Many Americans report noticeable symptoms related to sexually transmitted diseases every year. Individuals that range from the age of 16 to 24 are mainly victims of STDs. However, anyone can get this contagious and serious infection and require proper diagnosis. You must visit a nearby healthcare clinic for testing if you have uncleared symptoms of these diseases. Improper testing can lead to incomplete treatment, which can pose serious complications in the future. STDs come in many forms, such as HIV, genital warts, hepatitis, etc. Although some are curable, some are deadly, like HIV infection.
What causes STDs?
As the name implies, an STD is a disease that can transfer from one person to another during sex. This can pass from person to person due to oral, anal, and vaginal intercourse. These diseases are commonly spread by sexual activities but can also develop due to other factors. Using wet towels, clothes, and contaminated toilet seats can also make you a victim of STDs. However, you have a high risk of developing STDs if:
- You have many sex partners.
- You had sexual activities with someone who has many sex partners.
- You had unsafe sex by not wearing a condom.
- You have shared infected needles for injecting drugs.
These are the possible causes of getting an STD. However, the spread of STDs has different symptoms among males and females. Therefore, checking them is vital to attain full insight into STDs.
STD symptoms for Males
Men are at high risk of developing STDs due to high engagement in sexual activities. However, if you had unsafe sex, you might be infected without showing any symptoms. But most of the time, symptoms of these diseases appear in a few days. Check out some common signs of STDs below.
- You have painful urination and feel discomfort during intercourse.
- Your penis, thighs, buttocks, and testicles have some rashes and bumps.
- You are experiencing unusual bleeding from the penis.
- You have severe pain in the testicles that causes swelling often.
STD Symptoms for Females
- Women can get sexually transmitted diseases due to unsafe intercourse as well. They do develop symptoms that can vary from person to person. So, let’s check them below.
- You may feel itching and pain during urination.
- You may experience the formation of rashes and bumps around the vagina, mouth, anus, and thighs.
- You may experience a dry vagina.
- You may suffer from abnormal discharge from the vagina in the form of water and blood.
Testing for STDs
It is vital to undergo testing for STDs if you want to cure them. So, the testing for these diseases may differ as per the symptoms you are experiencing. For example, you may have discharge from the penis and vagina, which is white and yellow. So, this could be due to STI, which is Gonorrhea. If you have such STD, then only a urine sample is required for testing. But if you have symptoms like chills, aches, fever, and rashes, then HIV testing is required. For this testing, you may have to undergo blood testing. A medical expert might prick your finger or extract blood from the vein for testing in the lab.
Why should you get STD testing?
Testing is useful in this context as it will help you detect the problem early. So, you can avail of valid treatment to cure the infection. Moreover, it can tell you the status of the STD you are suffering from. Thus, you can also guide your male or female sex partner about your health. You can also get testing at affordable prices in an urgent care clinic.
To Sum Up
It is undeniable that sexually transmitted diseases have many forms. The infection can appear with different symptoms but are noticeable as you can see abnormal changes. You can mainly start noticing the development of genital warts and the discharge of abnormal fluids. However, with early diagnosis, you can reach an optimal level of treating STDs. So, you must visit your nearest urgent care center to test and treat these diseases.
