We are living in an era where people are more focused on building their career and making a name for themselves than focusing on their health. In fact, we have turned so ignorant that we always tend to prioritise our work over our body. However, in cases of sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STD/STIs), you must be extra careful and get yourself tested at least once.

Research indicated that in the coming years, almost 50% of sexually active people are going to be infected with sexually transmitted diseases by the age of 25. This is quite a daunting number. In the hope to create some awareness on sexually transmitted diseases and infections, this blog post is going to give you a complete overview of the disease.

What is sexually transmitted infections/diseases (STD/STIs)

In the most basic terms, sexually transmitted diseases or infections are ailments that are spread through sexual contact. There is only a few STIs that can be cured, while the rest can lead to death as well. In the United States of America, apart from cold and flu, studies reveal that STIs is the most contagious infection.

What are the causes of these infections

These ailments are often caused by bacterial and viral infections. STIs that are caused by bacteria can be treated with certain antibiotics. However, those caused by viruses cannot be cured but the symptoms can be treated.

Major risk factors associated with STIs

There are several factors that can increase the risk of spreading these diseases and infections. Some of them include:

•         Having more than one sexual partner
•         A partner who has had more than one sexual partner
•         Intercourse with someone who has an STI
•         Using intravenous drugs i.e. injecting drugs using the same syringe

Common symptoms witnessed

There are several symptoms that are seen, however, these symptoms vary on the adversity of the disease. Some of the most common symptoms in men include:

•         High burning sensation in the penis
•         Pain near the pelvic region
•         If you see sores, blisters or bumps in your penis, anus, or in the mouth
•         Finding it difficult while urinating
•         When you feel the need to urinate often

On the other hand, there is a different set of symptoms seen by women. Some of them are listed below:

•         Bleeding from the vagina
•         Feeling the need to urinate often due to a bladder infection
•         Discharge or odour from the vagina
•         Burning or itching sensation in the vagina

Required Diagnosis

Our doctor, Dr. Shawket Alkhayal will provide the necessary treatment to reduce the symptoms to a minimum level. When you come in for diagnosis, we will conduct an STI test through a clinical examination or a laboratory test. For the test, we will require samples from the vagina or the penis.

We will also conduct a blood test to confirm the infection as a laboratory test can only show the presence of any bacteria or virus. We believe that a PCR test will be more accurate. However, there are certain infections that will not show up even with a clinical test. In such cases, we take a special PCR test which is regarded as an early detection test.