Author name: Diane

It is foolish to think that STDs are not harmful. All sexually transmitted diseases come with a certain amount of health risk. It is a risk not only for the person with the disease, but for your partner, your future partners and possibly your children. If anyone has been sexually active, especially without protection, it is important to get tested before exposing anyone else. If anyone has signs or symptoms of an STD, it is even more critical to get tested and/or treated as soon as possible. Not all sexually transmitted diseases are the same. Some are much worse to get than others. Certain STDs are dangerous to carry for a long time without knowing the infection is in your body. Types of STDs There are many types of STDs. Following is a list of the worst STDs to get and what you can expect if you get them. HIV Most everyone is familiar with HIV and the dangers of contracting HIV and AIDs. Although we have come a long way with treatment over the last several decades, there is still no cure. HIV is a viral condition, which means that no cure currently exists. It is important for anyone who is sexually active to get tested for HIV often. If HIV is found, the sooner treatment begins, the better prognosis for optimal health. HIV can lead to multiple health issues including rashes, genital sores, flu-like symptoms, persistent diarrhea and organ failure and even death. Syphilis Syphilis can not only be a painful disease, but it can potentially be fatal. It is spread through vaginal, oral or anal sex. Usually symptoms appear about three weeks after someone has been exposed. However, this is not always the case. There are four stages of syphilis and each stage has different symptoms. The Four Stages of Syphilis are: Primary Stage Syphilis – In primary stage syphilis, the first noticeable sign is a single sore or multiple sores. The place on your body where you contracted syphilis is where you contracted the disease. In women, it is usually in or around the vagina. In men, it is on their penis. If a woman contracted it through giving oral sex, the sores will appear on her lips or mouth. The sores usually last a month to six weeks, whether you receive treatment or not. If treatment is not given, the infection moves to the secondary stage. Secondary Stage Syphilis – During the secondary stage, rashes and sores appear in the mouth, vagina or anus. There is usually a rash on more areas of the body, including the hands or bottom of the feet. The bumps are typically rough, red or reddish-brown. Other symptoms of the secondary stage are fever, swollen lymph glands, sore throat, hair loss, headaches, fatigue and body aches. Without the proper treatment, syphilis can stay in your body for years and move to the latent or tertiary stage. Latent Stage Syphilis – The latent stage is when there are no visible signs or symptoms. Left untreated, it can develop into the tertiary stage. This can affect the heart, blood vessels, brain and nervous system and can be life threatening. Tertiary Stage Syphilis – Tertiary syphilis is serious and usually occurs 10-30 years after infection. It damages your internal organs or causes death. Without a diagnosis of syphilis or treatment — during any stage of the disease — it can spread to the brain, nervous system, eyes or ears. It can cause headaches, muscle weakness, eye pain, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, dizziness, vertigo, changes to your mental state, personality changes and dementia. Congenital Syphilis — Passing Syphilis on to Your Baby If a woman has syphilis and becomes pregnant, she can pass the disease to her baby. Congenital syphilis can have a major impact on the baby’s health. It can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight or death shortly after birth. Babies born with syphilis can have deformed bones, anemia, enlarged liver, jaundice, brain and nerve problems, meningitis, skin rashes blindness or deafness. Congenital syphilis has tripled in recent years and the growth rate is alarming to public health officials. ACOG recommends that all pregnant women receive STD testing at their first initial OB visit and again at 36 weeks. Routine testing during pregnancy is not only for syphilis, but HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes and hepatitis. As congenital syphilis is on the rise, it can be assumed that not enough pregnant women are getting proper prenatal care. Hepatitis Hepatitis A, B and C can spread through vaginal, oral or anal sexual activities. It is a viral disease but it may either be temporary or long-lasting. The worst case scenario is that it can lead to liver disease and death. It is a life-long disease. Hepatitis is harder to detect than other STDs, unless someone is tested. With HIV, syphilis, herpes, etc., usually painful sores or rashes make the STD obvious. Hepatitis symptoms don’t present in the same way. Some of the symptoms include fatigue, flu-like illness, dark urine, pale stool, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, jaundiced skin and yellow eyes. If anyone has any of these symptoms, it is imperative they seek diagnosis and treatment from a physician. Chlamydia Chlamydia can be a serious disease if not found and treated. It can cause major health issues for women like pelvic inflammatory disease, scarring of the urethra, infertility and complications during pregnancy. About 70% of women who get chlamydia do not have symptoms but it can spread it if they are sexually active. Sometimes the infection remains in your body for weeks, months or years without symptoms. If you are sexually active and without protection, undetected chlamydia is highly transmittable to other partners. Often symptoms occur about three weeks after chlamydia is contracted. The most common symptoms in women include: The treatment for chlamydia is antibiotics. Chlamydia Can Cause Infertility Often, a woman doesn’t know she is infertile until it is time to try to have a baby. If

STIs and STDs are often used interchangeably but they are not the same thing. It’s important to understand the difference. The differences are actually quite simply. One is an infection and one is a disease. Read on to learn more. An STI is an Infection An STI is a sexually transmitted infection, which is when bacteria or a virus gets in the body. An STD is a sexually transmitted disease, which is when the infection progresses to the point that a person starts to show symptoms. An STI is an infection and what happens before it turns into a disease. It is often asymptomatic, meaning it shows no symptoms. An STD is a Disease An STD is a sexually transmitted disease, which is when the infection progresses to the point that a person starts to show symptoms. If a person has no signs of symptoms, getting tested for an STI will show if they have the bacterial or virus in their body. But if symptoms are already showing up, such as genital warts or a rash, the STI has become an STD. It’s helpful to know you have an STI before it becomes an STD so you can get treatment early. An STD is a disease that starts as an infection. While symptoms may appear, some STDs also show no symptoms. Testing is the Only Way to Know if You Have an STI or STD If you visit your OB/GYN for our annual exam, don’t assume they automatically test for STIs. Be open and honest with your physician and let them know if you have been sexually active or may have been exposed to an STI. Let them know if you have had multiple partners or anal sex since it puts you at higher risk for STIs. Take charge of your own health and have the confidence to request STI testing. OB/GYN offices test for STIs all day long — it is very routine and a completely normal request. Call us today to schedule a confidential appointment at 770.720.7733 or simply schedule an appointment online.

Yes! Many STIs don’t cause any symptoms, so the only way to know for sure if you have an STI is to get tested. Who Should Get Tested for STIs? The short answer is anyone who is sexually active. But you should also get tested if: What STIs Should You Test For? There are so many different STIs, it is hard to know what you may have been exposed to. Discuss it with your OB/GYN and they will encourage you to be tested for some or all of the following STIs: Talk to Your OB/GYN When you visit your OB/GYN for your annual exam, don’t assume they automatically test for STIs. Be open and honest with your OB/GYN and let them know if you have been sexually active or may have been exposed to an STI. Let them know if you have had multiple partners or anal sex since both put you at higher risk for STIs. Take charge of your own health and have confidence to request STI testing. OB/GYN offices test for STIs all day long – it is very routine and a completely normal request. It is also important to get tested for STIs if you are pregnant to protect your baby. Your OB/GYN should test for STIs at your first OB visit, and again near the end of pregnancy. It is very important to get tested if you have been a victim of sexual violence or assault. If you are a survivor of sexual violence, seek the help of a counselor and see an OB/GYN for an exam and STI testing. 24/7 Support Hotline If you have experienced sexual assault, there are organizations that offer support such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline with a 24/7 support hotline: 1-800-656-4673. They will also help you find local support if needed. Several STIs are “notifiable” diseases. This means that healthcare providers are legally required to report the positive results to government officials at the Public Health Department. Public Health officials keep track of STI/STD statistics, so they are aware of the number of cases and to determine if the public is at risk. Because they have been tracking these statistics, we are aware of the current sharp rise in STDs in the country, and especially in Georgia. The notifiable STDs that get reported to the health department are chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis and chancroid. STIs are tested with blood and urine tests. It may also take a month or longer after being exposed to certain STIs for blood tests to be reliable. For example, if someone gets HIV, it may not be detected by tests for weeks or months. Other Means of Testing Besides blood and urine tests, your doctor may also perform the following: They can also take samples from any questionable areas to send off for testing. When to See an OB/GYN It’s important to see an OB/GYN and discuss any noticeable changes with your doctor. Let them know if you’ve noticed any changes on or around your genitals, anus or rectum. Although some STIs may not have symptoms, it’s still important to watch for any signs of infection, even if they are very mild.  See an OB/GYN immediately if you notice any of these symptoms: Can I Get a Home STI Test? Online tests are also available for some STIs, but they aren’t always reliable. Your safest bet is to see a doctor for testing and if you are positive, you can get treatment. What to Do If You Test Positive for an STI If you get a positive STI/STD test result, follow up with your OB/GYN for treatment. Make sure you let any recent sex partners know of your diagnosis since they will most likely need treatment also. Discuss with your OB/GYN any concerns and they will answer your questions. You will need to be aware of any future problems to watch for, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, or future outbreaks. You will need to learn of all the risk factors and potential problems. Also, depending on the STI, you will need to inform every future partner that you had a sexually transmitted disease so that they will know if they are also at risk. The Importance of STI Testing Remember, getting tested is not taboo. It’s an important part of not just taking care of your vaginal health, but your overall health too. Testing and subsequent treatment can help prevent spreading the infection and the more serious issues that could develop. Issues like infertility, endangering your unborn child, long term health problems or even death.