walk-ins. It does not state a sliding scale or insurance policy. The PrEP Care Program can be reached at 214.540.4469. See the Resource Center testing page.

Prism Health North Texas

The Oak Lawn Health Center is at 2801 Lemmon Ave, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75204, phone 214-521-5191. Prism lists sliding fee rates based on household income and size, and says it accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and most private insurance. It also states that it does not deny care based on ability to pay. Appointments should be scheduled in advance, with same-day and walk-in appointments for urgent issues depending on availability.

Prism also lists HIV and STI testing and treatment at its Oak Cliff, Uptown, South Dallas and Worth Street locations, all on the same phone number. See the Prism locations page.

Other Dallas options

The CDC GetTested locator lists these additional clinics. The details below come from that listing, so confirm them with the clinic.

AHF Healthcare Center - Dallas, 7777 Forest Ln Ste B 122, (972) 383-1060. Sliding scale; the listing says an appointment is not required.
Neighborhood Medical Center, 5917 Belt Line Rd, (972) 726-6464. Insurance accepted and sliding scale available; the listing says an appointment is not required.
Parkland Health - Southeast Dallas Health Center, 9202 Elam Rd, (214) 266-1600. The listing shows a free HIV test, with insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale accepted.
Martin Luther King Jr Family Clinic (Foremost Family Health Centers), 2922-B MLK Jr Blvd, (214) 426-3645. Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and sliding scale accepted.

You can also search for more sites at gettested.cdc.gov, the CDC's testing locator.

Free at-home testing from the state

Texas DSHS lists a free mailed self-testing program called Test for Texas for people 13 or older anywhere in the state. DSHS says it covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia and does not require insurance. Details are on the DSHS free at-home testing page. Ask a clinician how self-collected samples fit with throat or rectal testing if that applies to you.

Teens and privacy

Under Texas Family Code Section 32.003, a minor of any age may consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious disease, which covers reportable STIs and HIV. Parent or guardian consent is not necessary for that care.

The same statute lets a physician tell a parent or guardian about treatment, with or without the minor's consent. That is permitted, not required, so a provider cannot promise it will never happen. It is fair to ask a clinic about its practice before the visit.

One Dallas detail: the Children's Health Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine clinic says a parent or guardian must give general consent for a minor to be treated there, even though it notes that minors can consent to STD testing under Texas law. Call (214) 456-9099 to ask how that works.

Talking with partners, and treatment for them

If a clinician finds an infection, they may suggest that recent partners be tested or treated too. According to the CDC's legal summary for Texas, clinicians may prescribe STD medication for the partners of an established patient without examining the partner first, and pharmacists may dispense it. This is called expedited partner therapy. A clinician decides whether it is appropriate, and a partner who has symptoms or other health conditions still benefits from being seen in person.

For some men who have sex with men, the CDC's 2024 guidance describes doxycycline taken after sex, called doxy-PEP, as an option to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs. Only a clinician can decide whether it fits and prescribe it.

What to bring and ask

Your insurance card, if you have one. Many Dallas clinics also offer sliding fees.
A short list of symptoms and when they started.
The kinds of sex you have had, so the clinician can choose the right sites to test.
Questions about cost, how long results take and how you will be told.
Questions about PrEP, PEP, vaccines for HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and hepatitis C testing.

Testing is a routine, practical step, and clinicians do it every day. Whatever the result, there is a next step available, and most are simple.

STD Symptoms in Men: Signs, When to Test and Where in Dallas