As many as a million people acquire an STD (sexually transmitted disease) or the other every day, confirms the World Health Organisation (WHO). Considering the latest trends, the picture is equally frightening for the UK. STD cases are rising across the nation at a lightning speed. Doctors at a renowned sexual health clinic in London are of the opinion that raising awareness about these diseases is the best way to keep the society safe from them.
These days getting an STD does not mean the rest of your life is ruined. Effective treatments are there to cure the infections and get you back to normal life.
Let’s discuss 9 facts about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through the following paragraphs in this blog post.
Important facts related to STIs everyone must be aware of
Just anyone can acquire an STI any time
Regardless of your gender, creed, race, colour, sexual orientation, social standard, relationship status, age or any other factor you can get sexually transmitted diseases any time.
You can develop an STD from any type of sex
Any type of sex – whether vaginal, oral, anal or anything else – can get you an STI. You’ll contract the disease by direct skin contact with the infected body area of an affected person. Some STIs, like Hepatitis B, are spread through direct blood transfusion. However, you won’t get these diseases from toilet seats because that is impossible.
Condoms do not protect you from all STDs
Condoms not only prevent unwanted pregnancy but also protect you from contracting many STIs. But condoms cannot protect from every STIs, specially those that spread through direct skin contact.
An STI may not show any symptom
Many STI-affected people do not have any symptom. In many cases, the symptoms take a long time before showing up. STI symptoms are also known to disappear before recurring. The common symptoms include sores, bumps, warts or severe itching, swelling and redness around the genitals.
You can develop or spread an STI even if you don’t show any symptom
It is possible to acquire an STI from or spread the disease to your partner even if there is no symptom at all. This is the reason why doctors emphasise upon getting regularly tested. When you both are tested for STIs regularly, your chances of contracting or spreading the diseases significantly diminish.
Only an STI test can confirm you’ve acquired the disease
Every STD or STI-affected person does not show symptoms. Thus, getting yourself tested is the best way to determine if you’ve acquired an STD.
Now there’re effective treatments for STIs
Medical technology has improved a lot to cure a large number of STIs. On the other hand, STIs that can’t be cured, like HIV or AIDS, genital herpes, can be treated and controlled.
If ignored and left untreated, STIs can cause severe health conditions
If STIs are left untreated, they can lead to severe health conditions including cancer, infertility and even death. Women must know that STIs are more likely to transmit to a baby during pregnancy or birth.
You can contract an STI many times in life
You can contract STIs like gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and syphilis more than once in a lifetime even if your treatment was successful during previous occurrences. Contracting an STI also increases your chances of contracting HIV.
Considering all these facts, doctors associated with STI screening in London emphasise upon regular and routine screening for every sexually active individual.
If you want to know more about sexual health testing or sexual health clinic then visit the website: https://www.stdcheck.london/
