How painful is the STD exam for guys?

Anyone ever had one? I heard the doctor swabs the tip of the penis.

My understanding is that the STD test use to involve a urethral swab, inserting a q tip down the urethra, not just at the tip. Now, they just do a blood test.

At an STD clinic they nearly always take a swab from inside the urethra followed by urine and blood samples. The swab is more effective than a urine sample in detecting certain infections. A Q tip or sometimes a plastic probe is used, it's done very quickly so nothing to worry about.

Dr Philip - The UK Play Doctor.

Very painful! I had to have this test done some 25 years ago in college. My girlfriend started having STD symptoms so she made me go to the Student Health Center to get tested. A nurse aide took me back to an exam room and told me to "strip from the waist down, including undies, and to have a seat on the exam table." She gave me a towell and told me to place it across my lap. She then left the room and I undressed. Fifteen minutes later a tall, stern looking woman came into the room. She wore a heavily starched nurse dress, She was about 35 and had a great figure but a mean looking face. Behind her was the nurse aide who brought me to the room, a girl about my age who was quite pretty. The nurse sat down on a rolling stool and said, "Okay young man, hop down and stand facing me." I stood facing her, holding the towel in front of me. She looked perturbed, saying: "Hand the towell to Jillian. I need to see your penis. No need to be shy." The nurse aide extended her hand and I gave her the towell. She then went to stand behind the nurse. She and the nurse stared at my groin as the nurse put on gloves. The nurse lectured me about the danger of std's, telling me that the only way to be safe is to "keep your penis in your pants." She then asked if I had any discharge. She then roughly grasped my dick in her hand and quickly ran her hand roughly up and down the shaft several times. She said she was "milking the urethra." She then squeezed open the tip. She next said, "Jillian, hand me the urethral swab kit." As the nurse aide went to get it I popped a huge boner." The aide gave her what looked like a long wooden stick with sort of a brush at the end. The nurse held it out for me to see. "I am going to insert this into the tip of your penis. It will burn and will hurt for a few seconds. She took my dick in one hand and with the other shoved the stick up my pee hole. I cried out in pain it hurt so bad, and really hurt when she twisted it. Tears came to my eyes and my boner immediately ceased. As she pulled it out she said, "I hope this teaches you to keep your penis in your pants." They stayed in the room as I dressed. In a week a got a call saying I was fine.

Thanks for the description. As far as I know the swab test is still done frequently. Never had it but would really like to experience the sensation.

I had it done in the 1970s.... even though it was done by a hot young guy, the overwhelming memory I have was of a sharp pain in the wrong place! 😃

As many responses I have seen have been from men saying how painful it is, I can only say I have only had it done once, and it was completely painless. I have no idea why so many men say it is painful. Maybe it is just anticipation of the procedure.

I've had this done once and certainly would not describe it as painful. At worst I would describe it as mildly uncomfortable. As kennypan said, I think the perceived paid is probably due to anticipation and expecting it to be painful (from all those false reports of what actually happens). For me I found it more embarassing than painful, particularly as I seemed much older (and should have known better) than most other people at the clinic. Fortunately tests were clear!

A friend (not into medfet so he's not bullshitting) had a full STD checkup at a GUM clinic today, and had a proctoscope exam to check for (as it was explained to him) "rectal mucus".

He's gay, so I could see the need for something extra... but I can't find any reference to this anywhere? Can anyone shed some light?

This is not uncommon for homosexual patients. Several STDs can also affect the anal area (e.g. anal warts). I really like proctoscopies but I can understand some people find the exam uncomfortable. Anal swabs are not uncommon either when treating gay patients.

Had the swab done at a free clinic once. Not fun and it hurt a bit when I peed for a couple of days. It was also done by an older female nurse that asked me to hold my penis and open the slit.

I had this done once, but don't remember the swab being inserted very far. I thought it was going to sting and burn quite a bit, but was pleasantly surprised when I had very little pain. This was probably due to the swab not going in very far, otherwise I'm sure it would not be too pleasant, and maybe even quite painful. A very sensitive area to be sure.

Having an STD/STI is going to be a lot more painful than having the test!! Its over in seconds and it sounds lots worse than it is. Yes I'm female, but I know what I am on about!!

Its not to painful but deff uncomfortable, it is quick only takes a few seconds

I got checked for chlamydia a couple of years ago and barely remember it. Quick swab in the urethra and it's done...not painful at all. What I DO remember, though, is the prostate exam. I was only about 27, but I was in the doc for pain in my perineum, so they thought they'd give the prostate a check too.

I am glad i have not have to get std test but the thought is big turn on but also i am thinking that the person doing it would be thinking bad things about me.

The urine test is just as accurate as the urethral swab that's why most clinics just do this test now this encourages more guys to come in for testing. Some still do both the swab and urine for research purposes (ie to make sure the same antibiotics are still killing the syph and Gono).

Yeah, i wouldn't say nothing to worry about. They do not just swab the tip. They actually stick the q-tip a few centimeters into the urethra and twist. It is quick, but not pleasant!

All the one's I've had have involved peeing in a cup, I've never had my urethra swabbed. That said, at my most recent checkup, the doctor did use a proctoscope on me, and took a rectal swab. (Not that I complained, mind you...)

As a real doc, I can say that some STD tests require a urethral swab for the best lab results, some can be done via a blood test. Typically, if you don't have an STD, assuming that you don't have a barbarian doing the swabbing, it should really not hurt, maybe a little uncomfortable, but not painful. Of course, the exception is if there actually is an STD present. Some STDs cause inflammation of the urethra and in these cases, there will be varying amounts of pain, depending on the degree of inflammation (YMMV!). The swab only needs to be inserted a centimeter or two. If there is a noticeable discharge, then it really does not need to be inserted very far at all since the discharge has the bugs that the lab will be looking for. Also, just so there is no huge worry, this is not a swab like a Q-Tip that you would buy and the drug store. Although any sterile swab will collect a sample, the swab that should be used is 1/4 the width of a standard Q-Tip, so it is quite small and really should not hurt.

Very nippy pain not much fun

VERY unpleasant, I urinated blood for two weeks after.

Thats why you should ask for the urine test and refuse the swab. Studies show that the urine test is just as effective for Gonorrhea and chlamydia, when compared to the swab especially when you consider that the swab and exam are barriers to to testing due to modesty issues and perceived pain of the testing process. In other words clinics are getting more people tested and treated by advertising that testing only" involves blood and urine and no undressing" . So despite the fact that swab tests may be slightly more accurite (although this virtually eliminated when the urine test is done correctly with the patient not voiding 1 hour prior to the test) the blood and urine test is more effective overall.

So if your worried about the swab only accept the urine test if you need an STD test.

http://www.ppt.on.ca/userfiles//poster_STI13x19_otln5.pdf

I think swabs are much less common nowadays. Most can detected by urine tests.

I went in to my school's clinic today for an STD test. I'm having some testicular pain and thought I should get tested anyways. The process was more involved than I thought it would be, but the culture swab itself was totally painless.

I first met with a nurse who took my weight, temperature, blood pressure, etc. Then I saw the doctor who had me pull my pants down, pull my shirt up, lean back and put a paper sheet over my exposed areas. She said I could opt for a urine test instead of urethral swabs for a $25 fee but being a free clinic I want to spend as little as possible. This was interesting for me because I have never used a paper sheet or any coverup before. The doctor checked my abdomen and bladder for sensitive spots and handled my testicles asking when it hurt. She checked my penis for redness or discharge then she took two swab cultures from my urethra. I was expecting it to hurt but actually I could hardly feel anything. Definitely no burning or stinging. I thought that would be it but she said prostate checks were regular with exams like these so she had me turn around and bend over. I wasn't expecting a rectal. This was the most uncomfortable part of the day, although my prostate was fine it felt like a lot of pressure.

Even though she wasn't sure if I had an STD or not she gave me a prescription for a treatment. She also had me go up to the lab for a blood draw and a urinalysis, even though it wasn't for STD diagnosis. I think it was standard HIV screening. After this I thought I could finally leave but she the lab tech said the doctor ordered an immunization just to be safe. So then I had to go down to a nurse's office and get a shot. I took off my jacket and sat down in the chair but she told me it had to be in my rear end because of the possible irritation. This also surprised me a bit as I've never had a shot anywhere else than my arm before. So I pulled down my pants again and she gave me a shot in the butt. Not painful but it stung a little. Then I had to wait fifteen minutes in the waiting room, then check back in with another nurse to make sure there was no serious irritation at the site of the injection.

It ended up being a kind of drawn-out process with more exposure and more people than I thought, but I'm not complaining. Long story short...no, my STD swab tests weren't painful.

Fortunately, I have only had one swab exam. My penis was somewhat enlarged at the time and I thought this may make exam a little "easier." Perhaps it did; however, the burning sensation was quite intense! However, I did find myself returning home rather quickly in order to masturbate!

I recently went to a clinic to get tested. Thankfully I'm clean. But the exam consisted of giving a blood sample, urine sample and a quick visual look at my genitals. It was quick and didn't include a swab.

It is painful. I was 14 when I had the test and I was still a virgin! While I was hospitalized from an eye injury they did a routine test on my urine and wanted to follow up with a STD test. Strange since I told them I was a virgin and they didn't get my parents' consent before testing me. Anyway, because of my injury, I had both of my eyes covered and they strapped my arms, legs, and waist to a hospital bed for 2 weeks (to minimalize body movement while my eye healed). Anyway, while blindfolded and bond, they wanted to do an STD test. This is what happened during the test - I remember hearing a nurse wheel a cart into the room and explain that she had to test me. She explained very little and methodical began prepping. I heard her set up some tools, which seemed like an eternity. Then I heard her snap and stretch a pair of gloves on. My heart started to race as I tried to guess what she was going to do. Next, she removed my blankets and began wingling off my pajama pants. I was now laying in my underwear strapped to the bed. I was embarrassed and nervous because I was helpless. She then explained that she was going to take a sample from inside my penis. I had no idea what was in store especially since I couldn't see. But I do remember being turned on and embarrassed at the same time. She then pulled down my underwear and grabbed my penis. She examined it a little holding it softly in her warm gloved hands. She then wiped it with something wet (probably to sterlize it). And then wham! It felt like she was running a knife through my penis. It stung and although it did not last longer than it minute, it was painful for days. The worst part is that the next day they came back and said they lost the test results and wanted to do the procedure over again. I begged my parents not to go through that ordeal again and they agreed. And no, I never had an STD.

I have had a urethral swab taken during STD checks and not once have I found it painful.

There's maybe a couple of seconds of discomfort when they withdraw it but certainly not as painful in my experiences as some people have described it in this thread.

"it hurts like hell", and bloody - i urinated blood for two weeks.