Whether you've been hooking up with multiple partners or the condom broke, a sexually transmitted disease is a possibility. But before you freak out, take a look at the conditions that may mimic an STD. Obviously, a visit to your doctor is in order to confirm your own self-diagnosis – searching your symptoms online can be scary and misleading. First, got bumps down there? It could be a couple things – besides herpes, HPV or other yucky STDs. Take a good look at where the bumps are. If you see just one or two in the pubic area, it could be an ingrown hair. Grab some tweezers and get to working that sucker out of your skin. Ouch! If you used a condom but are still panicking about bumps, then it's possible you may have a latex allergy. Hives and redness are common symptoms. Finally, dryness and irritation down there might just indicate that you need to stop getting so busy and give your genitals a rest.
Speaking of burning, a urinary tract infection is downright miserable and can result in burning and itching, particularly when you urinate. See a doctor immediately if you think you have a UTI – antibiotics will clear up this bacterial infection quickly. And many women suffer from bacterial vaginosis, another condition that requires antibiotics to clear up. It results from an imbalance of bacteria down there, and it's easily fixable. But it may mimic the symptoms of chlamydia or gonorrhea, with a fishy-smelling discharge. Yuck. Regardless, a quick visit to the doctor will give you peace of mind and a cure.