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April is STI Awareness month, a time when we educate people about sexually transmitted infections that affect people across the globe.

What’s The Definition Of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

STIs are diseases that are caused by infection with microorganisms like bacteria or viruses that are spread from one person to another through bodily fluids like vaginal fluids, blood or semen during anal, genital or oral sex with an infected person.

What are The Symptoms of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)?

STIs don’t always cause symptoms or may only cause mild symptoms. So it is possible to have an infection and not know it. And even without symptoms, STIs can still be harmful and may be passed on during sex.

What Are The Common Signs and Symptoms Of STIs?

Unusual discharge from the vagina and the penis.

Unusual vaginal odor.

Warts and sores on the genital area.

Blisters around the mouth.

Painful and frequent urination.

What Is The Importance of STI Awareness

STIs are rising every year. Cases of diseases like Syphilis and Chlamydia are rising affecting multiple people. Over half of Americans have an STI in their lifetime, recording 20 million new cases every year. At any moment, the US records more than 110 million STIs among women and men and no age group is immune.

STI awareness is crucial since millions of Americans are unaware of the infections with no signs and symptoms. People need to know what they don’t know about STIs: Asymptomatic STIs exist with multiple people calling them a “hidden epidemic.”

This reality heightens the need for heightened efforts by public health including education on sexual health, access to STI testing and treatment as well as increased funding for prevention programs. If STIs are left untreated, they may lead to increased funding for prevention programmes.

If STIs are left undiagnosed and treated, they may have serious health consequences like a great risk for HIV transmission, infertility, stillbirth and a risk for ectopic pregnancies.

Therefore early detection is crucial. Individual responsibility comes down to testing for STI regularly. Understanding the different diseases and the frequency of STI testing is significant for maintaining sexual health. Syphilis disease is confirmed through a blood test while gonorrhoea and chlamydia tests are conducted with the swap samples of the throat, anus and genitals.

How Often Should People Test For STIs?

The frequency of testing for STIs varies based on individual circumstances but there are general guidelines that people should follow. Sexually active adults for instance should get tested once every year. More frequent testing for STIs is necessary based on risk factors like the presence of another bacterial infection.

People with multiple sex partners should consider getting tested more often like every three to six months. If you have unprotected sex, the testing frequency is even higher, after sex every time. Pregnant women should also schedule routine STI screenings because some diseases can affect both the mother and the child.

Since most people are not experts on STIs, it’s imperative to consult with healthcare providers to ascertain which STI tests are crucial for you and how often you should get tested.

Patients should trust their providers to do the right thing but that involves self-awareness. You should also take into account that testing processes and guidelines may change due to individual risk factors like sexual behaviour and age.

April, an STI Awareness month for us all should be a wake-up call for us all. The only way to address this hidden epidemic of STIs is to bring it out into the open and that includes lots of STI testing.

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