STI Testing: Understanding the What, Why, and How for a Healthier You

A sexually transmitted infection is an infection transmitted through sexual activity. You can get STI treatment online and learn more about it if you are suffering from this condition by simply booking an appointment.

Different types of STIs exist with various preventions, symptoms, and treatments. With the proper knowledge, protection, and sexual health checks, managing and avoiding STIs can be more manageable.

What is an STI?

A sexually transmitted infection (STI) is any infection contracted through sexual activities such as kissing, touching, oral sex, or intercourse. Some of the most common STIs include:

• Chlamydia
• Herpes (including cold sores during oral sex )
• Genital warts (caused by HPV, – Human Papillomavirus)
• HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
• Hepatitis A, B, and C
• Gonorrhea
• Mycoplasma genitalium 
• Lymphogranuloma venereum
• Syphilis
• Pubic lice

What is the Importance of STI Testing?

STIs are Prevalent

If you are sexually active and have had even one partner, you are still at risk of contracting STIs. Many of the STIs can spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. Examples are HPV, syphilis, and herpes, which can spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. 

Have a Relationship Discussion

When you are in a relationship with a new partner, it’s crucial to have a healthy discussion about sexual history. Have an honest and serious conversation about whether they or you have an STI such as this.

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• HIV
• Herpes
• HPV
• Syphilis
• Trichomoniasis

Chlamydia and gonorrhea often lack noticeable symptoms. Relying on symptoms to make you aware of an underlying condition is not advisable. Chlamydia is often called a “silent infection” with no noticeable signs, and women with gonorrhea often experience no symptoms. Therefore, it is suggested to consult a doctor, such as Panraa Clinics, to understand your sexual health better.

Stay in Control of Your Sexual Health

It is wise to take control of your sexual health through regular testing and safe sex practices. Have a consultation with a doctor, stay informed, and make choices according to what is best for your health.

What are the Common Symptoms of STIs?

STIs can manifest with short-term and long-term symptoms, typically affecting the genital or anal regions. Short-term symptoms may include:

• Itching or irritation
• Pain in the genital and lower abdominal areas
• Rashes or ulcers on the genitals 
• Genital or anal discharge
• Burning sensation during urination
• Discomfort during sexual intercourse 
• Post-intercourse vaginal bleeding
• Feeling feverish

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek a sexual health check and do it regularly, every three months.

Some STIs may remain asymptomatic, meaning you could have an infection without displaying noticeable symptoms. This poses a long-term problem as you can unwittingly transmit the disease to others and may risk permanent damage to your reproductive and sexual organs. Regular sexual health checks provide a simple way to ensure you are not carrying an STI.

What are the Long-term Effects of STIs and Treatment for STIs?

The best way to get treatment for STIs is to get tested first. Simply knowing or assuming that your partner might not suffer from STIs. Another effective way to stay protected from STIs is to use condoms; when used properly, they can reduce the transmission of some STIs.

Some are easily treatable and easy to cure, while others may require a complicated treatment process for STIs. However, if left untreated, it can increase the risk of transmitting another STI, such as HIV.

Why does this happen? Because it can stimulate the immune response and cause sores, leading to the risk of transmitting HIV. Some untreated STIs also lead to infertility, organ damage, some forms of cancer, or even death.

Condoms, when properly used, are highly effective in reducing the transmission of some STDs. But no method is foolproof, and STI symptoms aren’t always obvious.

See a doctor if you have STI symptoms or have been exposed to them, and get the right STI treatment online. Also, inform your partner or partners so that they can be evaluated and treated.

What are the Long-term Effects of Chlamydia?

Left untreated, chlamydia can lead to various complications, including but not limited to:

Complications can differ between males and females, but both genders can develop reactive arthritis, which impacts the joints, urinary tract, and eyes. The infection may also spread to the rectum, eyes, throat, or other organs.

Moreover, having a chlamydia infection can heighten an individual’s susceptibility to contracting HIV.

Complications in Females

Chlamydia can result in several complications in females, such as:

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID):

PID involves persistent inflammation of the reproductive organs and can develop in women who do not receive treatment for chlamydia. 

In some cases, PID can lead to perihepatitis, also known as Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome, causing inflammation of the liver capsule and peritoneum and producing upper-right abdominal pain. 

Given that chlamydia often doesn’t present symptoms independently, a doctor must evaluate any of these symptoms.

Pregnancy Complications:

Untreated chlamydia can be transmitted from a parent to an infant during childbirth. If passed on to the baby, it can lead to conjunctivitis or pneumonia. 

Additionally, the baby may be born prematurely (pre-term delivery). Health experts recommend testing pregnant individuals for chlamydia during their initial prenatal visit. 

If chlamydia is detected, it can be effectively treated with safe antibiotics, reducing the risk of pregnancy complications.

Complications in Males

Chlamydia generally does not cause significant health problems in males, as per the CDC. However, some potential complications include:

Testicle Inflammation:

Untreated chlamydia can result in infection and inflammation of one or both testicles, a condition known as epididymitis. 

Epididymitis is an epididymis infection, a tubular structure on the back of the testicles where sperm cells mature. 

Symptoms may include testicular pain, painful urination, and painful ejaculation. If not promptly treated, epididymitis can lead to an abscess, sepsis, and, rarely, infertility.

HIV Risk:

Untreated STIs like chlamydia may increase an individual’s risk of contracting or spreading HIV. This heightened risk is partly due to behaviors that can lead to chlamydia transmission, such as not using condoms and engaging in sexual activity with multiple or anonymous partners. 

How is Chlamydia Transmitted?

One of the more common STIs is Chlamydia. According to the University of South Wales, in 2021, Australia reported 86,916 cases of chlamydia, 26,577 cases of gonorrhea, and 5,570 cases of infectious syphilis. 

It is a prevalent condition as Australia’s most frequently reported infectious disease. Around 97,000 men and women are diagnosed with chlamydia each year. 

If you’re sexually active and under 30, you are at a higher risk of contracting chlamydia than others.

It is transmitted through unprotected sexual contact with an individual who already carries the infection. This includes engaging in vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse without a condom.

Transmission occurs because the bacteria responsible for chlamydia thrive and multiply in the bodily fluids produced during sexual activity. If you have chlamydia, each instance of unprotected sexual intercourse carries a 30% to 50% risk of passing the infection to your partner.

Since chlamydia frequently exhibits no noticeable symptoms, determining whether your partner is infected is often challenging.

It’s important to note that chlamydia cannot be spread through typical means such as toilets, swimming pools, or casual contact with people. Its transmission exclusively relies on the exchange of genital fluids.

However, newborn babies can contract chlamydia from their mothers during childbirth. Chlamydia infections can persist in the nose, genitals, or rectum for over two years.

What is the Treatment for Chlamydia?

For the treatment of chlamydia, a healthcare provider can easily prescribe antibiotics. Over 95% of people who take their medications regularly and correctly will be cured of chlamydia.

If you are waiting for chlamydia to clear on its own, it will not. It is best to consult a healthcare provider. If chlamydia is left untreated, it can cause severe complications and risk infecting others.

Moreover, antibiotics can cure you of the infection, but they cannot reverse the harm caused by the bacteria in your body. This is why regular treatments for chlamydia are essential. If you notice early signs of this condition, get treatment immediately.

How Do I Prevent STIs?

Preventing STIs involves several strategies:

Open Communication

Discuss sexual health with your healthcare provider and schedule regular sexual health checks.

Be transparent with your sexual partners about your sexual history and health. It’s acceptable to inquire about their STI history and recent testing.

Learn effective communication about sexual health-related matters.

Practicing Safe Sex

• Avoid contact with visible infections (such as sores or rashes) if you or your partner have them.
• Use protection (e.g., condoms) for vaginal, anal, and oral sex, ensuring the condoms are within their expiration date to prevent breakage.
• Apply water-based lubricants to reduce the risk of condom breakage.
• Always use a new condom for each sexual encounter, even if ejaculation does not occur. Reusing condoms is not safe.
• For female oral sex, employ a dental dam, a thin plastic barrier.

Regular Sexual Health Checks

• If you have frequent sexual encounters with new or different partners, undergo sexual health checks every three months.
• In long-term relationships with sexual activity, consider getting a sexual health check at least once a year.
• Sexual health checks are available through general practitioners (GPs) or at sexual health centers.

These preventative measures can significantly reduce the risk of contracting or spreading STIs.

Who Can I See About My STI?

You will have to request an STI test from a doctor since many doctors do not automatically conduct regular tests for STIs. It’s crucial to proactively ask about STI testing from your doctor and determine which specific tests they plan to administer and their reasons for doing so.

Taking responsibility for your sexual health is essential, and there’s no need to feel uncomfortable discussing it.

If you have concerns about a particular infection or are experiencing symptoms, have an open conversation with your doctor. The more honest and open you are, the better your treatment can be tailored.

If you are pregnant, you must undergo testing because certain STIs can affect the fetus. 

Can You Get Online STI Treatment?

Online STI treatment offers numerous advantages that enhance its convenience for patients. Firstly, it eliminates the necessity for in-person visits to a doctor, which can be time-consuming and, in some cases, uncomfortable.

With online STI testing, patients can collect samples privately within the confines of their homes and then send these samples for laboratory analysis. You will need to fill out a brief questionnaire for STI. Subsequently, healthcare professionals digitally review brief questionnaires and test results and deliver necessary treatments and prescriptions.

Online STI treatment services can address a variety of sexually transmitted infections. Among the most frequently treated conditions online are:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Herpes
• HIV
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Syphilis

The popularity of online STI treatment services has been steadily increasing due to their convenience and accessibility. These services empower individuals to obtain confidential and discreet treatment for their STIs without visiting a clinic.

Furthermore, online STD treatment services can offer counseling and resources to assist individuals in preventing future infections and promoting safe sexual practices. 

This comprehensive approach to STD treatment and prevention contributes to the reduction of STD transmission and the enhancement of overall sexual health.

Conclusion

If you are engaged in sexual activity, undergoing STI testing is crucial to safeguarding your and your partner’s well-being. Ensure you engage in an open and transparent discussion about your sexual history and STI screening with your healthcare provider.

There is no foolproof method to treat STIs completely, but these methods can reduce and prevent the risk of STIs. See a doctor if you have STI symptoms or have been exposed to this condition.

Moreover, you can consult a doctor online without waiting in line for days for an appointment. In this way, you can receive the proper treatment for STIs online if your symptoms seem severe.