Experience MedEx Seamless Care Delivery — 10% OFF on Your First Appointment - Use 'TRYMEDEX' Coupon Code on Checkout //////////////////////////////////// General Price List — Consultation: 750 THB | Home Lab Test Service Fee: 750 THB (FREE for Orders Over 5,000 THB)
MedEx is a one-stop destination when it comes to medical tourism and digital specialized health care services. MedEx serves as a connector between patients and trusted world-class health service providers.
Sexual health testing guide · 2026
Symptoms rarely name the organism, but they do narrow the panel considerably — and they flag the handful of situations that need same-day care.
Symptoms cannot identify an organism reliably, but they determine which tests are worth ordering and which sites to sample. Discharge and pain passing urine point towards chlamydia, gonorrhoea, M. genitalium and trichomonas. Ulcers point towards herpes, syphilis and, less commonly, chancroid, and need swabbing early. Pelvic or testicular pain raises the possibility of complications requiring same-day assessment. Many genital symptoms are not STIs at all — bacterial vaginosis, candida, urinary tract infection, dermatoses and simple irritation are all common. Testing should follow the symptom rather than defaulting to the largest available panel.
| Discharge or dysuria | Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, M. genitalium, trichomonas — PCR from relevant sites |
|---|---|
| Ulcer or blister | Lesion PCR for HSV and syphilis, syphilis serology, HIV test — swab early |
| Pelvic or testicular pain | Same-day assessment — possible PID or epididymo-orchitis |
| Often not an STI | Bacterial vaginosis, candida, UTI, dermatoses, contact irritation |
| Frequently silent | Most chlamydia, and most rectal and throat infections |
| If positive | Same-day doctor consultation for treatment and partner advice |
| Urethral discharge (men) | Chlamydia and gonorrhoea PCR; add M. genitalium with resistance testing and trichomonas if persistent. Consider culture for gonorrhoea susceptibility. |
|---|---|
| Vaginal discharge | Assess for bacterial vaginosis and candida as well as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomonas. Discharge is more often BV or candida than an STI. |
| Pain passing urine | Consider urinary tract infection alongside STI testing — a urine culture is often as relevant as a PCR panel. |
| Genital ulcer or blister | Lesion PCR for HSV-1, HSV-2 and T. pallidum; syphilis serology; HIV test. Swab before it heals. |
| Pelvic pain, deep pain during sex, abnormal bleeding | Possible pelvic inflammatory disease. Needs same-day clinical assessment, not just a test. |
| Testicular pain or swelling | Possible epididymo-orchitis; testicular torsion must be excluded urgently. Same-day assessment. |
| Anal discharge, pain or bleeding | Rectal chlamydia (including LGV) and gonorrhoea; herpes; examination needed. |
| Rash on palms and soles | Think secondary syphilis — serology plus clinical assessment. |
| Genital lumps | Warts, molluscum, skin tags or cysts. Usually diagnosed by examination rather than a swab. |
Most STI symptoms can be assessed within a few days. These should not wait:
The 24/7 doctor on call covers these outside normal hours.
Symptoms now? Same-day assessment with the right tests for the presentation.
Vaginal discharge is more commonly bacterial vaginosis or candida than an STI. Both are assessed differently — see the guides to bacterial vaginosis and candida.
Pain passing urine is frequently a urinary tract infection, particularly in women, and a urine culture may be the more useful test.
Itching and soreness are often irritant or dermatological: scented washes, wipes, laundry products, latex sensitivity, eczema, lichen sclerosus and friction all cause genital symptoms.
Lumps are frequently skin tags, cysts, molluscum or normal anatomical structures such as pearly penile papules or vestibular papillomatosis, which are commonly mistaken for warts.
This matters because a negative STI panel is not the end of the assessment. If symptoms persist with negative tests, the next step is examination and a broader differential, not a repeat panel — book a doctor consultation.
The strongest argument for screening is that the infections most likely to cause lasting harm are the ones least likely to announce themselves. Most chlamydia causes no symptoms. Most gonorrhoea in women causes none. Most trichomonas in men causes none. Rectal and pharyngeal infections are overwhelmingly asymptomatic.
Screening after a new partner, and periodically with multiple partners, catches what symptoms miss. Timing matters as much as testing — see the window periods guide — and site selection matters as much as timing, covered in the STI PCR panel guide.
Where risk is ongoing, prevention is more effective than repeated testing: consistent condom use, hepatitis A and B vaccination, HPV vaccination where eligible, and PrEP for HIV.
Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma genitalium and trichomonas can all cause discharge. In women, however, discharge is more often bacterial vaginosis or candida than an STI, so the assessment should cover both.
Testicular pain or swelling, severe pelvic pain or fever, inability to pass urine, eye involvement, and new visual or hearing changes with known or suspected syphilis. Testicular torsion in particular is a surgical emergency.
Yes, and it is the norm. Most chlamydia, most gonorrhoea in women, most trichomonas in men and the great majority of rectal and throat infections cause no symptoms at all.
The next step is examination and a broader differential rather than repeating the panel. Irritant and dermatological causes, urinary tract infection, bacterial vaginosis and candida are all common explanations.
No. Skin tags, cysts, molluscum and normal anatomical structures such as pearly penile papules or vestibular papillomatosis are frequently mistaken for warts. Diagnosis is usually by examination rather than a swab.
The classic primary syphilitic ulcer is painless, which makes it a useful clue, but it is not reliable enough to diagnose on. Any genital ulcer should be swabbed for herpes and syphilis with serology and an HIV test alongside.
Negative panel but symptoms persist? The next step is examination, not another panel.
Medical disclaimer: This article is general health information and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Laboratory reference ranges differ between laboratories and results must be interpreted alongside your symptoms, medicines and medical history. Speak with a qualified clinician before starting, stopping or changing any treatment. Service details, inclusions and prices can change — confirm them with MedEx before booking.
When to draw estradiol, why the day of the cycle changes everything, what it adds in menopause assessment and how it is used in men.
Why NIPT starts at 10 weeks, how gestational age affects fetal fraction, and how to plan timing around the dating scan and confirmatory options.
Why Ureaplasma parvum, U. urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis are usually normal flora, what a positive result means and when treatment is justified.
Find quality services, specialists, procedures and more from the comfort of your home. All you need to do is enter a keyword or phrase describing what you are looking for.
DOWNLOAD MEDEX ONE APP
MedEx is a one-stop digital care navigation concierge backed by physical infrastructure, owning the patient experience and decentralizing the care continuum across Asia—integrating provider aggregation, satellite clinics, telemedicine, and at-home care.
MedEx is a one-stop digital care navigation concierge backed by physical infrastructure, owning the patient experience and decentralizing the care continuum across Asia—integrating provider aggregation, satellite clinics, telemedicine, and at-home care.
© 2020-26 MedEx Ventures Co., Ltd.
