The only way you can be sure about your STD status is through testing and screening. Besides, most of the STDs would not show up signs or symptoms. Or some may indicate very mild signs that are often overlooked.

 

To make matters worse, there is a high spread of STDs. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, there are one million STDs acquired every day worldwide. That means anybody who is sexually active is susceptible to sexual infections.

 

Again your chances of knowing your partner is safe from sexual infections are limited, especially for those who have multiple partners or practice unprotected sex.

 

The good news is, you can always visit your doctor or healthcare provider if you suspect you have an STD. Or you have been exposed to any sex infections for testing and screening. This would help clear your doubt and ease your confusion.

 

Thankfully, we’ve exclusively discussed all details on STDs- from the examples of common STDs, their signs and symptoms to STD testing/screening. Plus, what you need to know before testing, how screening is done, and testing or screening is essential.

 

First off, let’s found more about STDs.

Understanding STDs

 

STD is an acronym for sexually transmitted diseases, or rather known as STIs- sexually transmitted infections. These are diseases or conditions that are primarily passed through sexual unprotected activities with infected persons.

 

Most of these infections are passed via oral, vaginal, anal, and other sexual-active body contacts. However, some STDs are non-sexual and spread via body contact or direct skin-to-skin contact like infections through kissing.

 

What causes STDs?

 

The primary causes of STDs are viruses, bacteria, and parasites primarily spread through body fluids such as semen, blood, vaginal secretions, and saliva.

 

Here are examples of some common STDs

  • Chlamydia
  • Genital warts
  • Syphilis
  • Gonorrhea
  • Trichomoniasis
  • HIV & AIDS
  • Hepatitis

 

Normally, it would be difficult to know if you are infected with these infections. However, some signs and symptoms may indicate the presence of certain STDs.

Signs and symptoms of common STDs

Gonorrhea

 

This infection is caused by a bacterium known as Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The bacteria affects both men and women and can affect the urethra, rectum, and throat. Also, affects the penis in men and the cervix in females.

So how do you know you have gonorrhea?

 

Males may notice:

  • Greater frequency or urgency of urination
  • Swelling or inflammation of the skin
  • Redness or swelling at the opening of the penis
  • Swelling and pain in the testicles
  • A pus discharge or drip (yellow, white, greenish, or beige) from the tip of the penis

 

Females may also experience:

  • Increased vaginal or anus discharge (drip, pus)
  • Bleeding between periods or spotting
  • Pain during sexual intercourse
  • Sometimes females may experience fever

 

Those that practice anal sex may experience:

  • Itching and pain around the anus/rectum
  • Pain during bowels movements
  • Persistent soreness and discharge

 

Chlamydia

It’s a chlamydia trachomatis bacterial infection that affects both males and females. The bacteria is passed through unprotected sex. Meaning you can also have chlamydia in your throat if you happen to have had oral sex.

Chlamydia may not show some signs. However, if they do appear, you may experience the following.

 

Signs and symptoms in females include:

  • Unusual or increased vaginal discharge
  • Heavier periods of bleeding between the periods
  • Painful sexual intercourse

 

Signs and symptoms in males:

  • Discharge from the penis-cloudy or watery discharge
  • Rectal inflammation
  • Tender testicles- Swelling or pain in the testicles

 

Common symptoms in both:

  • Painful and increased urge of urination
  • Itchy and bleeding rectum/redness and itching discharge

 

Chlamydia on the throat may show signs such as:

  • Coughing and fever
  • Dry throat or sore throat

 

You should also be aware that chlamydia may affect your eyes, especially if you touch your eyes with unwashed hands after handling your infected genitals. The chlamydia infection in the eye is known as chlamydia conjunctivitis, which may indicate signs such as:

  • Redness and irritation in your eyes
  • Swelling and itching of the eyes
  • Eye discharge/mucus
  • Sensitivity to light, also known as photophobia

 

Syphilis

 

This is an STD caused by a bacteria known as Treponema pallidum. The bacteria is spread through sexual contact (vaginal and oral sex) with an infected person. A pregnant mother can also pass the infection to her newborn t birth.

So how can you know you have syphilis?

The infection comes in four different stages (primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary), and of the stages exist other signs and symptoms.

Stages of syphilis and the signs and symptoms.

 

Primary symptoms:

The introductory period is the time between 2-4 weeks of infections. You may experience:

  • One or more painless sores
  • Firm and round sores or chancres.

 

Chancre can be located in your genitals, rectum, or inside your mouth, depending on where the infection has entered your body. The fact that you may have painless sores mean they may go unnoticed unless you practice regular STD testing and screening for earlier identification within the first ten days to 3 months of infection.

 

Secondary symptoms:

 

Here you may start to notice:

  • Mucous membrane lesions or skin rashes.
  • Sores in the mouth, rectum, and vagina
  • Sore throat and headaches
  • Weight loss, fatigue, and muscle aches
  • Fever
  • Patchy hair loss among other
  • Swollen lymph nodes

 

You must also know that the symptoms for this stage would go away whether you get treated in time or not. However, without treatment, these signs would proceed to latent and tertiary stages of infections.

 

Latent symptoms:

 

Here there are no visible signs or symptoms, and the primary and secondary signs disappear. The stage is known as the “hidden," meaning your body has the infection but would not show signs.

 

Tertiary symptoms

This is a life-threatening stage that would result in significant adverse effects on your internal organs if you’re not tested and treated in the first three stages.

 

Signs and symptoms include:

  • Heart and blood vessels conditions
  • Soft tissues or bone destructions leading to paralysis and difficulties in muscle movements
  • Brain and nervous system issues like memory loss and mental illness
  • Neurological disorders like stroke, meningitis, and neurosyphilis

 

Genital warts

 

Genital warts are benign growth on the genital areas that itch and cause pain and discomfort. They are among the most common STDs caused by a virus known as Human papillomavirus. The virus affects both males and females. However, females are more vulnerable to genital warts complications.

 

The infection is transmitted through close contacts, like unprotected anal and vaginal sex, or by sharing sex toys with infected persons. Meaning your chances of genital warts infection are also high even if you don’t practice penetrative sex but have a touch of the genitals of an infected individual.

 

Signs and symptoms of genital warts:

 

In males, soft growths may appear on the penis, scrotum, thighs, groin, or inside and around the anus.

For the females, warts may appear on the cervix, outside the vagina/anus, or inside the vagina/anus. You may also experience vaginal discharge, itching bleeding and burning on the genital areas.

 

Trichomoniasis

 

Also known as trich, trichomoniasis is a common STD caused by a one-celled protozoan parasite known as Trichomonas vaginalis.

 

The infection is passed on through having unprotected sexual contact with infected persons. It’s, however, not spread through oral or anal sex. And like most STDs, most people would not know if they have contracted “trich” unless an STD testing/screening is conducted.

 

But, the following signs and symptoms should push for a test:

 

Females may experience:

  • Stomach and abdominal pain
  • Pain during sex
  • Yellow/green vaginal discharge with a fishy smell
  • Change in vaginal discharge, you may have increases or thin discharge

 

For men:

  • Thin white penal discharge
  • Itching and burning inside the penis
  • Soreness and swelling of the head of penis or foreskin
  • Severe testicle pain

 

Some common signs and symptoms of trichomoniasis are:

  • Itching and burning on the genitals
  • Pain while urinating or peeing

 

HIV/AIDS

 

HIV is a viral infection that s caused by the Human Immunodeficiency virus. A virus that attacks the body fighting cells. And once your disease-fighting cells are destroyed, you'll be vulnerable to several opportunistic diseases and other conditions that take advantage of your weaker immune.  

 

In most cases, the virus is transmitted through unprotected sexual contact with sexual body fluids like semen, vaginal secretion, or rectal fluids. However, it may also spread through contact with infected persons’ breast milk for the case of a mother-child transmission.

 

Let it stick into your mind the virus has no cure, and once you're infected, it becomes part of your daily life. So how may you know you have HIV?

 

Signs and symptoms of HIV

The virus manifest in three different stages, showing a variety of signs. Here are the stages with other signs and symptoms.

 

Acute stage symptoms

 

This is the primary stage of the infections within the first 2-4 weeks after you contracted the virus. You may experience flu-like symptoms such as; fatigue and aching muscles, sore throat, rash, and chill with night sweats. Also, sores in the mouth and genitals may be a common symptom.

 

Clinical latency symptoms

 

At this stage, you may not experience any symptoms or feel sick because this stage happens when your body has started fighting. Your immune fails to withstand the virus.

 

AIDS stage symptoms

This is the third and the last stage when testing or early detection of the virus is not detected; the infection would damage the antiretroviral therapy given your immune system. Your CD4 or T cells that fight infections have dropped in this stage, and you're more vulnerable to opportunistic diseases.

 

Here you’ll experience the following signs:

  • Rapid weight loss and extreme tiredness
  • Recurring fever with night sweats
  • Yeast infections
  • Diarrhea lasting for about a week
  • Swelling lymph n groin and neck
  • You also experience shortness of breath

 

The symptoms mentioned above may be associated with other opportunistic infections. Therefore, to ensure that the symptoms are for HIV, you must ensure you go for an HIV test or STD screening.

 

Most of these infections may lead to severe medical conditions like infertility due to syphilis if they are not treated. So, it would be better if you make it a habit of going for STD screening for early detection, spread infection, and treatment. Therefore, there are some factors you must consider and know before STD testing.

Here are all you need to know before STD screening

First, what’s STD screening?

It is the activity of assessing the sexual infections that may b present in your body; however, it does not show any sign or symptom.

So here are what you need to know:

 

Why should you test for STDs?

Of course, STD screening would not prevent you from contracting sexual infections. However, it will help you avoid different complications that arise from other STDs.

 

Besides, waiting too long before testing may put you in danger as any of the damaged areas may be irreversible. You may also face infertility, pelvic inflammatory diseases, liver infections and failure, cervical cancer.

 

Also, the pregnant women who aren't treated are at high risks of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and premature delivery, among other complications of untreated STDs. Therefore, knowing your STD status prevents you from all those complications.

 

What’s even better is, the earlier they are detected, the safer your partners are. In other words, screening ensures you protect the life of your partner, especially if they may not know they’re infected. So disclosing is saving them too.

 

There are also more to disclosing to your partner that you’re positive:

Letting them know ensures they seek early treatment. Besides, you may be treated, but you would be increasing your chances of reinfections if they aren't. Therefore, ensure you regularly go for STD screening, and if you happen to be positive, let your partner know. Otherwise, you risk facing the legality of STDs disclosure.

 

Who needs to get tested for STDs? 

 

Everyone needs to be tested, especially those who are sexually active. No one is too young or old to contact STDS.

 

Also, you have multiple sex partners, then it would be better to reduce the number of those you have sex with. Otherwise, update your condom game and ensure you use protection every time you practice sex.

 

How often do you need to go for STD screening?

 

This question depends on your level of risk factors.

So what are risk factors?

 

These are events or activities that increase your chances of sexually transmitted infections. Sure, every sexually active individual can have so much exposure to diseases. According to CDC, youths between the ages of 15-24 years are at high risks of STD infections. This is because youths are sexually active, and most do not care to use protection.

 

Here are some risks factors that would increase your chances of STD infections.

 

Multiple sex partners

 

Your chances and risks of STD infections increase with the number of sexual partners you have. How’s that? If you have several partners, some of them are also attached to some partners on their own.

 

So, if you have many sexual partners, then you should make a habit of visiting your doctor for regular screening. Otherwise, you may not know when you have contracted such infections.

 

Sexual harassments

 

In cases of forced sex events or abuse, please ensure you visit the hospital for testing and screening for any sexual infections. You may be coerced or rape by an infected person, and if that happens or you don't immediately get tested, you may be at risk of infections.

 

Drug and substance abuse

 

Drug and alcohol abuse is typical among men and women. However, most excessive drug users may not know what happens when they are drunk.

 

What I mean is, there are high chances that you will fail to recognize what you do or engage in. because most drugs would impair your judgment. And you may not even be sure to protect yourself when having sex. So what happens if your partner is infected and you didn’t use protection?  You'll be infected. If that happens, you'll have to go for STD testing and screening.

 

Again, there is the risk of drug injections. Those people that inject drugs into their systems are at high risk of STDs like HIV and hepatitis.

 

How’s that? Most drug injectors would be sharing the same sharp unsterilized needles. So should there be a case where an infected person has used the same needle, you risk spreading the HIV infections into your bloodstream. Besides, most drug users are not likely to test for HIV, which puts them at higher risks of diseases.

 

Can insurance cover your screening process? 

 

Some people have fear going for STD testing and screening for lack of money or the fear that they don’t know how much testing would cost. Or even if they can be allowed to use the insurance cover to cater for their bills.

 

Get this right. STD testing and screening can be costly. However, your insurance would cover your testing process at most hospitals and health facilities.

 

In fact, according to the Affordable Care Act, the Medicare part B of the act allows you to use your health insurance cover to sort your bills. It caters to testing, preventive, and screening services. And the package includes testing of chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea, among other STDs.

 

How will you know what to test? 

 

Usually, most STDs do not show signs and symptoms. However, there can be some related symptoms that your doctor can identify the type of infection that test. To help your doctor figure the kind of STD you have, be honest and tell the doctor how you feel.

 

So, let the doctor know any symptoms you are having, if you or your partner has had an STD in the past, the number of sex partners you have, and the kind of sexual contact you had. Such information would help reduce your doctor’s search for sexual infections.

 

Here honesty should be your best policy. Any attempt to hide any information or relating symptom may lead to an undiagnosed STD. If that happens, you may harbor infections that may later result in severe health conditions like the ones we mentioned earlier.

 

Therefore, be open and honest with your healthcare provider to help you know what SSTD to test. This would also help recommend the necessary treatment or management of the infections.

 

What happens when you're getting tested for STDs?

 

Most people would be worried about how testing would be, and some are more concerned about what they need to do before they go for screening.

 

You don’t need to worry! Getting tested is ordinary and necessary. Just help your doctors narrow down what to screen for, then allow them to handle the rest.

 

So how are STD screening and testing done?

 

STD screening is quick and easy and does not hurt. Please, know that there is no single test for all the STDs. So, the information you provide would help your doctor understand what STD to test. I believe you see the need, to be honest with your doctor.

 

Most STD testing and screening would require:

  • Urine test- that only involves catching your urine. You just pee into a container or cup provided.
  • Blood test- this involves a quick finger prick to draw a blood sample for testing.
  • Pap test- done by taking a sample of cell from the woman’s cervix to test for HPV
  • Fluid sampling- where your doctor or nurse obtain samples of vaginal discharge and fluids from sores within your genitals.
  • Also, your doctors can conduct a physical exam where they check your genitals for warts, rashes, irritation, and discharge.

 

Irrespective of the test you need, you can always depend on your doctor for assistance; just ensure you are honest and disclose your feelings and symptoms. It would take much time to test and get your result.

 

What do you do if you find out you have an STD?

 

There are chances that you would feel embarrassed, confused, and mad, or upset about finding out you have an STD. It’s fine to feel that way. However, you should try not to freak out.

 

The best thing for you to do will be to fully observe and follow your doctor’s prescription of your treatment.

 

Finally, feel free to let your partner(s) know that you have contacted STD. I know it might not be the most straightforward communication you would want to have. However, it would be a worthy conversation to have with your partner for the disclosure reasons we had mentioned earlier.

 

Conclusion

 

There several sexually transmitted infections. And of the common STDs, most would not quickly show signs and symptoms. But if they appear, they may easily be overlooked. So for you to be sure or know precisely the infection you have, you must go for STD screening.

 

Therefore, when you suspect you have an STD, don't hesitate to visit a doctor for testing. Make it a habit of regular testing to prevent severe complications that may be the result of untreated STD.

Contributor: admin