Benchmark Urgent & Family Care highly recommends STD/STI testing for any sexually active individual that is not practicing safe sex.
"Last year, nearly 2.3 million US cases of these sexually transmitted diseases were diagnosed, according to preliminary data" (CNN cites).
That's the highest number ever reported nationwide, breaking the record set in 2016 by more than 200,000 cases, according to the CDC.
STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) or STIs (sexually transmitted infections) are one in the same. They are infections that are passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, and oral sex. They are very common. STDs can be dangerous, but the good news is that getting tested is accessible at Benchmark Urgent & Family Care and most STDs/STIs are easy to treat.
Some common STDs to be aware of:
- Chlamydia
- Many whom have chlamydia don't develop symptoms but they can still infect others through sexual contact. Symptoms may include genital pain and discharge from the vagina or penis.
- Genital Warts
- Small bump or bumps on the genitals caused by a common sexually transmitted infection. Common symptoms include warts, itchiness around the anus, itching, skin burning sensation or vaginal itching.
- Gonorrhea
- Bacterial infection that if untreated may cause infertility. Symptoms include painful urination and abnormal discharge from the penis or vagina. Men may experience testicular pain and women may experience pain in the lower belly. Fever, frequent urge to urinate, irregular menstruation, pus or sore throat are common as well. In some cases, gonorrhea has no symptoms.
- Hepatitis B
- A serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus that's easily preventable by vaccine. Symptoms are variable but could include yellowing of the eyes, abdominal pain and dark urine. In chronic cases, liver failure, cancer or scarring can occur.
- Herpes
- Genital and oral herpes are STDs or STIs. Genital herpes is an caused by two types of viruses. The viruses are called herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Oral herpes is usually caused by HSV-1 and can result in cold sores or fever blisters on or around the mouth. Oral herpes caused by HSV-1 can be spread from the mouth to the genitals through oral sex. Herpes sores usually appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals, rectum or mouth. The blisters break and leave painful sores that may take a week or more to heal.
- HIV & AIDS
- In the US people who get syphilis, gonorrhea and herpes often also have HIV or are more likely to get HIV in the future. Symptoms include pain in the abodomen, dry cough, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, malaise, night sweats, or sweating, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, mouth ulcers or white tongue, sores and swelling, headache, thrush, pneumonia, red blotches or swollen lymph nodes.
- HPV (human papillomavirus)
- An infection that causes warts in various parts of the body, depending on the strain. Many people with HPV don't develop any symptoms but can still infect others through sexual contact. Symptoms include warts on the genitals or surrounding skin. At it's most serious HPV can cause cervical cancer or cancer of the vulva, vagina, penis or anus. Additionally, cancer at the back of the throat including the base of the tongue and tonsils can occur.
- Syphilis
- A bacterial infection usually spread by sexual contact that starts as a painless sore. After the initial sore heals the second state is characterized as a rash. Then there are no symptoms until the final stage which may occur years later. This final stage can damage the brain, nerves, eyes or heart.
