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 men never notice anything at all. The CDC says that most sexually transmitted infections (STIs) cause no symptoms, or symptoms so mild they are easy to miss. That is why an STD test for men is based on exposure and testing schedules, not only on how the body feels.

This guide covers the signs that can show up with each infection, why throat and rectal testing are separate from a urine test, when a symptom means seeing a clinician the same day, and where to get tested in New York City. It is written for men of every orientation and for anyone with a penis, including trans women and nonbinary people.

Why symptoms are an unreliable guide

Research summarized in the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) suggests that chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, herpes, HPV and HIV can all be present without obvious signs. A person can pass an infection to a partner during that quiet stretch. The reverse is also true. Some symptoms, such as burning with urination, have several possible causes, and only a test can sort them out.

So this page cannot tell you what you have. It can tell you what a clinician may look for and what a test can find.

Signs by infection

The signs below are the ones the CDC lists. Not everyone gets them, and having one does not point to a specific infection.

Chlamydia

When the CDC describes chlamydia in men, it lists discharge from the penis, burning when urinating, and sometimes pain or swelling in one or both testicles. Many men have no symptoms. Chlamydia in the rectum can cause pain, discharge or bleeding. In the throat it usually causes no symptoms.

Chlamydia is curable with treatment from a clinician.

Gonorrhea

The CDC describes a similar pattern: a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis, burning with urination, and sometimes swollen or tender testicles. Rectal infection can cause discharge, itching, soreness or bleeding. Throat infection often causes no symptoms, though some people have a sore throat.

Gonorrhea is curable with treatment from a clinician. Because antibiotic resistance is a concern, the CDC guidelines ask clinicians to follow current recommendations. That is a clinician's decision, not something to manage at home.

Syphilis

Syphilis moves through stages, and the CDC describes each one differently. The first sign is often a sore, called a chancre. It is usually firm and painless, so it can go unnoticed, especially inside the rectum, in the mouth or under the foreskin. The second stage can bring a rash, often on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, along with fever, swollen glands or patchy hair loss. Symptoms can fade without treatment even though the infection remains.

Syphilis is curable with treatment from a clinician. Testing is a blood test.

Trichomoniasis

The CDC notes that most men with trichomoniasis have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can include itching or irritation inside the penis, burning after urination or ejaculation, or some discharge. It is curable with treatment from a clinician.

Genital herpes

The CDC describes herpes as often silent. When signs appear, they can include small blisters or sores that become painful ulcers, along with tingling or itching beforehand. A first outbreak can come with fever and swollen glands. Herpes is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable. A clinician can prescribe medicine that shortens outbreaks or lowers how often they happen.

HPV and genital warts

Most HPV infections cause no symptoms and clear on their own, according to the CDC. Some types cause warts on or around the genitals or anus. Other types are linked to cancers, including cancers of the anus and the back of the throat. HPV is not curable, but warts are treatable and the infection often resolves without treatment. The HPV vaccine helps protect against the types that cause most of these problems.

HIV

The CDC says some people have a flu-like illness within a few weeks of HIV infection, with fever, sore throat, rash, tiredness or swollen glands. Others have no symptoms for years. Those same symptoms are common with many ordinary illnesses, so a test is the only way to know. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. According to the CDC, treatment can bring the virus to levels a test cannot detect, and a person who stays at that level does not pass HIV to partners through sex.

Why throat and rectal testing are separate

A urine test checks the urethra, the tube inside the penis. It cannot see what is happening in the throat or rectum.

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend testing at each site of sexual contact. For chlamydia and gonorrhea, that can mean:

a urine sample or swab for the urethra,
a throat swab if there has been oral sex,
a rectal swab if there has been anal sex.

The reason is practical. Research cited by the CDC suggests that infections in the throat and rectum are often missed when only urine is tested, and that these infections often cause no symptoms. A man could have a negative urine result and still have an infection at another site. This applies to men who have sex with men, and also to any man or trans woman whose sexual contact included the throat or rectum.

You do not need to explain your history in detail. Telling the clinician which kinds of sex you have had is enough for them to choose the right swabs. The swabs are quick, and in many settings you can collect the rectal swab yourself.

How often testing is recommended

The CDC guidelines recommend 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. The guidelines suggest testing every three to six months for people at higher likelihood of exposure, for example with multiple or anonymous partners.

The USPSTF recommends HIV screening for everyone aged 15 to 65 at least once, and more often for people at increased likelihood of exposure. A clinician can help set a schedule that fits your life.

What the CDC says about timing and window periods

A test can only find an infection after enough time has passed since exposure. For HIV, the CDC publishes these general windows:

A nucleic acid test (NAT) can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure.
An antigen/antibody lab test on a blood draw from a vein can usually detect it 18 to 45 days after exposure.
A rapid antigen/antibody test from a finger stick can take 18 to 90 days.
Antibody-only tests, including most self-tests, can take 23 to 90 days.

For other infections, the right timing depends on the test and the infection. Ask the clinician when a test is most informative for your situation. If you test early, they may suggest testing again later.

When to see a clinician the same day

Most symptoms are worth a prompt visit, not an emergency. A few call for care the same day:

Sudden or severe pain or swelling in a testicle. This can be an infection of the epididymis, which a clinician should assess quickly. Sudden severe testicular pain can also have other causes, including testicular torsion, which is an emergency. An emergency department is the right place if a clinic cannot see you.
Fever with genital pain, sores or rash.
Pain with urination together with fever or back pain.
Pain, swelling or sores that are spreading quickly.
A recent exposure to HIV. The CDC says post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) works best when started as soon as possible and must be started within 72 hours. A clinician prescribes it. NYC Health lists a 24/7 PEP Hotline at 844-373-7692.

If you are unsure, calling the NYC Sexual Health Clinic Hotline at 347-396-7959 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., per NYC Health) is a reasonable first step.

Treatment and prevention a clinician can discuss

Bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment from a clinician. Herpes, HPV and HIV are treatable and manageable but not curable. Never use leftover medicine or a partner's prescription. The wrong medicine can hide symptoms without clearing the infection.

The CDC's 2024 guidance on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) suggests that clinicians discuss it with gay and bisexual men and transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months. Whether it fits you is a conversation for a clinician. HIV PrEP is another option clinicians can prescribe. NYC Health clinics, Callen-Lorde and Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center list PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP among their services.

Under New York's expedited partner therapy law (Public Health Law § 2312), clinicians may be able to provide treatment for partners. NYC Health says the CDC recommends this for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. Ask the clinician whether it applies to you.

What the numbers look like in New York City

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) reports the following for 2024, in its STI Surveillance Annual Report:

Chlamydia: 760.16 cases per 100,000 people (62,774 cases).
Gonorrhea: 398.27 per 100,000 (32,889 cases).
Primary and secondary syphilis: 17.76 per 100,000 (1,467 cases).

For HIV, NYC DOHMH reports 1,791 new diagnoses in 2024. These are reported cases, so they reflect who was tested as well as who was infected. They are a reason to make testing routine, not a reason for alarm. NYC Health also says that chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis must be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours. Clinics report these results as a public health routine, which is part of how the city tracks and responds to outbreaks.

Where to test in New York City

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene runs Sexual Health Clinics that are low cost or no cost. NYC Health says adults 19 and older are asked for insurance or a sliding-scale fee, no proof of income is required, no payment is collected at the clinic, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. Most services are walk-in only, and clinics may close early once capacity is reached, so earlier in the day is safer. The clinics list STI testing, HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP, HPV vaccine (for patients receiving other sexual health services) and treatment.

For a borough-by-borough list, see our guide to where to get tested in New York City. Here are the DOHMH locations NYC Health lists as open:

Clinic	Address	Hours listed by NYC Health
Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic and Express Clinic	303 9th Avenue, First Floor, Manhattan, NY 10001	Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Express: Monday and Wednesday to Friday 8:30 to 3:30, Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic	2238 Fifth Avenue, First Floor, Manhattan, NY 10037	Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fort Greene Sexual Health Clinic and Express Clinic	295 Flatbush Avenue Extension, Brooklyn, NY 11201	Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Express: Tuesday until 7 p.m.
Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic	1309 Fulton Avenue, Second Floor, Bronx, NY 10456	Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Jamaica Sexual Health Clinic	90-37 Parsons Boulevard, First Floor, Queens, NY 11432	Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Corona Sexual Health Clinic	34-33 Junction Boulevard, First Floor, Queens, NY 11372	Monday to Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

NYC Health lists no per-clinic phone number. Call the hotline at 347-396-7959. NYC Health notes that the Crown Heights and Riverside clinics are closed until further notice, and that it lists no Sexual Health Clinic on Staten Island. Staten Island residents may find the Brooklyn or Manhattan sites most practical. Check the NYC Health Sexual Health Clinics page for current hours.

NYC Health says the Chelsea Express and Fort Greene Express clinics have a Quickie Lab with rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea results. The main Chelsea clinic does not offer rapid results, and NYC Health says to expect results in seven days.

Other options

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center is an LGBTQ+ health center. Its Chelsea site is at 356 W 18th St, Manhattan, phone 212-271-7200. Callen-Lorde lists sexual health visits by appointment Monday to Friday with limited walk-in, plus Saturday walk-in from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It says services are available regardless of ability to pay, with a sliding fee for people who are uninsured or underinsured and visit co-pays of $0 to $100. It also lists sites in the Bronx (555 Bergen Ave, 718-215-1800) and Brooklyn (40 Flatbush Ave Ext, 718-215-1818). Its sexual health page names only the Chelsea site, so confirm services at the others when you call.
Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center, 312-320 East 94th Street, Manhattan, phone 212-423-3000, serves people ages 10 to 26. Mount Sinai says its services are completely free and lists walk-in hours Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., including same-day rapid HIV testing.
Free HIV self-test kits. NYC Health says NYC residents can get free HIV self-test kits through Community Home Test Giveaway partner agencies, by calling 311, or by texting TESTNYC to 55676. NYC Health pages do not list a free at-home STI kit program.
The CDC's GetTested locator at gettested.cdc.gov lets you enter a ZIP code to find other testing sites.

Younger men and privacy

NYC Health says its Sexual Health Clinics serve anyone 12 or older without parental consent, regardless of immigration status. New York Public Health Law § 2305 lets a licensed physician diagnose and treat a person under 21 who has or may have been exposed to an STD without parental consent or knowledge. NYC Health also says adolescents can get PrEP at its clinics without a parent's permission.

If you are worried about cost or coverage, the NYS PrEP Assistance Program (1-800-542-2437) helps uninsured people, or people whose insurance does not cover some PrEP services, with PrEP-related care and lab costs. It does not cover the medication itself. You must use a participating provider.

What to bring and what to expect

Bring photo ID or insurance information if you have them. NYC Health says no proof of income is required at its clinics.
Be ready to say when your last sexual contact was and which types you have had. Clinicians use this to choose the right tests. They ask the same questions of everyone.
Ask how and when you will receive results, and what happens if a result is positive. Many clinics can start treatment the same day or soon after.
If a result is positive, ask about partner notification. NYC Health clinics can help with this, and the choice of how to proceed remains yours.

Key points

Many STIs in men cause no symptoms, so testing schedules matter as much as symptoms.
Throat and rectal infections need their own swabs. A urine test does not check them.
Severe testicular pain, fever with genital symptoms, or a possible recent HIV exposure should be seen the same day.
NYC Health Sexual Health Clinics are low cost or no cost, and no one is turned away for inability to pay.

STD Symptoms in Men: Signs, When to Test and Where in New York City