Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be a cause for concern, especially when symptoms are hard to recognize. While some people experience symptoms of an infection, like discharge, burning, or itching in the genital area, other people can have a sexually transmitted infection and have no symptoms at all....CONTINUE READING
For example, 75 percent of women and 50 percent of men with chlamydia have no symptoms. And, on average, people with HIV don’t develop symptoms for 10 years.
Less sex may mean you may have an STD. We all have times when we may not feel like engaging in sex or sexual activity, even with a partner we love. When your partner suddenly deviates from your relationship’s typical sexual pattern or withdraws from sex completely, however, it could be a sign to watch out for.
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This may indicate your partner is trying to hide symptoms from you. Some STD symptoms, including several associated with gonorrhea or chlamydia, are visible in the genital area, so withdrawing from sex could be an attempt to prevent you from seeing these symptoms firsthand.
It could also be that your partner is trying to protect you from transmission, but hasn’t summoned up the courage to tell you about their STD.
Lastly, your partner might be feeling guilty about being in a sexual relationship with someone else. In this case, even if they don’t know whether they’ve contracted an STD, they’re still placing you at risk by engaging in sexual activity with multiple partners.
If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to talk openly with your partner. Ask for an explanation, but be compassionate. Remember, their withdrawal from sexual activity might be completely innocent, stemming from anxiety, emotional distress or another cause. Regardless of your partner’s answer, however, it might be wise to get an STD test, just in case they’re not being completely honest with you.
Another sign you may have an STD and not know it is because of the multitude of symptoms. Many STD symptoms are related to dozens of illnesses, so people infected may not know they have the virus. For example, the first stage of HIV is called an acute HIV infection, which can cause flu-like symptoms within 2 to 4 weeks of infection. Common STD symptoms include:
Doesn’t that sound like a regular case of the flu? Or a bad cold that’s “going around”?
When HIV reaches its second stage—the stage known as an asymptomatic HIV infection, chronic HIV infection, or clinical latency—it continues to multiply within the body without showing symptoms. For some, this dormant stage can last for more than ten years.
Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs in women under 25 and is known as a “silent” infection, since most people never experience symptoms. Symptoms of chlamydia include abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation during urination several weeks after sex with an infected partner. It can be easy to confuse these symptoms with something like a yeast infection, so it’s important to see your ob/gyn if you notice changes in discharge, pain or burnin. But, again, it could have no symptoms at all.
If chlamydia goes untreated, it can spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes, resulting in pelvic inflammatory disease. Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause scarring in the fallopian tubes, which can lead to permanent damage that causes infertility. Scarring can also cause an ectopic pregnancy, which can be life-threatening for both mom and baby.
The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screenings for women under 25, pregnant women, or anyone with a new sexual partner (or if you’re not sure of your partner’s STI status). If found early, chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics.
Similar to chlamydia, gonorrhea is most common in sexually active women under 25 and the majority will never experience symptoms. While the two are different infections, chlamydia and gonorrhea are commonly diagnosed together. Mild symptoms for both are similar (if they ever show up).
Gonorrhea is an infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. More than 550,000 cases were reported to the CDC last year, making it the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.
Most women with gonorrhea don’t have any symptoms, according to the CDC. Leaving gonorrhea untreated can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, scar tissue that blocks the fallopian tubes, difficulty getting pregnant, and chronic abdominal pain. Pregnant women can also transmit the infection to their baby during delivery, which can cause serious problems in an infant.
Gonorrhea is getting harder to treat because it’s becoming resistant to antibiotics. Current treatment for the disease is to give a one-time injection of the antibiotic Ceftriaxone in addition to oral antibiotics.
If gonorrhea goes untreated, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, scarring and damage to reproductive organs. Your risk of getting HIV is higher, as is your chance of getting life-threatening infections in other parts of your body. Gonorrhea during pregnancy can cause premature birth, miscarriage, low birth weight and serious health complications for newborns.
The CDC recommends an annual gonorrhea screening for women under 25, pregnant women, or anyone with a new sexual partner (or if you’re not sure of your partner’s STI status). Like chlamydia, gonorrhea can be treated with antibiotics.
Herpes is a viral infection that can present on your mouth or genitals. According to the CDC, one out of every six people between 14 and 49 years old in the U.S. has genital herpes. While most people think of herpes as painful, red blisters, not everyone gets those. While herpes is most infectious during an active breakout, it can still be spread when no symptoms are present.
The best way to reduce your risk of herpes is to use barrier methods (like condoms, dental dams) correctly every time you have sex. While there’s no cure for herpes, there is treatment to manage the symptoms. If you believe you’ve been exposed to herpes, talk to your doctor so they can do a swab test of symptoms or a blood test. If you have it, your doctor will
