You thought you were careful, or you thought your partner was honest about their sexual history – but you ended up with an STI. Although scary, STIs are relatively common and aren't the end of the world.
If you have an STI, the first step is prompt treatment to avoid serious complications. The good news is that, with prompt care, most STIs are treatable and leave no long-term consequences.
At Collaborative Women's Care, Dr. Eduardo Valdes offers STI testing and treatments when you discover the unthinkable. He helps you understand your diagnosis, provides prompt care, and gives you prevention measures to keep your reproductive system healthy in the future.
A sexually transmitted infection, or STI, is a disease that people pass to one another during sexual intercourse or intimate contact. You can get an STI through oral, anal, or vaginal sex.
Various types of STIs come from bacteria, viruses, and parasites. The most common types of STIs include the following:
The scary part about STIs is they don't always produce symptoms. You could have an STI and not know it for weeks, months, or years. If you do have symptoms, they may include:
More severe infections come with other body symptoms, including abdominal and pelvic pain, fever, aches and pains, or weight loss. If you notice any symptoms, it's essential to seek treatment as soon as possible.
Because people don't always have symptoms with an STI, it can continue to wreak havoc on your health without treatment. Both women and men can have severe complications from STIs, especially without prompt treatment.
The most significant complication related to an STI is spreading it to your sexual partners. They can then spread it to anyone they have sexual contact with. Other complications of STIs include:
The good news is you can avoid serious complications with prompt treatment of the STI. If you don't have any symptoms, get routine STI screenings to keep you and your partner safe.
It's also a good idea to have an STI conversation with any sexual partner you have before engaging in sexual activities. It can prevent serious issues and the need for treatment by getting everything out in the open and by using protective measures like condoms.
An STI diagnosis can be scary, but there's a lot of good news about treatment. If you're feeling down, there are some encouraging facts you should consider, including:
According to the CDC, millions of STIs happen every year, meaning you're not alone. There's no need to be embarrassed because these infections happen a lot to men and women of every age, race, and ethnicity.
Another encouraging fact about STIs is that they're almost all treatable. Less complicated STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea require antibiotics. At the same time, HIV and herpes need antiviral medications for the rest of your life.
Early treatment of an STI is essential in preventing long-term complications. Routine testing and prevention measures are crucial to staying healthy.
STIs are highly preventable, both by using condoms and through limiting sexual partners. Talking to your sexual partners, setting boundaries, and establishing prevention measures helps you prevent an STI.
Whether you have one sexual partner or many, staying on top of your health is essential. Routine doctor's visits and testing are the best ways to find an STI, especially for those that don't produce immediate symptoms.
Long-term complications aren't always an issue, especially when you get regular testing and early treatment for an STI. Most people don't have complications as long as they receive early treatment and stay on top of their sexual health.
If you need STI testing, call our office today at 305-200-3878 or schedule a consultation with Dr. Valdes online.
