Knowing Key Aspects of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases

An infection is the entry of bacteria or viruses into the human body, leading to multiple complications if there is no timely treatment with appropriate antibiotics. Sexually Transmitted Infections, such as HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, occur because of unprotected sexual intercourse as one of the reasons. These infections can become severe in the absence of early diagnosis. Several STD detection tests are available for the correct detection, enabling physicians to plan a relevant course of treatment.

Is an STD and STI the same?

The terms Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) can be confusing. An infection is the entry of causative pathogens, while a disease is the outcome of the infection. Therefore, an STI progresses to an STD if the infected person does not receive the correct medication in the form of antibiotics.

However, medical professionals refer to sexually transmitted infections as STDs as a common practice. You may come across terms like STD clinics or STD detection facilities. STD treatment involves the selection of a correct antibiotic or antiviral drug through STD testing. Laboratory tests help doctors identify the type of sexually transmitted infection by pinpointing the causative bacteria or virus.

Challenges of STD treatment

Most STDs are silent infections as these have no specific symptoms for easy detection. One may not suspect the presence of an STI, causing a delay in the diagnosis. Many common symptoms of an STD involve body aches, fever, joint pain, pain in the abdomen, weakness, burning sensation while urinating, or painful intercourse. Doctors can also miss the STD diagnosis because of such vague symptoms. One must not waste time in approaching a physician if there is a history of sex with strangers or unprotected sex with multiple partners.

Many individuals avoid going for an STD test because of embarrassment or guilt. They may not disclose their sexual history during consultation. These factors pose serious challenges to the treatment of STIs. Failure to diagnose an STD is the most common obstacle to its timely treatment. Treatment delay is also a crucial factor in the spread of the disease. Infected individuals go on infecting others without knowledge about their infection status.

Types of STD infections

The most common cause of sexually transmitted diseases is casual sex. Unnatural sex, like oral or anal sex, causes severe infections like HIV. Symptoms of A Sexually Transmitted Disease appear after few days or weeks after the initial contact. Infected individuals fail to notice any unusual signs during the symptom-free period and continue transmitting the infection to their partners. The following are common types of STDs.

• Gonorrhea- Gonorrhea is a treatable infection with the help of strong antibiotics. Timely treatment can prevent severe complications of gonorrhea like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or HIV.
• Chlamydia- Chlamydia affects reproductive organs in women. Physicians prefer treating both partners to prevent recurrence and spread of the infection.
• Human Papillomavirus Infection (HPV)- An HPV infection causes genital warts and may lead to cervical cancer in women without timely detection and treatment.

The takeaway

Prevention of an STD is possible by avoiding casual and unprotected sex or unnatural sex. Using condoms during sexual intercourse is a proven preventive measure to control the spread of STDs. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are serious conditions requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment to avoid serious complications and the spread of the infection.

Delay or reluctance to go for STD testing is a costly mistake, as it can complicate treatment and impact the individual’s health. Untreated sexually transmitted disease is the main reason for the uncontrolled spread of STIs. STD testing guarantees precise detection of the type of Sexually Transmitted Disease, enabling your physician to plan an appropriate medication for a complete cure or effective control of the disease progression.

Established urgent care STD clinics offer anonymous STD testing to protect privacy. One can expect same-day STD testing and consultation by choosing an established STD clinic.