High School

A 22-year-old male comes in with a 3-day history of dysuria. He is sexually active with both males and females with his last sexual encounter was 2 days prior with a female. He denies penile discharge, fever, or abdominal pain. Past medical and surgical history is unremarkable. Is there any additional information you want to know?

Answer :

Additional information includes details on protection use, recent sexual partners, a complete sexual history and the presence of any additional STI symptoms.

When assessing a patient with dysuria, it is essential to gather additional information to help differentiate between potential diagnoses such as sexually transmitted infection (STI), urinary tract infection (UTI), or other urological conditions. In this scenario, it would be beneficial to know if the patient has any known allergies, is currently taking any medications, or has had recent changes in diet or lifestyle that could contribute to the symptoms.

Additionally, information about the use of protection during intercourse, recent new partners, and a more detailed sexual history could provide valuable context. It is also important to inquire about any additional symptoms that may not have been initially disclosed, such as rectal pain or bleeding, penile or vaginal discharge, and systemic symptoms like fever or chills, which may indicate a disseminated infection.

In females, associated symptoms such as pelvic pain, intermenstrual bleeding, and signs suggestive of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are paramount to assess. For individuals with suspected STIs, physical examination, testing, and prompt treatment are critical to prevent complications such as infertility, chronic pain, or ectopic pregnancy.