All About Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Venereal diseases are known as sexually transmitted diseases, commonly called STDs. Such diseases are spread mainly through sexual intercourse.

Common diseases like HIV, genital warts, genital herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, different types of hepatitis, trichomoniasis, and syphilis are considered STDs.

Since it spreads with sexual intercourse, therefore it is undoubtedly contagious.

Every year millions of cases are diagnosed with STDs and most of them are between the age of 15 and 24. Some of these diseases are incurable and can affect you in the long term.

That is why STD tests are necessary for people to save their and others’ lives. These tests are performed in clinics as well as hospitals, but there is always a delay in report delivery.

Often it is seen that people are given a different date for a diagnosis report and therefore, they ignore it conveniently.

Psychologically, a person isn’t ready to undergo such tests, so by the time results are out, they back out. This results in untreated infection which spreads drastically and eventually the person dies or suffers extremely.

Same-day STD testing has been designed keeping in mind that people have less time and want to give less effort and stress.

STDs Causes And Sources

Generally, these germs that are the origin of STDs are found in:

• Semen;
• Blood;
• Saliva;
• Vaginal secretion;
• Hepatitis B is spread through personal items like razors or toothbrushes that are shared by two or more people;
• Genital warts or herpes are spread due to skin contact;
• Damp or wet clothes or towels;
• Dirty toilet seats;

Even if you take precautions with these things, the major risk of STDs arises when:

• You have sex with more than one person or with someone who’s had sex with many people before.
• Don’t use a condom before sex and trade sex for drugs and money.
• You use the same injecting needle as a person who is suffering from any infection.

How To Diagnose It?

Many STDs have mild symptoms that can be easy to overlook. These include:

• Lower abs pain;
• Pain during intercourse;
• Itching or irritation of the genitals;
• Burning sensation and/or pain when urinating;
• Fatigue, fever, headache;
• Blisters, bumps, or swellings in the private areas;
• Diarrhea, etc.

Now, for a complete list of STD symptoms, check out this article from MayoClinic.

But there are STDs that have no symptoms at all. So you might walk around carrying such a disease without even knowing it. For these situations, an STD test is necessary.

When you go for quick STD tests, it helps in getting results and treatment procedures on the same day. This not only saves time, but you don’t have to gather courage for the next day since everything is being taken care of on the same day.

Earlier there were just blood tests that were painful for many. However, now a quick testing process involves fluid and urine tests which is comfortable and easy.

Not all tests can be accurate as every infection or illness has a different level of sensitivity and specificity. Lower sensitivity can give negative results for an illness which can be dangerous for people who are actually infected but aren’t diagnosed. Majorly this happens with HIV patients.

There may be many home test kits available in the market, but it is wise to consult a sexual health counselor. Unless they don’t recommend you to check with a home test kit, it is wise to get it diagnosed at a clinic.

There’s nothing to feel embarrassed about it because the more you’re neglecting it, the worst the situation can get.