The answer depends on which STD you are infected with. Some STDs have few or no symptoms. This is why it is important to practice safe sex and if you are worried about having caught an STD, visit your doctor or local STD clinic. Check-ups and tests for STDs are free and confidential.

Chlamydia is sometimes called the silent disease because of the lack of specific symptoms. You may have a few general symptoms such as pelvic pain or cystitis (in women) or swollen testicles (in men), but it is hard to spot otherwise.

Symptoms of genital herpes usually appear within a week after contact with an infected person. A red, painful rash appears on the genitals or nearby. The rash soon becomes blisters, and the blisters burst, releasing fluid.

Genital warts can take a very long time to appear. Months or even years can pass between the time a person is infected with the virus and the time noticable warts can be seen in the genital area. In women they can also appear inside the vagina and on the cervix, where you cannot see them.

With syphilis, an ulcer or ulcers appear where the bacteria first entered the body, typically two to three weeks after infection. The ulcers or sores are usually on the genitals, but can also appear around the mouth and anus.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in both men and women usually appear between one and fourteen days after infection. However, up to half of all women (and 10% of men) who contract gonorrhea do not experience any symptoms. Symptoms can include green or yellow discharge (from the vagina or penis), irritation or discharge from the anus, and abdominal or testicular pain.

The redness, irritation and discharge associated with thrush usually appears two to five days after exposure.