Sexually Transmitted Infections
Many adults today suffer from infections and diseases caused due to unsafe sexual contact. Sexually active people are susceptible to STDs and STIs but the good news is that most are curable.
What are Sexually Transmitted Diseases?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) or Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are infections that are passed through oral, anal, and vaginal sexual contact and also through non-sexual contact like breastfeeding and giving birth. STIs and STDs are quite common in sexually active people and most can be cured and treated with the correct form of medication. STDs are easily avoidable and most can be managed and treated if diagnosed in time without any long-lasting effects.
Most sexually active people are advised to get an STD check done twice a year to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Since many STDs are not easily discoverable, getting tests done help control the spread and resultant infections associated. Regular testing helps lead a healthy and fit lifestyle while ensuring you and your partner/ partners are protected at all times.
STD Testing and Checking:
The best way to protect your health is to use condoms while having sex, but there is no foolproof method of protecting yourself against STIs. The more precaution you take, the better it will be. If you are diagnosed with an STD or STI, it is imperative to inform your partner or partners that they could also be at risk. To avail a test, get in touch with a reputed diagnostic center or STD testing center.
Most individuals are unaware that getting tested for STDs is quite simple. All you have to do is submit a urine or blood sample. The results are also available within an hour or so. Most STDs do not require swabbing, genital examinations, or poking around to determine the nature of the infection or disease. The only major concern would be determining the correct test required for you. The ideal thing to do at this time is to get tested for all. Being susceptible to one infection also puts you at a risk of contracting another. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Common STI Symptoms:
- Chlamydia: Chlamydia is an infection that is cured with the help of antibiotics. Chlamydia is an asymptomatic infection that doesn’t show up early on. The infection is transferred through semen in men and vaginal fluids in women.
Women – Women who have chlamydia may also get a pelvic inflammatory disease and run the risk of ectopic pregnancies. They may also have nausea, pain during sex, and vaginal bleeding during or after sex.
Men – Men who have chlamydia may get a whitish watery discharge from the tip of the penis and experience pain and burning sensations while urinating. They can also have some pain, inflammation, and tenderness in the testicles.
- Genital Herpes: There is no exact test for genital herpes and once contracted, can only be controlled not eliminated. The most common symptom of Herpes is popping up of sores around the vagina, anus, cervix, and vulva in women and penis, scrotum, anus, and testicles in men.
Women – Herpes can spread directly through vaginal, oral, and anal sex and herpes sores can break out on the mouth, lips, and any area of the skin directly in contact with the infected region.
Men – Herpes symptoms in men could be painful urination, sores, lesions, itching, and breakout of boils in and around the genital area. They can also contract it on the mouth, lips, tongue, and chin.
- Warts: Warts are common STDs and are transferred by the presence of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus). Genital warts in men and women are extremely irritating but can be cured easily. They are usually transferred through skin-to-skin contact with someone who already has genital warts through oral, anal, and vaginal sex.
Women – Women can pass genital warts to children during the process of natural childbirth even if there are no visible warts around the genital area. Women may also experience bleeding or unnatural yellowish discharge during intercourse and painful cauliflower-like warts around the vulva, vagina, and cervix.
Men – Men would notice discolored white boils or bumps on the skin surrounding the scrotum, the tip of the penis, on the testicles, inside and around the anus, and thighs.
There are plenty of STI and STD clinics that run comprehensive and affordable tests for sexual health and safety. If you want to get a test done, contact a discreet and reputed STI testing center and set up an appointment with a senior doctor.