How painful is the STD exam for guys?

My dick is exit only, apart from having the urethral swab and occasionally teasing the meatus with a stainless steel sound, which is uncomfortable but very erotic. Anything deeper does hurt.

In college, I feared that I had contracted an STD so I went to the clinic. Thankfully, it wasn't but I was given a urine and blood test along with a rectal exam and swab of my penis. I nearly fainted when the doc told me what was to happen. It was unpleasant to say the least.

Nick

I'm gay and sexually active as a bottom, so i get routinely tested for STD's. Since i'm total bottom, that involves rectal and oral swabs, though they always throw in a UA even though my penis does not get used in a way that would make me vulnerable to infection.

i'm a critical care nurse at a comparatively small (180 beds) teaching hospital, where i've worked for 9 years. i know most of the doctors and work with them professionally, so my infectious disease doctor was someone i'd see and work with frequently as part of my job. He was a good looking guy and would always perform the oral and anal swab as part of my exam. He'd ask me to drop my pants and underwear and bend over the exam table, and it always felt awkward and embarrassing. About a year ago, he moved to another city and i got a new, younger female doctor. When it came time to do the swabs, i found out that the patients typically do their own. They have a bathroom where they lay the swabs out for you with instruction sheets with pictures on how to perform them. Of course, as a nurse, i already know how to do this, but i was particularly bemused to learn this was always the case and the male doctor i had had never told or offered for me to do them myself, he always performed them.

I’ve only had blood and urine for STI testing. Never anything with a q-tip - is there a reason swabs are being discussed on here more?

I’ve only received blood and urine tests as an adult. I haven’t had sex outside of marriage, so it’s been around 35 years since I was single, with different girlfriends. I sincerely miss it.

In the 70s, I had a few in SEA. Usually, it was part of a short arm. Wasn't comfortable. Felt like it went in 1/2" but I was afraid to watch. The twist was the worst.

If you were in the Navy and were positive for STDs, you had to sit on the red toilet seat. Toilets were strange. It was basically a trough that tou did your business into and was dumped overboard. You sat 2-3" away from the next guy. I don't remember if the red seat had a different spacing. Never had an STD so I don't remember how you knew I'd somebody was sitting on the right seat. It was definitely cozy pooping beside your neighbor.

I've had the swab a couple times. It's not painful, but I would compare it to a catheter. It's very uncomfortable. The first time I had one was in college as a freshman, and I won't forget that. I didn't know what was coming, and the doctor said he was just going to swab me. He gave no details at all. So I was just leaning back on the table when I felt it going, then he told me he was going to turn it and that might have been a little painful. I think it was just more that it was completely unexpected.

I had a STI (not STD anymore) test preformed several years ago and for me it was just a couple of blood draws and a urine test.

I had this done. Naked from the waist down laying on my back on the table, but not in the stirrups. A 40ish male doctor examined me. He told me he was going to do the swab, but didn't tell me what it would feel like. He held my penis and quickly inserted it about an inch. I had never felt anything like that. I kicked my legs up and groaned. He said "I know how it feels" and then withdrew the swab. The pain immediately stopped and I was allowed to dress. I was negative.

Guys that are into urethral play might like it but I didn't.

In play exams I love using qtips. With one young guy who is my patient I swab his mouth and in his bottom but never his penis. Maybe next time?

Tip of the penis? Try deep throat qtip edition

Twice during my time in the military I exhibited two symptoms, painful urination and a discolored discharge, of gonorreah. Testing consisted of unrinalysis which showed, not gonorreah, but Nonspecific Urethritis. Each time treatment wa a short course of antibiotics which cleared it up in a few days. During treatment and until a retest was clear I was restricted to base.

This was in the early 1970's when the US military was making some changes. Just a few months before my first diagnosis the restriction to base was a punitive measure and was entered in sevice records as well as medical records., but by the time I caught it, it became a medical preventive measure, only, to ensure those of us who were afflicted did not pass it on to others. Only recorded in medical records.

In the mid-70's I recieved a letter from my girl friend in the states telling me she had contracted chlamydia from someone else before my last visit and that I should get checked even though I was symptom free. Again, the only testing was visual and urinalysis. Thankfully, I tested negative.

Not painful at all. i get checked every 4 months, anal and throat swab. Urethra does not have to be swabbed, just a UA is sensitive enough to detect any pathogen. Also, where i go i can do the swabs myself. i go into a bathroom that already has the swabs and cup lined up with instructions on how to do each.

When i was younger, a Hot doctor gave me a long digital prostate massage explaining it was necessary to get an adequate sample to see if i was infected. In retrospect, i think He just wanted to finger fuck me. Fond memory. i was closeted gay at the time and had to pretend i didn't enjoy it.

@GraceT I am game for most things, but if you read my post above you will see why I would decline another urethral swab...

When I was in college I had a one night stand with a rather promiscuous student. I was later informed through a mutual friend she had contracted a STD. I did not approach her about it. I approached University Health Services instead and had a full battery of tests including the dreaded urethral swab. Yeah, it hurt like hell but I would rather go through this once then to have that burning feeling every time I voided my bladder. All results were negative. What a relief.

Never had a swab personally. Just a urine and blood test

I get STD labs done every 4-6 months, but I do my own anal and throat swabs -- never done a urthreal swab, they usually just test the urine only. So the answer is, not painful at all (but a little awkward having to swab your own butt, its like sticking the worlds smallest butt plug in lol)

I get STD labs done every 4-6 months, but I do my own anal and throat swabs -- never done a urthreal swab, they usually just test the urine only. So the answer is, not painful at all (but a little awkward having to swab your own butt, its like sticking the worlds smallest butt plug in lol)

@iamweasel2112 Do you do these swabs in an exam room or bathroom at the lab? Are you alone during these swabs or is there someone assisting or watching you? Do you just swab around your butthole or do you actually have to stick it up your butt (and if so, how far)?

It doesn’t feel great…there’s a rough cotton tip being pushed down your urethra…not much else to say about it lol

It's not that bad actually. only had it done once several years ago at a clinic. they were doing a study and i was asked if i'd be ok participating and I had said yes. the study required 2 swabs from my urethra. Along with the regular test, I had it done 3 times. The swab is very thin and it stung briefly when they did it. They didn't go in for either.

Ive had the swabs done when I go for my std blood work. Male nurse, my pants and underwear pulled down laying on the table. He holds my penis and inserts the swab about half inch..it stings like hell but over quick. Then on my side as he inserts another swab in my rectum and moves it around and then withdraws it.. all done, pants and briefs pulled up.

To anyone who says it doesn’t hurt. You either have a urethra of steel or your pain centers broken. That stupid thing hurts like hell! I only had it done once, in 2007, by an unattractive male doc and man it stung worse then a wasp, right in your pee hole. My poor urethra hurt for days, especially with urination and even had a little blood in there. Ironically enough I was negative for all STDs. I will never go through that again. Urine and blood is all I will do.

What @BigBoy024 said. I had an STD test long ago when I was in my early 20s. That q-tip like thing that went in - way in - the urethra must have been coated with something because it did sting. It was a teeth-grinding, face grimacing moment for sure. And urinating afterwards was also painful.

Do they still do STD tests like that nowadays or is that yet another antibody te$t that your doctor pre$cribe$ for you at Labcorp?

I’ve only ever had blood, urine, rectal and throat swabs. No pain involved. I’ve never had a penile swab and definitely don’t want that one.