When I see patients in the office, one of the most frequently
asked questions is “How do I know if I have an STD?” The simple answer is “Get
tested!” but if you want a basic guide to the most common STDs, this is just
the place!
First up, chlamydia! Chlamydia
is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted bacterial infection. It is
contracted by having anal, vaginal, or oral sex with someone who has the
infection and despite popular belief, it CAN be transmitted even if the male
does not ejaculate!
Some infected women do experience:
·
Abnormal vaginal discharge
·
Burning with urination
·
Rectal pain
·
Rectal discharge
·
Rectal bleeding
Although the above mentioned symptoms are possible, chlamydia is commonly
known as a “silent” infection because a large number of people infected have no
symptoms. In addition, even if symptoms appear, they may not occur until
weeks after exposure.
Another common STD is gonorrhea.
Gonorrhea is also contracted by having anal, vaginal, or
oral sex with someone who has the disease. Like chlamydia, gonorrhea can
also still be transmitted even if the man doesn’t ejaculate.
Symptoms of gonorrhea can include:
·
Burning with urination
·
Increased vaginal
discharge
·
Vaginal bleeding between
periods
However, most women with gonorrhea have no symptoms! Even when a
woman has symptoms, often they are mild and are confused for bladder or vaginal
infections.
Don’t be fooled by a lack of symptoms! Even without symptoms,
chlamydia and gonorrhea can damage a woman’s reproductive organs. If left
untreated, they can spread up to the uterus and fallopian tubes and cause
pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can have no symptoms or cause abdominal
or pelvic pain. PID with or without symptoms can lead to infertility or
other complications.
In addition, gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints and
become life threatening! Anyone who is sexually active should talk to their
health care provider about being tested. There are simple tests to
diagnose chlamydia and gonorrhea and once diagnosed can be cured with antibiotics.
The most common curable STD is trichomonas, also known as “trich.” It is more common in women than
men, and older women are more likely to have trich than younger women to be
infected. Like the other STDs, it is transferred from one person to another
during sex.
Symptoms in women can include:
·
Genital itching
·
Genital burning
·
Genital redness
·
Genital soreness
·
Discomfort with
urination
·
Vaginal discharge with a
smell
In addition, trichomonas can make it feel unpleasant to have sex.
If left untreated, it can last from months to years! Trich can be diagnosed
with a simple test and treated with a single dose of antibiotic.
Although incurable, another very common STD is genital herpes. Herpes is very
prevalent in the United States. Amazingly, it is estimated that nationwide, one
out of every six people aged 14-49 has genital herpes! Like the other
STDs, most people with genital herpes have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. Because
of this, most people that have herpes are unaware that they have it.
When symptoms do occur, they typically appear as blisters around
the genitals, mouth, or rectum. The blisters break and become painful
sores. This is known as an outbreak and repeat outbreaks are common.
Herpes is contracted by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with
someone who has the disease. Even though herpes is found in and released
from the sores, the virus can also be transmitted from skin that does not
appear to have a sore. Herpes can be transferred to other parts of the
body by touching the sores and end up sometimes in sensitive places such as the
eye. There are cultures and blood tests for herpes. Although herpes
is not curable, it is a manageable condition.
As you can see, many of the people with four of the most common
STDs HAVE NO SYMPTOMS. Left
untreated, many of these can have a significant and long lasting detrimental effect
on your health and fertility. So do yourself a favor, set up an appointment
with your health care provider to discuss your risk and GET TESTED!
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